topic Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension in Integration, Extension & APIs

Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 28 May 2015 09:56:43 GMT

Hello guys,

Is there any way I can access data from the app data model without using dimensions?

I understand I can access data via layout.qHyperCube.qDataPages[0] if I add the necessary dimensions in.

I also tried initialproperties such as the following but could not find it anywhere in the layout variable.

define([], function () {

return {

version: 1.0,

qHyperCubeDef: {

qDimensions: ['mytestproperty1', 'mytestproperty2'],

qMeasures: [],

qInterColumnSortOrder: [],

qInitialDataFetch: [{

qWidth: 3,

qHeight: 400

}]

}

};

});

Do you guys have any advice? Thanks!

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

Øystein_Kolsrud — Fri, 29 May 2015 13:29:48 GMT

There is a method called "GetTableData" for apps that might be what you are looking for. It allows you to access data directly from the loaded tables without going through hypercubes or list objects. You can find more information here:

http://help.qlik.com/sense/en-us/developer/#../Subsystems/EngineAPI/Content/Classes/AppClass/AppClassGetTableDataMethod.…

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

Alexander_Thor — Fri, 29 May 2015 15:20:38 GMT

Take a look at https://help.qlik.com/sense/en-us/developer/index.html#../Subsystems/Workbench/Content/CodeExamples/horizlist-extension-… which shows you how to use a listobject def instead of a hypercube.

Also in your snippet you can't just pass in a string. You would pass in a NxDimension struc, you can see which properties you can set here https://help.qlik.com/sense/en-us/developer/index.html#../Subsystems/EngineAPI/Content/GenericObject/PropertyLevel/HyperCubeDef.htm#NxDimension

But it would be something like

"qDimensions": [{
 "qDef": "FieldName",
  "qNullSuppression": true
}, {
 "qDef": "FieldName2",
 "qNullSuppression": true
}]

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 01:01:11 GMT

Hmm both sounds like viable solution, let me give it a shot and see which suits me better, thanks!

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 10:26:35 GMT

Hmm I been trying out the GetTableData method but could not find the method within the app.

Am I doing it wrong?

paint: function($element, layout) {

var app = qlik.currApp();

console.log(app.getTableData); // this is undefined

}

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 10:48:57 GMT

Hmm this does work but alas it will add the specified dimensions into the extension properties panel -> dimension section. So I guess its like some sort of predefined dimension rather than manually adding dimension in. Ultimately though, there are still many dimensions in the extension properties which our client do not want. I guess I may have to try out more in depth with Øystein Kolsrud solution, do you have any insight regarding why I could not find GetTableData method in the app object as replied above?

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

Øystein_Kolsrud — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 10:50:20 GMT

It looks like that engine API method is not exposed in the API you are using. I'll see if there is a workaround for it and get back to you.

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

ErikWetterberg — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:22:49 GMT

Hi Bryan,

I'm not totally sure what you are after. You could do this by setting up the field you want one or several qListObjectDef in your initialProperties in the extension. This is what Horizontal Listbox does, and many other extensions. If you want the user to be able to select the field in the properties panel, you should add a property panel definition like in Horizontal Listbox too.

The other way available to you is to use the qlik library and the method createList. To use that in an extension you first need to get a reference to the current app with the call qlik.currApp(this). Note that if you use this method, the callback function you provide for the createList method will be called not only once, but every time data changes (that is when the user makes a selection). If you need sveral lists, you can call createList multiple times.

If you do not want to be notified any more of selection changes you should use the method destroySessionObject. The id you should use would be in the createList reply.

Hope this helps

Erik

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 11:53:49 GMT

Hello Erik, thanks for the additional insight, to clarify, basically my extension need to display a map.

When user click on a point in map, it is suppose to get information from the data model based on the click source.

(E.g. I click on eiffel tower, it will display opening hours, height, description, how to get there, etc.)

These information are loaded currently into my data model.

In order to display these information, I can add each of these data as individual dimension

(e.g. opening hours - 1 dimension, height - 1 dimension, description - 1 dimension, etc)

This is do able but there are too many dimensions to be added (we got like 20+ information to display).

As such, we would like to be able to retrieve information directly from the app data model without going through dimensions.

qListObjectDef and qHyperCubeDef does work but they will add that 20+ dimensions to my extensions.

I need to find a way to get data without using dimensions.

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

Alexander_Thor — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 14:05:42 GMT

Hmm, I did something similar for my Google Maps extensions.

You could perhaps even get away with just having a single expression?

In the expression you could just build up a html formatted string and insert that into your popup.

Example: ='Location: ' & Only(LocationName) & '<br>' & 'Value: ' & Sum(Value)
It will then calculate all those values for you for that single dimensional value.

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

ErikWetterberg — Fri, 05 Jun 2015 11:57:31 GMT

Feels like createCube is the way to go. It allows you to send in a number of dimensions and measures, just make sure that you set the qWidth in qInitialDataFetch high enough. Since you only want to get the data once, and not set up a subscription, you should call destroySessionObject once you have got what you want.

So you would call the following:

qlik.currApp(this) (you could do this only once and save the app object)
make sure selection state is what you want, possibly make a selection
createCube
in the callback from createCube: destroySessionObject

Hope this helps.

Erik

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 01:43:48 GMT

That does sound like a viable solution! However by adding that single dimension expression, since it is not link to my other dimensions in the data model, it cause my datapage qMatrix to increase expotentially. Do you have any advice on how to overcome this issue?

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 02:26:03 GMT

This solution looks very promising as indeed I am now able to retrieve data without specifying dimension in my extension. There is a catch now as you mentioned, I need to set the qInitialDataFetch high enough. However the information that I need to retrieve is about 8000+ records. I read elsewhere that qlik sense initial data load seems to cap at around 1000 records. The following URL: How to use Backend API from Mashups? poster does have the same problem as me but with no solution, do you guys have any?

Alternatively, is there anyway to get only a single record based on a criteria? Since my requirement for this case is to display building information given a building id.

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

ErikWetterberg — Mon, 08 Jun 2015 11:36:16 GMT

Good that you are moving forward!

Perhaps you could try something like:

app.field("BUILDID").selectValues(["110033445566"],false,true);

before you create the hypercube to get the data.

Erik

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 03:30:38 GMT

Hmm, I tried the selectValues method and a little bit strange, it's working 90% of the time (90% of the time it retrieve data based on my criteria, 10% of the time it retrieve all 8000+ records). Below is an extract of my codes:

var datas = [];

var app = qlik.currApp(this);

app.field("building_id").selectValues([41838777],false,true);

app.createCube({

qDimensions: qDimensions,

qMeasures: [],

qInitialDataFetch: [{

qWidth: 10,

qHeight: 500

}]

}, function(reply) {

$.each(reply.qHyperCube.qDataPages[0].qMatrix, function(key, value) {

datas.push(value);

});

app.destroySessionObject(reply.qInfo.qId);

console.log(datas); // 90% filtered, 10% full

});

Additionally, I realise what selectValues does is selecting that criteria in qlik sense current selection.

I'm just thinking if I already have some selections from other components, i would probably be retrieving data based on the combined criteria. Hmm, is there a way to create an app such that it does not use the current app to retrieve the data but using a temporary app instead so that I will not be messing with the current app selection?

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

ErikWetterberg — Tue, 09 Jun 2015 12:21:59 GMT

Hi,

There is a timing issue here apparently. Try:

app.field(...).selectValues(...).then(function(){

app.createCube(...);

});

Should fix that problem...

Yes, it would affect selection state. You could restore it with app.back() after you get the data.

Another possible solution (which I haven't tried, so I can not promise you that it works) is using an alternate state. You could create it with app.addAlternateState and then use it both when you get the field and when you create the cube.

Erik

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 05:03:31 GMT

Hello Erik, you did it! addAlternateState was the way to go.

I am now able to get data from the data model without using dimension.

Here is an extract of my working codes in case any one have the same issue as me.

Once again, totally appreciate your help on this issue, thanks!

getBackendData( [ 'building_id', 'product_name' ], 'building_id', [ 1234567 ] ).done(function(datas) {

var match = datas[0];

console.log(match); // this contains building id and product name information

});

function getBackendData(dimensions, fieldName, fieldValues) {

var qDimensions = [];

$.each(dimensions, function(index, dimension) {

qDimensions.push({ qDef : { qFieldDefs : [dimension] } });

});

var datas = [];

var deferred = $.Deferred();

var alternateStateName = 'demo123832'; // some unique name would be good here

var app = qlik.currApp();

app.addAlternateState(alternateStateName).then(function() {

app.field(fieldName, alternateStateName).selectValues(fieldValues, false, true).then(function() {

app.createCube({

qStateName: alternateStateName,

qDimensions: qDimensions,

qMeasures: [],

qInitialDataFetch: [{

qWidth: 10,

qHeight: 500

}]

}, function(reply) {

$.each(reply.qHyperCube.qDataPages[0].qMatrix, function(key, value) {

datas.push(value);

});

app.destroySessionObject(reply.qInfo.qId).then(function() {

app.removeAlternateState(alternateStateName);

});

deferred.resolve(datas);

});

return deferred;

}

P.S. thanks to all other contributors too!

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:52:20 GMT

Hello Alexander, hmm u mention that you have done google maps extension before, just wondering are you able to capture snapshot and retains the current state of the map (like zoom level, feature selection, etc)?

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

Alexander_Thor — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 09:56:09 GMT

Currently I only do markers/clusters but yes and sort of

My map scales to the appropriate zoom level to fit the available markers. So if a user snapshots a map with some data selected then the map will zoom to fit those markers in a story.

Re: Qlik sense extension load data without dimension

bryan_sng — Thu, 11 Jun 2015 11:16:41 GMT

Hmm just to confirm, let's assume that you have a marker at USA, then you pan the map to Europe and do a snapshot, can I assume that when you view the snapshot in a story, you will still be looking at USA?