Free Inquiry

This detailed user guide is dedicated to the Qbe (acronym of Query By Example), a Free Inquiry instrument which empowers users with easy and free access to information via graphical interfaces.

Free Inquiry indicates the modus operandi of analysts and operational users that are usually seeking for business analysis that are not limited to pre-arranged lists of results. This method has a medium level of difficulty since it requires an adequate knowledge of data management and a structured organization of work.

QbE is the tool that lets you develop your free inquiry through an entirely graphical modality. Moreover, you can execute the query, check the results, export them and save the query for further use.

The material will be divided in two main sections. The first is dedicated to build queries in the Knowage Server environment, supposing that an expert user has already created a suitable business model to analyse. In the second part, we will provide the user for the principal steps to build a proper business model through the Qbe designer available in Knowage Meta.

My first Query By Example

QbE (i.e., Query By Example) allows you to query (a subset of) a database through a high-level representation of the entities and relations. Its main characteristics are:

  • it has a rich end user GUI;
  • it allows to select attributes and set filters;
  • it does not require any knowledge of data structures;
  • it requires a semantic knowledge of data;
  • it is useful every time the free inquiry on data is more important than their graphical layout;
  • it leaves the management of results free;
  • it supports export capabilities;
  • it allows the repeatable execution of inquiries;
  • it works on a data domain with limitations.

Building a QbE query does not require any technical knowledge, but data domain knowledge: technical aspects, such as creating filters, aggregation and ordering criteria, are managed by a user-friendly graphical interface.

Let’s suppose that an administrator has built a business model and, consequently, released it on Knowage Server. This permits the user to access the model, query the available entities and save results as a dataset, usable later in other Knowage documents, such as cockpits.

In the following we discuss each step in detail, showing basic and advanced functionalities of the QbE Editor.

Query design and execution

To open the QbE editor, access the Models section, available in the end user’s Workspace. Then, simply click on the model icon to reach the QbE graphical interface.

In this paragraph we show how to build a simple query with the QbE editor.

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Fig. 291 QbE editor.

As shown in Figure 9.1 the window of the QbE editor contains the Query designer. In next sections we explain in detail all the areas of the Query Designer, the Datamart Schema tab, the query editor and a hidden tab dedicated to the management of queries, subqueries and parameters catalogue.

Datamart Schema

Starting from the left side:
The upper Panel shows the searchable logical schema and the list of entities that can be queried to generate the query. Entities are represented in a tree structure, with user-defined names. Field can be added in the query (right area) clicking on it. The lower Panel shows list of created subqueries in a tree structure where children are fields of subquery

There are few types of entities: facts, represented by a cube symbol.(i.e., the Sales entity), dimensions, represented by a four-arrows symbol (i.e., the Product entity), geographical dimension, represented by earth icon.

Each single entity is composed of a title, some attributes or measures and relationships with other entities. Relations are available clicking on i icon of one entity. In particular, by exploding the content of an entity (i.e. Sales as in figure above), you may encounter the following elements:

  • measure: it refers to fields associated with numeric data (e.g. UNIT SALES);
  • attribute: it refers to fields that can be associated to a category (e.g. PRODUCT ID);
  • relation: it refers to relationships or connections between two entities (e.g. relationship between the sales and the product dimension).
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Fig. 292 Relations of one entity.

There are two available views: smart and advance. When qbe is opened by default user will see smart view. Clicking on one filed of one entity that field will be added in the query and user will se executed query in imidiately.

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Fig. 293 Smart view.

User can switch to advance view clicking on Smart view in top right corner. User can continue adding fields in the query but without seeing result.

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Fig. 294 Advance view

Let us see more in detail how to add calculated fields.

Calculated fields management

You can create new calculated fields inside a query. In advance view there will be available option for creating calculated fields. Clicking on Calculator icon Calculated field wizard will open.

To build a calculated field, you shall define:

  • Name;
  • Type: string, number or date;
  • Nature: measure or attribute;
  • Formula: you can click on the fields included on the left and build the formula.

An example is provided below.

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Fig. 295 Calculated field wizard.

Query Editor

Central panel provides a query editor. As we already mantioned, there are two available views: smart and advance.

Elements from the datamart schema on the left can be added into the query editor. To remove an field from the query editor, just click on the x icon, or if advance view is opened, clicking on three dots icon, Delete field is available.

Selected Fields

Central panel contains the list of columns to be returned by the query. To add a new field in this section, just click on a field in the schema panel tree.

This panel is structured as a table: columns contain the fileds selected from the datamart schema. Every column has gear icon on the top (smart view), that is providing applicable functions as shown below, plus icon for deleting field form query and for ordering.

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Fig. 296 Select fields interface in smart view.

In the advance view, every row include applicable functions as shown below, plus clicking on three dots icon there are few more functions.

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Fig. 297 Select fields interface in advance view.

With available functions it is possible to:

  • Alias: define aliases for fields: those aliases are shown as column headers in the result table; it is editable
  • Function: in case of aggregation, define the aggregation function (e.g., SUM, AVERAGE, …) on the non-grouped items;
  • Order: define a sorting criteria: double click on the Order column to set the ordering criteria;
  • Group: in case of aggregations, define the attribute that you want to group on (if you know SQL syntax, these attributes are the ones you should place in the GROUP BY clause);
  • Visible: indicate whether a column shall be visible in the result (hidden attributes are used and returned by the generated query, but are not shown in the result table);
  • Filter: add a filter criteria: clicking on this filter icon redirects you to the Filters tab;

It is possible to edit alias, clicking on gear icon (smart view) and on Alias item. In advance view, alias can be changed clicking on cell of alias column.

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Fig. 298 Change alias.

Pay attention to grouping options: if you want to define an aggregation function on a field (like, for instance, the COUNT of the sold items), you shall tick the Group checkbox for all the other fields added in the query editor, without an aggregation function defined, otherwise you will get an SQL exception. The possible grouping functions are shown in the following figure.

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Fig. 299 Aggregation functions.

When you drag attributes belonging to entities that are linked through a relationship path, the QbE automatically resolves relationships between attributes (implicit join).

Moreover, multiple relationships may occur among entities. A typical example concerns dates. Suppose you have two relationships between the Order fact table and the Time dimension table: the first links the order_date column of the first table to the time_id column of the latter, while the second relationship joins the shipping_date column to the time_id column.

In this case, when dragging fields from both the Order entity and the Time entity you may want to specify which relationship will join the two tables: for instance, you may want to know the total number of orders according to the ordering month, the shipping month or for both. In all these situations, you can set the relationship to be used by clicking the Relationships wizard button at the top right corner of the panel. A pop up window opens where you can define the path to be used. Please refer to Multiple relationships section for all details regarding the disambiguation of relationships.

The toolbar about query editor sub-section has a toolbar contains additional functionalities summarized in Table below.

Table 21 Select fields toolbar options
Button Description
Join definitions  
SQL Shows SQL generated by the graphical interface
Discard Repetitions Remove duplicated rows from results, if any
P Add parameters
Calculator Add calculated fields
Three gears Open advanced filters panel
Eye Show/hide hidden fileds
Smart View Switch between smart adn advance view
Play Preview query
Three dots Option to choose between Deleting all fileds from query and Export query into csv/xls/xlsx

Filters

The Filters panel allows you to define filter criteria (WHERE clause). Filters are structured as a table: here rows contain filters, while columns represent the elements of the filter. Filters panel can be opened in three ways: - In smart view clicking on Filter icon on the field in entity - In smart view clicking on filter icon on the alredy added field in the query - In advance view clicking on three dots and Filters item

Adding new filter is possible clicking on + icon.

Removing the filter is possible clicking on eraser icon.

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Filters are expressions of type:

Left operand + Operator + Right operand.

Structure of Filters panel is:

  • the Field, Condition, Target columns allow you to define filters according to the syntax defined above.
  • the Target type column define the types of right operand: manual, value of the field, another entity, parameter, subquery;

With target type manual you should fill input target with value that you want to to be right operand.

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Fig. 300 Manual target type

With target type value of the field lookup function is activated to facilitate selection of values. You are able to choose values for right operand. If you are choosing two values, you should set condition to be beetween, not betwee, in or not in. If you are choosing more then two values, you should set condition to be in or not in.

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Fig. 301 Filter lookup for right operand selection.

With target type another entity you will get option to choose field from another entity for your right operand.

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About target type subquery and parameter there will be more words later.

Important

Enterprise Edition only

Filtering data with fields type of date/time/timestamp using calendar/time/calendar is available only for Enterprise Edition.

If you have SI license file, you will get the chance to filter your data with fields type of date/time/timestamp using calendar/time/calendar + time option. This depends of what is data type of you field, and this is coming form metamodel creation phase. When creating your metamodel, you can set data type of to your field.

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Fig. 302 Metamodel creation.

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Fig. 303 Filters creation on date data type of the field.

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Fig. 304 Filters creation on time data type of the field.

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Fig. 305 Metamodel creation, timestamp data type of the field.

Note that more complex combinations of filters can be defined using the Advance filter wizard, which you ca find selecting the Three gears icon.

In the following table the possible types of filters in the QbE are summarized. The use of subqueries in filters is explained later in Advanced QbE functionalities paragraph.

Table 22 Possible combinations of filters in the QbE.
Filter type Left operand Operator Right operand Example
Basic Entity.attr ibute Any value

Prod.family =

‘Food’

Basic Entity.attr ibute Any Entity.attr ibute Sales.sales > Sales.cost
Parametric Entity.attr ibute Any [parameter]

Prod.family =

[p_family]

Dynamic Entity.attr ibute Any prompt Prod.family = ?
Value list from subquery Entity.attr ibute

In

/not in

subquery Sales.custo mer in subquery
Single value from subquery subquery < = > value Subquery > 0

Query Preview

While you are in smart view you can see preview of you query. While you are in advance view, and you are satisfied with your query or if you want to check the results, you can see the returned data by clicking the Play button located in the top right corner of the panel. From there, you can go back to the Designer to modify the definition of the query.

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Fig. 306 Preview wizard.

In case you have started the QbE editor directly from a model (that is, you have clicked on a model icon in the My Data > Models section) from here you can also click the Save button located in the top right corner of the page to save your query as a new dataset, reachable later from the My Data> Dataset section. Please note that this operation saves the definition of your query and not the snapshot of the resulting data. This means that every time you re-execute the saved dataset, a query on the database is performed to recover the updated data.

We highlight that when the save button is selected, a pop up shows asking you to fill in the details, split in three tabs:

  • Generic, in this tab you set basic information for your dataset like its Label, Name, Description and Scope.
  • Persistence, you have the chance to persist your dataset, i.e., to write it on the default database. Making a dataset persistent may be useful in case dataset calculation takes a considerable amount of time. Instead of recalculating the dataset each time the documents using it are executed, the dataset is calculated once and then retrieved from a table to improve performance. You can also decide to schedule the persistence operation: this means that the data stored will be update according to the frequency defined in the scheduling options.

Choose your scheduling option and save the dataset. Now the table where your data are stored will be persisted according to the settings provided.

  • Metadata It recaps the metadata associated to the fields involved in your query.
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Fig. 307 Save qbe dataset.

Advanced QbE functionalities

In this section we focus on advanced features, which can be comfortably managed by more expert users.

Spatial fields usage

Important

Enterprise Edition only

Spatial dimension is available only for Enterprise Edition with LI licence.

The Qbe engine supports spatial queries through a set of operators (that return true or false) or a set of functions (these usually return a measure). This feature is although available only when the Location Intelligence (LI) license is possessed and when data are stored in Oracle 12c database. It also fundamental that the Business Model has to be tagged as geographical model. You can refer to Meta Web Section to have details on how to set the geographical option using Knowage Meta.

We suppose that we have a BM with geographical dimensions enabled (by a technical user). In this case the dimensions which has spatial fields are marked with the compass icon earthIcon. Once the spatial dimension is expanded the fields are listed. Here there is no tracking symbol to distiguish between geographical attributes and the “normal” one. Therefore it is very important that the user is previously informed of which fields has geometrical properties.

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Fig. 308 QbE spatial dimensions.

After a first selection of fields, it is possible to add calculated fields. Click on the Calculator option available on the query editor area as shown by the blue arrow in figure below. Note that a wizard opens: you can use this editor to insert a new field obtained through a finite sequence of operation on the selected fields.The circles of the next figure underline that the fields on which you can operate are the one previously selected by a simple click on the field.

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Fig. 309 Calculated field wizard with spatial filters.

In addition note that the Items panel provides all the applicable functions sorted by categories:

  • aggregation functions,
  • string functions
  • time functions,
  • spatial functions,
  • sql functions,
  • custom function (if they are registred).

Warning

Take into account the Oracle function definition

It is important to refer to Oracle Documentation to know the arguments, in terms of type and number, of each function to assure the right functioning and do not occur in errors while running the Qbe document.

The latter are available only in the presence of a geographical Business Model and must be properly applied to spatial attributes or measures. Figure below shows the list of the available spatial functions while next table helps you to use them properly, supplying the corresponding Oracle function name and a link to grab more specific information about usage, number of arguments, type and output.

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Fig. 310 Spatial function list.

Table 23 Link to Oracle spatial functions.
Function Name Oracle Function
distance SDO_GEOM.SDO_DISTANCE
dimension GET_DIMS
centroid SDO_GEOM.SDO_CENTROID
geometrytype GET_GTYPE
length_spa SDO_GEOM.SDO_LENGTH
relate SDO_GEOM.RELATE
intersection SDO_GEOM.INTERSECTION

To apply one function click on the function name and the “Operands selection window” wizard opens. Figure below shows an example for the funtion “Distance”. Fill in all boxes since all fields are mandatory.

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Fig. 311 Operands selection window.

Finally you can use spatial function to add a calculated field, as shown below.

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Fig. 312 Example of added calculated field using a spatial function.

As well as calculated fields it is possible to filter on spatial fields using specific geometric operators. Once again we report in Figure below the available geometric operator (you can find them scrolling the panel to the bottom) and report the link to the Oracle web pages in the next table.

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Fig. 313 Spatial filters.

See the table below:

Table 24 Link to Oracle filter functions.
Function Name Oracle Function
touches SDO_TOUCH
filter SDO_FILTER
contains SDO_CONTAINS
covered by SDO_COVEREDBY
inside SDO_INSIDE
covers SDO_COVERS
overlaps SDO_OVERLAPS
equals to SDO_EQUAL
intersects SDO_ANYINTERACT
nn SDO_NN

Time functions for creating calculated fields

Important

Enterprise Edition only

Time functions are available only for Enterprise Edition with SI licence.

If you have SI licence, in the qbe calculated field wizard there are available time finctions.

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Fig. 314 Time functions.

See the table below:

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Fig. 315 Creating calculated field with function current_date().

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Fig. 316 Creating calculated field with function current_Time().

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Fig. 317 Creating calculated field with function hour(date).

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Fig. 318 Creating calculated field with function second(date).

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Fig. 319 Creating calculated field with function year(date).

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Fig. 320 Creating calculated field with function month(date).

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Fig. 321 Creating calculated field with function day(date).

In the picture below, you can see list of all created calculated fields:

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Fig. 322 List of created calculated fields.

In the next picture you can see result of you query:

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Fig. 323 Result of the query.

Subqueries

The QbE Engine also supports the definition and usage of subqueries similarly to the SQL language. As a result, you can define a subquery and use it within a filter in association to the in/not in operator, as shown in Figure below. To create a new subquery, which can be used as a filter inside the main query, click on addSubqueries button, on the left part, in Derived entities toolbar. In the main view you will see that you are abble to add fieds in subquery.

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Fig. 324 QbE subquery view.

You can easily return to main qiery clicking on MAIN button in the query editor toolbar.

To use the sub-query inside the main query, simply choose from target type Subquery option, from Target choose subquery that you want and set the type of condition (IN or NOT IN). Now the subquery is used to provide values within the filter, in a similar way to SQL subqueries.

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Fig. 325 QbE query: use of a subquery in a filter.

Parameters

The QbE Engine also supports the definition and usage of parameters that can be used to filter the data using qbe filter. To create a new parameter, which can be used as a filter inside the main query, click on parameter button, in the main query toolbar.

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Fig. 326 QBE parameter view.

To use the parameter inside the main query, simply choose from target type Parameter option and from Target choose parameter that you want. Now the parameter is used to provide values within the filter.

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Fig. 327 QbE query: use of a parameter in a filter.