Framework Manager – Creating a Parameter Map

A session parameter is a variable that IBM Cognos Framework Manager associates with a particular session. Examples include (current user name, current active language, current date and time, and others). Parameter maps are a method for substituting different values with different keys.

A parameter map can be thought of as simple data “look-up table”.

Each parameter map has two columns:

• a key column and
• a value column (holding the value that the key represents).

In Cognos TM1, Lookup (or mapping) cubes (and dimensions) are common (and I’ve blogged on them before).

So let’s create a simple Framework Manager Parameter Map:

Well, to construct your map, you can:

• enter the keys and values (for your map) manually,
• import them from an external file, or
• base them on query items in your Meta model

– it all depends upon the size and/or complexity of the parameter map you need to build.

Some helpful hints:

• All parameter map keys must be unique so that the Framework Manager can reliably obtain the correct value!
• The value of one parameter can be the value of another parameter, so you must enclose the entire value in number signs (#).
• There is a limit of five levels when nesting parameters in this way.

So let’s look at an example exercise. I chose to use the “source file” method to create my map.

In Framework Manager, right-click in the Parameter Maps icon, then select Create and Parameter Map:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From there, you can enter a name for your parameter map.

Since I am converting (or mapping) (Corvette) part numbers into part descriptions, I’m naming my new parameter map:

“Keen Corvette Restoration Parts”,

and then selecting the option “Manually enter the parameter keys and/or import them from a file”:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the Create Parameter Map Wizard dialog, I entered a default value (a value to be used if a key doesn’t have a value in your map) and then clicked on Import File…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Navigated and selected mysource file (to use a .txt file for import, the values must be separated by tabs and the file must be saved as UTF8 or in the Unicode format. ANSI text files are not supported):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clicked OK and Framework Manager created my parameter map. It looks good, (it does!) so I clicked on Finish:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you can see my new map now existing in my project:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Done!

If you double-click on your map, the Parameter Map dialog opens again where you can clear your map, import a new source file (to over lay or add to your map), add new specific keys, export your map or edit it directly.

Next time I will illustrate how to use the new parameter map!