SharePoint - Business Data Catalog Forum

BDC with WCF Service

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:12:55 Z

Hi,

I am using BusinessDataList web part in MOSS 2007 to call a WCF service. This WCF is created using the BizTalk WCF Publishing Wizard (BTS 2006) (using BasicHttp). This wcf service returns a simple xml with 3 nodes.
I have created the App Definition File (ADF) using MS App Definition Editor.
When I open the page in MOSS, I get the following error -
=============================================================================
An error occurred while retrieving data from <instance name>. Administrators, see the server log for more information.
=============================================================================

When I execute the instance from definition editor, it returns the result (shows the output columns, but not the data). I have added both Finder & Specific Finder. When the MOSS page loads I can see the request coming to BizTalk and the response xml returned from BizTalk.

I can attach the ADF file if required.
Any idea? Thanks in advance.

How to embed a web application code in MOSS 2007 as a BDC web part?

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:16:07 Z

Hi All,

I have created a web application which contains lots of .aspx, .ascx files etc.
Now, I want to use this web application in MOSS as a bdc web part. I won't be able to rewrite the code to use it as a bdc web part.

Is there any way to embedd this code directly in MOSS as a bdc web part?
I mean to say when I drag n drop the web part, my web application will be visible in web part zone. There I can use or retrieve or insert data in database using web application.

I don't want to call this web application using any url. I want to completely embed the code as a web part.

Can anyone suggest how to achieve this task?

Thanks in advance.

Regards.

Mathematical calculation using BDC SELECT satement

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:37:40 Z

I have following select statement in the BDC,

SELECT ((SELECT UNIT_SCALE as UNIT_SCALE1 FROM UNITS WHERE (UNIT=:UserUnit))/(SELECT UNIT_SCALE as UNIT_SCALE2 FROM UNITS WHERE (UNIT=:DBUnit))) as SCALE FROM dual;

<FilterDescriptors>	
						<FilterDescriptor Type="Wildcard" Name="UserUnit" />						<FilterDescriptor Type="Wildcard" Name="DBUnit" />
					</FilterDescriptors>
					<Parameters>
						<Parameter Direction="In" Name=":UserUnit">
						<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="UNIT" AssociatedFilter="UserUnit"></TypeDescriptor>						</Parameter>
						<Parameter Direction="In" Name=":DBUnit">
						<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="UNIT" AssociatedFilter="DBUnit"></TypeDescriptor>
						</Parameter>									<Parameter Direction="Return" Name="&quot;CHEMREG&quot;.&quot;UNITS&quot;">
						<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataReader, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IsCollection="true" Name="&quot;CHEMREG&quot;.&quot;UNITS&quot;DataReader">
						<TypeDescriptors>
						<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataRecord, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="&quot;CHEMREG&quot;.&quot;UNITS&quot;DataRecord">
						<TypeDescriptors>
					<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Decimal" Name="UNIT_SCALE1" />
	<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Decimal" Name="UNIT_SCALE2" />
	<TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Decimal" Name="SCALE" />										</TypeDescriptors>
						</TypeDescriptor>
						</TypeDescriptors>
						</TypeDescriptor>
						</Parameter>
					</Parameters>

I get "ORA-00911: invalid character" error.

Please help.

Cannot connect to dabase instance in Business Data List webpart.

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:05:30 Z

Im having trouble when using business data list webpart in Sharepoint.

'Unable to connect to AdventureWorksDW_Instance.'

In my Event Logs, this is the error:

Could not open connection using 'data source=MSSQL;initial catalog=AdventureWorksDW;integrated security=True;persist security info=false' in App Domain '/LM/W3SVC/243996052/ROOT-1-129034982946432768'. The full exception text is: Login failed for user 'NT AUTHORITY\ANONYMOUS LOGON'.

How can I fix this problem?

Error when executing a MethodInstance from BDC Editor

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 05:45:13 Z

Hello friends,

I am pretty new to BDC concept in Sharepoint. I have a Java Web service which uses SOAP12 protcol. When executed from third party tool SOAPUI, it gives back the result, which is basically ArrayOfString and inside which you have strings..... But, when i execute the same method instance from BDC editor, it says 'Unable to Connect to remote server'. I have necessary rights. I am part of Farm Admistrators & site collection administrators group as well in sharepoint. Please help me resolve this issue. Let me know if you need more details with respect to the problem.

Thanks in advance.

Sravan Kasyap

BDC Definition Editor Install Error

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:40:28 Z

I'm trying to install the BDC Definition Editor from the latest SharePoint SDK (1.5) and I'm getting errors which cause the installation to abort. I've tried both the setup.exe and running the MSI package directly, neither seem to get past the error. Here's the related installation log details just before the rollback:

DEBUG: Error 2769: Custom Action _0ADE9416_9717_41CD_96D3_242A073CE3F3.install did not close 1 MSIHANDLEs.

I'm using Vista Enterprise Edition (32-bit) and have VS 2008 and SQL 2008 installed. Has anyone else experienced this issue with the custom action identified above?

-Glen

Error : The filter process could not be started. The system is most likely low on resources ...."

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:03:54 Z

While improting user profile data in sharepoint i am getting this error :

The filter process could not be started. The system is most likely low on resources, or the filter process binary was modified. If the resources are available, check the search binaries with an antivirus program. The filter process could not be started. The system is most likely low on resources, or the filter process binary was modified. If the resources are available, check the search binaries with an antivirus program.

I scanned the system with two different anti-virus apps but didn’t find any virus, also there is no resource shortage in this system as given in the error message. I have custom profile properties also getting imported which was working fine till last week, I removed BDC related things from this system still the same error is coming. probably only change in Sharepoint is that i did is MOSS SP2 Upgrade in this system. is there anyone who knows about this issue.

BDC Definition Editor - New Web Method in webservice for existing LOB System

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:10:58 Z

Anyone knows if it is possible to refresh/reload the LOB system (using BDC Defintion editor) so that new Web Methods added to the underlying web service can be added as new methods to an existing LOB system?

Currently if I add new web methods to the webservice they will not be listed as available "Web Methods" for creating new methods. Then I usuallty edit the xml and inserts the new method manually before reimporting to the BDC definition Editor. Is there a better way?

Mapping site / customer metadata

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:49:38 Z

Hi,

I'm currently in the process of setting up customer portals for our own customers to sign into. The idea is that these portals will be automatically created based on a site template, and customers are able to log in via a FBA site.

Now on each site, I will have some libraries and stuff. Also, I need a BDC part to show the customers data from our CRM project. So I need a way to feed the BDC webpart the customer code for retrieving the record.

I've now implemented it like this: the customer code is the relative path of the site. So when the customers code is CONTOSO, then the site would become https://customers.company.com/CONTOSO. I wrote a webpart which takes the correct part the of the URL and provides it as a filter template. This works fast and good, but my programmer heart is telling me this is a filthy solution.

Another problem is that I have to aggregate data from multiple customer sites, like tasks and such. Offcourse, in the overview, my manager would like to see to which customer the task is bound. I can do that by stripping down the site address, but i'm not quite sure if that's the way to go. I could also write a feature which fills a 'Customer' column, but again I would need to feed that somehow.

I'm probably not the only one wanting these kinds of things, so I was curious about ways to solve this.

MCTS in Web Application Development in .NET 2.0

BDC Filter

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:50:31 Z

i have created a Business Data List with all the data coming in. what I am looking to do is create filters for the columns but if filters are not used for all of the data to populate the list. How do I go about doing this. Every time I create filters all the data is removed from the list. Thanks in advance

Displaying Images

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:06:29 Z

We are attempting to use the BDC to display employee info from an external SQL Server db. One of the fields we need to display is an Image type. Will this field be displayed as an image by the BDC?

Cannot filter on specific BDC field in the list toolbar

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:47:11 Z

A list is displaying secondary BDC field of both string and decimal types. For some reason the string types do not allow filtering on the field from the list toolbar dropdown, the decimal types do allow filtering. Strangely enough, another library in the same site collection (so with the same BDC definition) does allow filtering on some string type BDC fields, but not on all fields.

I also noticed that the fields / columns that do not allow in place filtering are also not available in a calculated column.

Any suggestions to resolve this would be appreciated.

Jeroen

Making BDC with SSO work with Forms based authentication

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 08:07:38 Z

We are struggling with how to correctly set up BDC to work with FBA (forms based authentication). The scenario is as follows:

We have built a BDC definition for MS CRM 3.0 and are using standard BDC webparts to show some custom entities from CRM. The BDC connects directly to the CRM database, so we set up SSO (single sign-on) to provide mapping to an SQL account with read access to the database (all domain accounts are mapped to use the same SQL user in SSO). This part is working just fine.

Now we need to set up dual authentication to enable external users to view the same info. The site is extended and the new zone is configured to authenticate using Forms Based Authentication. But how do we map FBA users within SSO? Apparently you can only map an domain group within the page "Manage Account Information for an Enterprise Application Definition" in central admin.

Any help or input to getting the external users access to the BDC info is appreciated. All external users will have the same access rights (no need to map rights per user basis).

Thanks in advance
Thomas N. Sørensen

Problem with BDC in forms authentication

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:45:22 Z

Hi,
I had devleoped BDC web part. It works fine with NTLM authentication.
But gives an error message "Access denied" for FBA users. But when I add the FBA users to BDC list (Central Admin > SSP > Business Data Catalog >Business Data Catalog Permissions) it works fine. But I dont think it i s good practice to all all the 1000s of FBA users to the BDC permissions.

I would like to know what is the best practice to achieve BDC for FBA users.
Note:
The SSP has been extended for FBA users.

BDC & WebService - IDEnumerator Problems

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:56:39 Z

Let's start here. Due to specific constraints of my environment I cannot connect directly to the database. In leu of these I am using an additional layer via WebServices.

I have 3 methods in my webservice...

GetPartNumbers_IDEnumerator()
GetPart_SpecificFinder()
GetParts (Finder)

As far as the WebService goes, GetPartNumbers_IDEnumerator() returns an ArrayOfString(Collection) with string elements containing only the ID's. See below

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ArrayOfString xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns="http://intranet1/WebServices/">
  <string>01210801         00 </string>
  <string>02050902         00 </string>
  <string>02050903         00 </string>
  <string>100014           03 </string>
  <string>100020           03 </string>
</ArrayOfString>

GetPart_SpecificFinder() returns below...

<GSSPart>
  <PartNumber>102233           00</PartNumber>
  <PartDescription>WELDED REAR SHELF ASSY 150    </PartDescription>
  <Exists>true</Exists>
</GSSPart>

GetParts() returns...

<ArrayOfGSSPart>
  <GSSPart>
  <PartNumber>100014           03 </PartNumber>
  <PartDescription>CLIP                          </PartDescription>
  <Exists>true</Exists>
</GSSPart>
<GSSPart>
  <PartNumber>100020           03 </PartNumber>
  <PartDescription>BOTTOM TRANSFER PLATE (BE)    </PartDescription>
  <Exists>true</Exists>
</GSSPart>
</ArrayOfGSSPart>

Using ApplicationDefinitionDesigner, when Executing the IDEnumerator method, I get the error,
"Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index."

I know what the error means, but I don't know why I'm getting it. I'm assuming it has something to do with my ADF, but I don't know what.

However, the Finder and Specific Finder methods work fine.

Any ideas welcome. Including my ADF.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<LobSystem xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:schemaLocation="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/03/BusinessDataCatalog BDCMetadata.xsd" Type="WebService" Version="1.0.0.0" Name="GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/03/BusinessDataCatalog">
  <Properties>
    <Property Name="WsdlFetchUrl" Type="System.String">http://intranet1/WebServices/GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription.asmx?wsdl</Property>
    <Property Name="WebServiceProxyNamespace" Type="System.String">BDC</Property>
    <Property Name="WildcardCharacter" Type="System.String">%</Property>
  </Properties>
  <LobSystemInstances>
    <LobSystemInstance Name="GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription_Instance">
      <Properties>
        <Property Name="LobSystemName" Type="System.String">GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription</Property>
        <Property Name="WebServiceAuthenticationMode" Type="Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.SystemSpecific.WebService.HttpAuthenticationMode">PassThrough</Property>
      </Properties>
    </LobSystemInstance>
  </LobSystemInstances>
  <Entities>
    <Entity EstimatedInstanceCount="10000" Name="GetPartsResult">
      <Identifiers>
        <Identifier TypeName="System.String" Name="PartNumber" />
      </Identifiers>
      <Methods>
        <Method Name="GetPartNumbers_IDEnumerator">
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" Name="Return">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String[], mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IsCollection="true" Name="ArrayOfString" DefaultDisplayName="GetPartNumbers_IDEnumeratorResult">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="string" />
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Type="IdEnumerator" ReturnParameterName="Return" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="ArrayOfString" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0" Name="GetPartNumbers_IDEnumeratorResultInstance" />
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
        <Method Name="GetPart_SpecificFinder">
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Direction="In" Name="Part">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="Part" />
            </Parameter>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" Name="Return">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="BDC.GSSPart,GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription" Name="GSSPart" DefaultDisplayName="Return">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="PartNumber">
                    <Properties>
                      <Property Name="ShowInPicker" Type="System.Boolean">true</Property>
                    </Properties>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="PartDescription">
                    <Properties>
                      <Property Name="ShowInPicker" Type="System.Boolean">true</Property>
                    </Properties>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Boolean, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="Exists" />
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Type="SpecificFinder" ReturnParameterName="Return" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="GSSPart" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0" Name="GetPart_SpecificFinderResultInstance" />
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
        <Method Name="GetParts">
          <FilterDescriptors>
            <FilterDescriptor Type="Wildcard" Name="Part" />
          </FilterDescriptors>
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Direction="In" Name="Part">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" AssociatedFilter="Part" Name="Part" />
            </Parameter>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" Name="Return">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="BDC.GSSPart[],GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription" IsCollection="true" Name="ArrayOfGSSPart" DefaultDisplayName="GetPartsResult">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="BDC.GSSPart,GSS_VJobHeader_PartDescription" Name="GSSPart">
                    <TypeDescriptors>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="PartNumber">
                        <Properties>
                          <Property Name="ShowInPicker" Type="System.Boolean">true</Property>
                        </Properties>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IdentifierName="PartNumber" Name="PartDescription">
                        <Properties>
                          <Property Name="ShowInPicker" Type="System.Boolean">true</Property>
                        </Properties>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Boolean, mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="Exists" />
                    </TypeDescriptors>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Type="Finder" ReturnParameterName="Return" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="ArrayOfGSSPart" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0" Name="GetPartsResultInstance" />
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
      </Methods>
    </Entity>
  </Entities>
</LobSystem>

BDC paging using Web Service

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:52:46 Z

Hi,

Does BDC methods support to implement paging in web method of to retrive only selected data instead of all at once in another word How BDC intact with web service to implement paging?

I have to extract the data from salesforce to intract with sharepoint. The finder web methods return huge records that stop the execution of processing (time out).

Many thanks in advance
-Madhukar

BDC + Permissions to Sharepoint group

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 12:17:49 Z

I have a site defined to use forms authentication. In the site the (forms)users are added to the site's Viewers group.

Now I have to setup BDC permissions to the Viewers group in shared service provider. I go to SharedServices > Manage Permissions > Add Users/Groups and type Viewers to Users/Groups textbox and click "Check names". The name gets underlined so Moss seems to recognize the group ok. However after selecting some permission checkboxes and pressing Save it throws error:
The specified user or domain group was not found.
Please press the back button of the browser,fix the error and try the operation again

Ok, so it's not a domain group but how can I give a group of forms users permissions without explicitly declaring each and everyone in the BDC permissions, ie. can I use already defined sharepoint user group (ie.Viewers) somehow? Declaring users one by one works ok, but it's quite a lot of work to add permissions to every ADF's entity and method manually and reimport every time a user gets added to the system.

Best regards
Tommi

How Security works for Enterprise Search using BDC web service?

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 09:46:38 Z

Folks, I am going to start implementing a search integration by means of BDC Web service (I want to search some data that are exposed by means of a web service).
Now I am wondering if the SharePoint crawls the data and index it at the SharePoint site, then how the security will work onto the search result? For example, some user might not able to see certain search results. But if they searchs for them, how SharePoint search will restrict them from viewing those?

I really wanted to know how this security mechanism actually works in the context of BDC web service. If anyone of know could you please be so kind to share the knowledge or point me to some online resource where I can read the details..?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

- Moim Hossain [Please mark as answer if this post helps you]

Unable to retrieve BDC entities to SharePoint site

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 13:50:08 Z

Hi All,

I have used 'Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.MetadataModel.ApplicationRegistry' in my code for Loading the BDC applications to a dropdown in MOSS 2007 site. It worked fine and BDC applications and entities were loaded to the dropdowns.

Now I have migrated the site to SharePoint 2010 and it gives the following warning :

'Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.MetadataModel.ApplicationRegistry' is obselete: 'O12 Application Registry API is deprecated. Please Use BusinessData.'

However I am able to build the code in VS. But the BDC applications are not loaded to the dropdown.

Can someone suggest me on what I have to do?

Thanks in advance :)

Making BDC web parts available in "MY sites"

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:31:57 Z

BDC web parts arent showing up in my list of web parts available to be added to a My Site. I understand how to use BDC with user profiles, but the public profile view is unattractive, and I have a requirement to modify it. I really just need to add BDC web parts to the System account profile page, so that the changes aggregate through the organization. Any help?

Accessing Data via BDC

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:32:20 Z

I've created an application definition file and imported it into the BDC. Now I have a Business Data List Web part and I want to access the data.
What do I do in the Business Data List Web Part to be able to access the data?

Is there any free open source tools to create an ADF file for BDC in sharepoint

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:52:48 Z

Hi All,

I want to create an ADF file for BDC....i want to know if there are any free open source tools for creating ADF files. Thank you.

Business Data List

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:58:59 Z

I created a Business Data List off of a BDC I created called CustomerAlerts. In the Edit View The I have retreive all items selected, the columns to be shown only show one column. in the table I have ten. How do I get the other columns to show up. In the Business Data Item all the fields show up. Does anyone have any clue on this? Thanks in Advance

Problem accessing Data using BDC

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:23:22 Z

I was trying to publish the user profile from the AD but some of the attributes are not in AD so I thought of make use of BDC.

My question here is _

1. Do I need to download the "sample database AdventureWorks" ?

What I did is without "sample database AdventureWorks"

2. I created database called EmployeeInformation and created table called "EmployeeData"
3.Then created ADF using "Microsoft Business Data Catalog Definition Editor tool "

4. Imported application definition

5. Added Business data list Web part

6. No luck always get "Unable to connect to EmployeeInformation_Instance

Any suggestion is appreciated.

Thank you
BijNep

Mapping Profile fields to Custom Connection (BDC)

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:04:11 Z

We are running our primary profile import from AD and this is working. I have some additional attributes that are exposed through the BDC (via aweb service call). The BDC application is available and working, and domain users has permissions. I've created a Custom Connection to expose the data from the BDC.

When I attempt to map the profile field to the custom connection though I see the following on the left column

"Note: The selection of directory service properties is disabled because the portal is in an untrusted domain or no directory service import is configured yet."

I'm familiar with that problem for the main import, where the Farm Admin account credentials have to be supplied. In this case both Domain Users and Authenticated Users have permission and there is no place to set the account to use on the Custom Connection configuration.

SharePoint Developer | Administrator | Evangelist -- Twitter -- Blog - http://nextconnect.blogspot.com

After Installation of SP2: No sorting & grouping of Business Data Columns?

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 15:26:01 Z

Hi,

after the installation of the MOSS 2007 Service Pack 2, columns of type "Business Data" (that represent data of type System.String) are not sortable resp. groupable anymore when creating views in Document Libraries. Data is displayed correctly, but you cannot make a sort/filter/group on the column anymore.

Before the installation of this famous service pack, I had no problems using the sorting and grouping of this columns.

Does anybody made the same experience or is there a workaround?

With kindly Regards,

Jm Aalen.

Business Data List has no Business Data Type available in the picker

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:46:50 Z

I created an ADF file. I import the file into sharepoint. I set the permissions. I go to the page and add a Business Data List. I modifiy the shared web properties. I go into the Business Data Type Picker and I have nothing available to select. I search and still cant find it. Can anyone tell me why this is blank?????

BDC web parts with Script for Expand/Collapse on "My Sites"

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:16:07 Z

I have BDC item and item builder web parts on the System Account's "My Profile" page, which as Im sure you know, acts as a template for all "My sites". I've added a script below these web parts that adds the "+/-" sign in front of each web part title, allowing them to be expanded/collapsed.This script was found here: http://pathtosharepoint.wordpress.com/2008/10/25/expandcollapse-buttons-for-your-web-parts/

When I am signed in as the System Account, I can see all "+/-" allowing for expanding/collapsing on all "My sites". Yet when I am another user, with contribute permissions, I can only see 4 out 14 "+/-" on all "My sites". I dont think this is a problem with the script, as it works fine when I am the System Account. I believe it is a permissions issue, but I have given all users permissions to the SQL database as well to the application in the BDC section of SSP, [this is in a test environment, so not too scary :-)].

Any one know whats going on?

BDC Column Refresh - Access Denied

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:18:13 Z

Hello,

I have created a BDC definition file and I have imported the def file to MOSS via Central Administration.
Inside the def file in the LobSystemInstance I use SSO (which is configured also to MOSS). I then create a Sharepoint List and add a business data column using my new BDC.
Everybody can use the BDC (while creating new items - updating olders) but unfortunately they can not update (refresh) the BDC column using the BDC-Refresh button (next to column name). Despite other users I can!!
All the other users get an "Access Denied" Message.

Any ideas ?
TY.

BDC field cannot save on Custom List Form

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 06:03:59 Z

Hello,

I'm having a problem with a Sharepoint Business Data Catalog, I have a List which are connected by BDC to a SQL field/table, and with standard sharepoint Forms it all works fine, I can lookup data in BDC and it saves correctly.

However, I need to create a Custom List Form for New Items on this list, and whenever I do this - the BDC works for lookup, but it doesnt save the data in the List when the item is created ?
(All normal fields save, but the BDC field is just empty on the new Item)

Anyone got any bright ideas? Cause I'm running out.

Can't Filter, sort or group by a BDC field

Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:41:04 Z

I created a BDC App to a view in SQL. I used the BDC App as a "Business Data" column in a custom list. I created a "Calculated Column" to extract information from a field in the BDC data. Created a View on the custom list that "Grouped by" a BDC column (not the lookup column) of type string.
Everything was working fine.

Went back in and made some changes to the XML a number of times. Went back to test the whole app, and the calculated column name references changed from mid([SqlTbl: extract],1,15) to mid(#NAME?,1,5). Furthermore only int32 columns are showing up in the "Insert Column" pick list, I can no longer use any of the BDC fields that are "string" in a calculated column, and, when creating a View, I can no longer use a string BDC column in a "Group by" clause (it does not appear in the pick list).

It seems like the data type changed...

I've gone back a number of times and tried to reconstruct what I originally had, but I keep getting the same result.

Ideas? Thanks,
Andy

Business Data (BDC) fields not saved using Custom Forms

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:59:04 Z

Posting this here rather than in the BDC forum as I don't believe it to be a BDC problem....

I have a list that we are going to be using to store custom complaints against projects. The projects themselves are handled in an external SQL Server based application, so I have used the BDC to connect to this to retrieve a list of current projects. I've created a new Business Data field on my list and can use it to specify the project the item relates to, that works fine.

I also need to customise the New Item form, so that I can show only a limited number of fields and provide additional text to guide users when raising complaints. I've done this in SharePoint Designer and it all works fine except that the Project Name selected for the Business Data field is never saved. Interestingly, I have set it to also save an additional field from the BDC and it saves this additional field, but not the actual project name.

In order to rule out any of my customisations, I created a new list for testing, taking the following steps:
1. Create new list
2. Specify new Business Data field, select my BDC application, using the field name "Project Name" storing the additional field "ProjectID".
3. Create new list item, select the appropriate project name. All items save correctly, including the Project Name selected and the related ProjectID field
4. Create new page, insert Custom List form, link to Customer Complaints list, type = New Item.
5. Browse to my custom new form on MOSS, fill in the details exactly as in step 3 the Save. All fields are populated except for "Project Name" which shows as (blank). Even the correct "ProjectID" related to the project I selected is saved, but no the "Project Name" field itself.

Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this? I can't see any reason that this should be "by design" so I'm hoping that there is something I have missed when creating the custom form.

thanks

Dave

Connecting SAP to Sharepoint through BDC --> Working example

Thu, 11 Oct 2007 11:05:04 Z

Hi all,

i want to show you a easy example how you can connect SAP to Sharepoint through BDC.

The example should show a SAP table in Sharepoint.

1. Create a remote-enable function module (i. e. ZWEBSERVICE).

- Attributes: enable remote-enabled fm

- Tables: aufk like aufk

The code should look like this:

FUNCTION ZWEBSERVICE2.

*"----------------------------------------------------------------------

*"*"Local Interface:

*" TABLES

*" AUFK STRUCTURE AUFK

*"----------------------------------------------------------------------

select * from aufk

into aufk.

append aufk.

endselect.

ENDFUNCTION.

2. Go to the menu: Utilities --> More Utiliities --> Create WebService --> From The Function Module

- Service definiton: i. e. ZWebservice

- Short text: i. e. ZWebservice

- Check mapping the names

- Basic Authentification

- Check Release Service for Runtime

3. Go to the webservice

- move to the input-parameters --> Aufk

- uncheck exposed -> on the right side

4. Go to transaction wsconfig:

- service definition = ZWebservice

- Variant: select the variant --> only one is available

- go to ICF details

- go to logon tab and specify a SAP user to get access to the SAP system

5. Go to transaction wsadmin:

- select your webservice

- push WSDL button (Crtl + F1) --> get WSDL (if no http port is specify go to transaction smicm create one)

- save the WSDL-file

6. Go to the Business Data Catalog Definition Editor (included in the MOSS SDK 2007)

- create lob system

- add web service

- go to instances --> add a finder instance --> test the instance

- export the application file

7. Go to the Sharepoint Central Administration

- SharedServices1

- Import Application Definiton

8. Go to the portal and create the web part business data list

- specify your entity

Now the data should be successfully displayed in a table.

Limitations with BDC, web services and nested arrays (complex types)

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:20:34 Z

We have several web services from our enterprise systems. I am trying to wire up the BDC to one of them that front-ends our HR system. It returns some complex information about a worker, for example:

Code Snippet

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<Worker xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns="http://our.intranet.com/">
<workertype>Contractor</workertype>
<country>United States</country>
<workerskill>
    <WorkerSkills>
      <skill_id>100</skill_id>
      <skill_descp>ASP.NET</skill_descp>
</WorkerSkills>

<WorkerSkills>
<skill_id>101</skill_id>
<skill_descp>BDC</skill_descp>
</WorkerSkills>
<formalname>Chase, Chevy</formalname>
<birthdate>01/01/1955</birthdate>
<hiredate>12/25/2004</hiredate>
</Worker>

Can the BDC work with this kind of nested data? I want to create a web part that queries this web service, and will likely only use the top level information (none of the nested nodes).

Business Data List with Filter -> Clear the Business Data Related List after Retrieve Data

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:09:53 Z

Hi

I have a business data list with our customers. On the top part of the business data list the user can filter the entries with a textbox and then "retrieve data" (There are FilterDescriptors defined for the customer-entity).
After that the list with the filtered customers is displayed and the user can select a customer with the radiobutton in the first row.
Then an business data related list with the products of this customers will be filled.

So, everything works fine. But now the user searches another customer in the business data item list filter box. After clicking the "retrieve data" button the new customer list which matches the new filter value is provided by the webpart and there's no customer selected (all radiobuttons are unselected).

But the related list shows still the products of the customer who was selected before.

Is there a way to clear the related list when the user starts a new search?

I've tried to clear the dvt_1_form_selectkey when a new search is initiated. But I can't really customize the search of the business data list in the xsl-file. There's only an asp:Placeholder with the id "SearchTable". The things inside this placeholder will be overrided during runtime and I don't know where the search box is coming from.

Thanks in advance.

Jérôme Matter

Stored procedure cannot read temp table

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:41:08 Z

I'm using an ODBC dsn for Informix database to be used in BDC. When I tried to execute procedure it's run well for normal stored procedure, but when I tried to use a temporary table in the stored procedure, the error of [42S02] came out; the specified() table is not in the database. This thing also happen when I tried from Visual Basic.

This stored procedure is working well in Informix Engine, I've tested it! Is there any limitation or contraint or did I miss something? Pls help.

application developer

BDC Connection problem with IBM ISeries OLE DB Provider

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 21:39:54 Z

Hi everybody,

since 2 weeks I'm trying to use data from our legacy IBM ISeries server via BDC in Sharepoint and I already came quite far ... but now I'm facing the following problem.

After I sucessfully created my application definition file and imported to the Shared Services Provider I use a business data list webpart to display and when it's trying to connect I receive "Unable to connect to {MyInstance}".

In the log-file I find:

08/22/2009 23:06:40.66 w3wp.exe (0x0990), 0x04BC SharePoint Portal Server, Business Data, 0,

Critical Could not open connection using 'provider=IBMDA400.DataSource.1;data source=A2241AS2;password=****;user id=einfalts;initial catalog=A2241AS2;default collection=AASDTESP;integrated security=False;persist security info=false' in App Domain '/LM/W3SVC/1753196830/Root-1-128954486970287400'. The full exception text is: Fehler bei einem aus mehreren Schritten bestehenden OLE DB-Vorgang. Prüfen Sie die einzelnen OLE DB-Statuswerte, falls vorhanden. Daten wurden nicht verarbeitet . (In English: Multiple-step OLE DB operation generated errors. Check each OLE DB status value, if available. No work was done. )

So basically that is not too surprising because of the fact that the OLE DB Provider that I'm using DOESN'T support the parameters "Integrated Security" and "Persist Security Info" and I also do not have to use them when I'm creating my app-def-file with the MOSS BDC Design Studio.

So I googled the problem and found that this problem can relate to a missing registry key for the data provider. Here's microsofts suggestion:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/269495/EN-US/

I inserted the OLEDB_SERVICES registry keys .... but UNFORTUNATLY THIS DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING ...

I cannot find any other hints ... can someone help ?

Thanks, Stefan.

SpecificFinder error from Business Data Item web part

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:55:53 Z

I am getting the following error when I try to use my SpecificFinder from the Business Data Item web part. I attached a simplified version of my ADF that repro's the issue below.

Could not find fields to insert all the Identifier Values to correctly execute a SpecificFinder MethodInstance with Name 'PersonSpecificFinderInstance'. Ensure input Parameters have TypeDescriptors associated with every Identifier defined for this Entity.

I am staring at this and I just don't see the problem. I checked all the TypeDescriptors and I think I have <IdentifierName> defined for the <Identifier>. This seems like one of the "too close to the code to see the obvious" issues.

Thanks,
curt

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<LobSystem xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:schemaLocation="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/03/BusinessDataCatalog BDCMetadata.XSD" Type="Database" Version="1.0.0.0" Name="HimcoPeople" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/03/BusinessDataCatalog" xsi:schemaLocation="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2006/03/BusinessDataCatalog \\ad1hfdhmc903\c$\PROGRA~1\MICROS~1\12.0\Bin\bdcmetadata.xsd">
<Properties>
    <Property Name="WildcardCharacter" Type="System.String">%</Property>
</Properties>
<LobSystemInstances>
    <LobSystemInstance Name="HimcoPeople">
      <Properties>
        <Property Name="DatabaseAccessProvider" Type="System.String">SqlServer</Property>
        <Property Name="AuthenticationMode" Type="System.String">RevertToSelf</Property>
        <Property Name="RdbConnection Data Source" Type="System.String">sqlDEVidpi\interactive</Property>
        <Property Name="RdbConnection Initial Catalog" Type="System.String">WorkArea</Property>
        <Property Name="RdbConnection Integrated Security" Type="System.String">SSPI</Property>
        <Property Name="RdbConnection Pooling" Type="System.String">false</Property>
      </Properties>
    </LobSystemInstance>
</LobSystemInstances>
<Entities>
    <Entity EstimatedInstanceCount="600" Name="Person">
      <Properties>
        <Property Name="Title" Type="System.String">DomainId</Property>
      </Properties>
      <Identifiers>
        <Identifier Name="DomainId" TypeName="System.String"/>
      </Identifiers>
      <Methods>
        <Method Name="GetPerson">
          <Properties>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandText" Type="System.String">
    <![CDATA[
     SELECT Name, DomainId
     FROM People.[V_Person]
     WHERE DomainId = @DomainId
    ]]>
   </Property>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandType" Type="System.Data.CommandType">Text</Property>
          </Properties>
          <FilterDescriptors>
            <FilterDescriptor Type="Comparison" Name="DomainId" />
          </FilterDescriptors>
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Direction="In" Name="@DomainId" DefaultDisplayName="DomainId">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="DomainId" />
            </Parameter>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" TypeReflectorTypeName="Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.SystemSpecific.Db.DbTypeReflector" Name="Person">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataReader, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IsCollection="true" Name="PersonDataReader">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataRecord, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="PersonDataRecord">
                    <TypeDescriptors>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="Name">
                        <LocalizedDisplayNames>
                          <LocalizedDisplayName LCID="1033">Name</LocalizedDisplayName>
                        </LocalizedDisplayNames>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="DomainId" IdentifierName="DomainId">
                        <LocalizedDisplayNames>
                          <LocalizedDisplayName LCID="1033">DomainId</LocalizedDisplayName>
                        </LocalizedDisplayNames>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                    </TypeDescriptors>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Name="PersonSpecificFinderInstance" Type="SpecificFinder" ReturnParameterName="Person" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="PersonDataReader" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0"/>
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
        <Method Name="GetPersonList">
          <Properties>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandText" Type="System.String">
    <![CDATA[
     SELECT Name, DomainId
     FROM People.[V_Person]
     WHERE
      DomainId LIKE @DomainId
    ]]>
   </Property>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandType" Type="System.Data.CommandType">Text</Property>
          </Properties>
          <FilterDescriptors>
            <FilterDescriptor Name="DomainId" Type="Wildcard" />
          </FilterDescriptors>
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Name="@DomainId" Direction="In">
              <TypeDescriptor Name="DomainId" TypeName="System.String" AssociatedFilter="DomainId" >
                <DefaultValues>
     <DefaultValue Type="System.String" MethodInstanceName="PersonFinderInstance" >%</DefaultValue>
                </DefaultValues>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" TypeReflectorTypeName="Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.SystemSpecific.Db.DbTypeReflector" Name="Person">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataReader, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IsCollection="true" Name="PersonDataReader">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataRecord, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="PersonDataRecord">
                    <TypeDescriptors>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="Name">
                        <LocalizedDisplayNames>
                          <LocalizedDisplayName LCID="1033">Name</LocalizedDisplayName>
                        </LocalizedDisplayNames>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" Name="DomainId" IdentifierName="DomainId">
                        <LocalizedDisplayNames>
                          <LocalizedDisplayName LCID="1033">DomainId</LocalizedDisplayName>
                        </LocalizedDisplayNames>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                    </TypeDescriptors>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Name="PersonFinderInstance" Type="Finder" ReturnParameterName="Person" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="PersonDataReader" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0"/>
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
        <Method Name="GetPersonEnumerator">
          <Properties>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandText" Type="System.String"><![CDATA[SELECT DomainId FROM People.[V_Person]]]></Property>
            <Property Name="RdbCommandType" Type="System.Data.CommandType">Text</Property>
          </Properties>
          <Parameters>
            <Parameter Direction="Return" TypeReflectorTypeName="Microsoft.Office.Server.ApplicationRegistry.SystemSpecific.Db.DbTypeReflector" Name="Person">
              <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataReader, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" IsCollection="true" Name="PersonDataReader">
                <TypeDescriptors>
                  <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.Data.IDataRecord, System.Data, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Name="PersonDataRecord">
                    <TypeDescriptors>
                      <TypeDescriptor TypeName="System.String" IdentifierName="DomainId" Name="DomainId">
                        <LocalizedDisplayNames>
                          <LocalizedDisplayName LCID="1033">DomainId</LocalizedDisplayName>
                        </LocalizedDisplayNames>
                      </TypeDescriptor>
                    </TypeDescriptors>
                  </TypeDescriptor>
                </TypeDescriptors>
              </TypeDescriptor>
            </Parameter>
          </Parameters>
          <MethodInstances>
            <MethodInstance Name="PersonIdEnumeratorInstance" Type="IdEnumerator" ReturnParameterName="Person" ReturnTypeDescriptorName="PersonDataReader" ReturnTypeDescriptorLevel="0"/>
          </MethodInstances>
        </Method>
      </Methods>
    </Entity>
</Entities>
</LobSystem>

Customized complex reports from Mssql ---- Is it possible in Sharepoint?

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:46:52 Z

Hi,

Here is what I need:

- Pulling data directly from Mssql server. (BDC can)
- Data is shown in a sortable/filterable grid. (BDC can)
- Export data in pdf or excel format (BDC cannot but there might be some work around)
- Let the user directly define queries to generate customized report. (BDC cannot as far as I know. every time a new report is generated, a new definition xml file has to be imported.)

The last one is really bothering me. By now I haven't found a good way to let normal user to create their own report based on the Business Data Catalog. Can anyone give me some suggestions?

I'm also wondering, with more and more big companies migrating their data to sharepoint to report from Oracle/Mssql, how do they use sharepoint to show complex data/reports? +
I know in a lot Business Intelligent software you can let normal user to generate ad-hoc reports based on queries or selecting fields in different database. How is this possible in sharepoint? If it's not, how are other big enterprises using sharepoint to do it? I'm a bit confused here.

By the way, I have also implemented some webpart from c# programming. If I use webpart to generate reports, then I can give the web part properties to let the user to define the queries. However, the data results cannot be displayed in a nice sortable and filterable generic data grid.

Thanks a lot!

BDC Not paging

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 00:06:06 Z

BDC List part doesn't appear to be paging. When clicking on the little link that is suppose to go to the next bits of data nothing happens; well something does but it's not something expected. It just does the postback and the page has not changed for the list web part.

Anybody else having this problem or is it working for you?

As a side note, anybody know where to file bugs for things?