I can hardly stand the tension: Harry te estamos esperando!
A few months ago I was looking for an article that I could use as an excercise for my second year Spanish students here in Leiden at the university. Now, having lived in England for many years I have developed a great fondness for and just as much appreciation of the quality of the programmes and news services of the BBC. Luckily they have also got a Spanish version of their news website: BBC Mundo. I came across this article and adapted it to something I could use on my students. I came across it today, while I was tidying (the semester has finished) and it makes me realise that the date is getting quite near.
First we’ll all be able to go and see the new film on the 13th July and then one week later on the 21st we can buy the new book! I am already starting to look really forward to both occasions. As a matter of fact, I have reread all of the previous volumes over the last two weeks to be able to enjoy even better this last volume. Am I being silly? Perhaps. There’s probably loads of people out there that can’t stand this little magician but I”m a big fan.
ODBC for AS/400
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of work for companies that use an AS/400 in combination with DB2 databases to store their data.
Since I didn’t have any previous experience with either I had some trouble trying to determine the best way to connect to the database from the Microsoft Server that runs the Business Objects XI suite. I installed the software and that all went fine, but when I then wanted to set up a connection to the AS/400 server I got kind of lost, because I didn’t know whether it would be best to pick native software or standard ODBC drivers. When I decided to go for the ODBC drivers supplied by IBM I then found myself seeing a library I didn’t want to see.
Let me share how Universe Designer determines what files to display as its default list when you log into the AS/400. When you want to add a table or data source to a Universe, you have to make a connection via the parameters screen, using a connection – setting it as an alias – in combination with your username and password. I typically connect to any datasourse via an ODBC connection, so I open the ODBC folder and see a list of all of the ODBC data sources configured on my machine. I pick an AS/400 data source (one that I have created using the ODBC Data Sources control panel applet in the Windows Control Panel), and Universe Designer opens the data source and queries the AS/400 for physical files. What Universe Designer is doing behind the scenes is calling to SQLTables, an ODBC function that returns a list of qualifiers, owners, and tables. Translated into AS/400-speak, this is a list of AS/400 system names, libraries, and physical files.
Now, what you get in this list will depend on a number of things, the first of which is how you set up your ODBC Data Source. With the Client Access Express ODBC driver, you are allowed to specify a list of libraries to search in the Server tab of the ODBC Set-up applet. If you put a list of libraries in this field, you will get a list of objects in those libraries in BO. However, if you leave the default library list field blank, Client Access will default the entry to QGPL and only objects in QGPL will be displayed. Something to remember when setting up the connection for the first time, since you may not have Administrator rights to the machine and it might prove difficult to change afterwards.
Nice screenshot software
Lately I’ve been using ZapGrab a lot, it’s a really simple and useful utility to use when writing documentation and the sorts. Best of all is the fact that it’s free.
Only three more seasons to go
Twee weeks ago it was, I think, that I watched the last lost episode of the season, or rather two last episodes – since it was a mega-two-part episode. I’ve been following the serie since its beginning and must admit that I really like it. My only fear was that it was going to drag on until forever – sort of the same debacle as with the X-Files or Twin Peaks, but following recent reports it is going to end in 2010. Alas and finally are the words that came to my mind at the same time.
Bob, he’s my man
I am currently working on a few projects involving Business Objects, and man does their website suck. I can’t find anything useful on it. Luckily, a co-worker pointed me to Bob. What a relief to find out that I’m not the only one that thinks that BO‘s website sucks ass and, more importantly, what a relief to find out that there are so many knowledgeble people out there willing to share their knowledge.