Connecting to multiple Oracle Cloud Environments

Connect to multiple EPBCS environments via Smart View Shared Connections XML

Switching environments, changing domains, logging in, logging out…

Why not save valuable time by creating a Smart View environments short-cut?

Here’s how!

First, gather the following details for each environment that you would like to add to your drop-down list:

1. Environment URL (PBCS/EPBCS): 

Recently provisioned environments:

https://epm-exampleDoM.epm.exampleDC.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView

Environments provisioned before 2020:
(If unsure, check your web URL - does it start with planning or epm, match URL)
https://planning-exampleDoM.pbcs.exampleDC.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView

            (where Domain name = exampleDoM and Data centre = exampleDC)

2. Chosen Shortcut Name: ie. Finance PBCS Production

Tip 1: Other Oracle Provider Types
I have only included the PBCS connection as an example here. See the Oracle Documentation for examples on how to connect to Essbase, EPRCS and more!

Tip 2: Connecting Smart View to Oracle Financials Cloud ERP

For those that use Oracle Financials Cloud as a data source for Oracle PBCS, you may wish to use Smart View to query the ERP data which you can do by connecting to the underlying Essbase ASO cube.
Use the Essbase Connections URL: https://exampleDoM.bi.exampleDC.oraclecloud.com/aps/SmartView

For more tips on how to pull data from Oracle Financials Cloud to PBCS see Lydia’s blog.

Edit 22-01-2021: You don't need the '.fa' in the URL
Edit 22-01-2021: If you have issues with the shortcut name of your connection showing as Oracle Essbase, try changing Product id="HP". It seems illogical but worked for me!

Step 1.

Open a text editor  to begin creating your XML file – Notepad will do.

Begin the XML as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

Step 2.

For each environment you wish to add to the drop-down list add the following syntax:

EPBCS/PBCS Environments:

<Product id="HP" name="HP-11.1.2" displayVersion="version">

<Server name="EPBCS Production Environment" context="https://planning- exampleDoM.epm.exampleDC.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView"></Server>

</Product>

Step 3.

              Once all the environments have been listed, finish the XML as follows:

             

</res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

Click Save As, then change the document type to XML. Save the file in the SmartView folder that contains the SmartView exe file, if possible.

Step 4.

              Reference the XML file location in your SmartView Options URL setting.
              For example, I store the XML file in the SmartView install folder and therefore the URL is:
     C:/Oracle/SmartView/bin/SmartViewConnections.xml

Ta Da!

The full script should resemble the below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

<Product id="HP" name="HP-11.1.2" displayVersion="version">
<Server name="EPBCS Production Environment" context="https://planning-domain.pbcs.datacenter.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView"></Server>
</Product>

<Product id="HP" name="HP-11.1.2" displayVersion="version">
<Server name="EPBCS Test Environment" context="https://planning-test-domain.pbcs.datacenter.oraclecloud.com/HyperionPlanning/SmartView"></Server></Product>

<Product id="HP" name="HP-11.1.2" displayVersion="version">
<Server name="Oracle Financials Production Environment (Essbase cube)" context="https://domain.bi.datacenter.oraclecloud.com/aps/SmartView"></Server>
</Product>

</res_GetProvisionedDataSources>