This chapter introduces the primary tools you use to configure Demantra, namely, Business Modeler and Workflow Manager.
This chapter covers the following topics:
In an implementation, you typically perform the following tasks.
Within Demantra, do not use the following special characters:
Single quote (')
Double quote (")
Ampersand (&)
If you use these characters, unexpected results may occur.
When a user accesses the Demand Planner application (Chaining Management and Members Management) and Business Modeler tools for the first time, or when the version has changed, the application initiator installs or updates these tools automatically from a common location provided by the Demantra Application server.
This topic describes:
Automated Process
Configuring the win_installer.properties File
TNS Configuration
The automatic or silent install installs the following tools:
Business Modeler and Supporting DLL's
Demand Planner for Chaining and Members Management
Security Management (for DS.INI and DLL's)
Oracle 10g Instant Client
Dependencies, such as DLL's and environment variables
The executable install.exe is located in Install_Directory\Collaborator\demantra\tools\desktopInstaller.
Note: To install Demand Planner or Business Modeler, Demantra must not be currently installed on the end user's machine. For details about uninstalling Demantra, contact your system administrator or Oracle Support.
To automatically install the desktop tools, a user with either System Manager or Supervisor permission level logs into the Demantra Local Application and then selects either Business Modeler, Member Management, or Chaining Management from the Planning Applications menu. A message appears stating that the installation is taking place. This is a one time event and might take a few minutes. After the selected application is installed successfully, the user will be prompted to re-enter their Demantra user password to log in. If the user doesn't have either System Manager or Supervisor permission level access, a message appears stating that the user does not have the correct permissions to execute the program. The process then terminates.
The following occurs during installation:
If an Oracle client version is not installed, then a light Oracle client called InstaClient (this is a generic Oracle Application and not specific to the Demantra application) is installed. Otherwise, the existing Oracle client on the end user machine is used.
Two Demantra application folders called Desktop and Security Management are installed on the end user's machine in the C:\Program Files\Oracle Demantra Spectrum folder but this path can be changed in the win_installer.properties file. For more information about the win_installer.properties file, see Configuring the win_installer.properties File.
The silent installer installs a version.properties file in C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\demantra\desktop folder.
A TNSNAMES.ora entry is created that enables the application executables found in the Desktop folder to connect to the Demantra schema.
The necessary Registry entries are created on the end user machine to reference the Demantra executables installed in Step #2.
The references to the Demantra application in the PATH System Variable under the Environment Variables list is created.
The file win_installer.properties resides on the web server where Demantra is deployed. This file provides the variables for the Silent Installer when it creates the TNSNAMES.ora entry and selects the folder in which the version.properties file will be installed. See Automated Process for more information.
The win_installer.properties file is located in <Demantra_Install>\Oracle Demantra Spectrum\Collaborator\demantra\tools\desktopInstaller folder on the web server. For example, if you log into Demantra from http://demantra.dev.us:8080/demantra/portal/loginpage.jsp then you would expect to find this file on the demantra.dev.us machine.
The key fields in the win_installer.properties file are:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| USER_INSTALL_DIR | The folder that is automatically created on the end user's machine which will then contain the Desktop and Security Manager folders and their associated executables. The default is C:\Program Files\Oracle Demantra Spectrum but if your end users' machines are not configured with a C drive then this will need to be changed |
| WEB_SERVER_URL | This should match the URL that you use to log into Demantra. So using the earlier example of http://demantra.dev.us:8080/demantra/portal/loginpage.jsp then this value would be http://demantra.dev.us:8080 |
| DBA_SERVER | DBA name of the server. If you will be running Oracle Demantra on the Oracle 12c database, these parameters must refer to the pluggable database (PDB). |
| DB_HOST | The DB_HOST value reflects the FULL NAME of the machine where the Demantra schema is located. So for example, if your Demantra schema sits on the Oracle database located on a machine called DemantraOracle.us.com then the DB_HOST value should be DemantraOracle.us.com not just DemantraOracle. The DB_HOST can also be an IP address.If you will be running Oracle Demantra on the Oracle 12c database, these parameters must refer to the pluggable database (PDB). |
| DB_PORT | Specify the port number.If you will be running Oracle Demantra on the Oracle 12c database, these parameters must refer to the pluggable database (PDB). |
| DB_SID | Oracle SID or service name, often the same as the database name on the server.If you will be running Oracle Demantra on the Oracle 12c database, these parameters must refer to the pluggable database (PDB). |
If you modify the win_installer.properties file, you must restart the application server. Also, depending on your web deployment architecture, it may also be necessary to recreate and redeploy the WAR file.
A valid entry in the TNSNAMES.ORA file is required to launch the Demand Planner application or Business Modeler.
Note: The TNS entry is created automatically, as detailed in Automated Process.
The new entry should be like this sample:
orcl11 =
(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=( PROTOCOL=TCP )( HOST= MYSERVER.MYCOMPANY.COM )( PORT=1234 ))
( CONNECT_DATA=
( SERVICE_NAME = orcl11 )
)
)
MY.SERVER.NAME should be the same as the corresponding value of "TNSName" in the APS_PARAMS table.
Troubleshooting Tips:
If after installation, the desktop applications do not initiate when the menu items are selected, add the path to the folder where Oracle Demantra applications are installed to the PATH environment variable.
To define the PATH parameter, right click the My Computer icon, then select Properties > Advanced > Environment Variables.
Oracle Demantra applications are installed in C:\Program Files\Oracle Demantra Spectrum\Desktop.
If automatic (silent) installation has occurred more than once on the same machine, each time a user switches between instances, he must run the installation again (specifically if the USER_INSTALL_DIR value in win_installer.properties remains "C:/Program Files/Oracle Demantra Spectrum" for both instances).
The following must be done each time the used instance is changed:
Delete the "demantra" directory from "%UserProfile%\" .
Delete the C:\Program Files\Oracle Demantra Spectrum directory (or the appropriate Demantra Silent Install directory).
Clear the Java cache.
Restart the server.
Restart the Web browser and then launch the Desktop Applications or Business Modeler from the Demantra Local Application.
To log onto the Business Modeler
On the Start menu, click Programs.
Click Demantra > Demantra Spectrum release > Business Modeler.
A login window appears.
Enter your user name and password.
Click Login.
Access to Business Modeler functions
Depending on your user name, you may not have access to all the functions of the Business Modeler.
To refresh the display of data in the Business Modeler
Click the Refresh button in the tool bar. Or click File > Refresh.
Within the Business Modeler, you use screens that present two lists of elements, where you specify your selections. To make selections, you move elements from the left list to the right list.
To move elements from one list to the other
To move a single element, double-click it. Or click it and drag it to the other list.
To move all elements, right-click and then choose Select All Rows. Then hold down the Shift key and drag from one list to the other.
To move several adjacent elements, click the first element, press Shift and click the last element. Then hold down the Shift key and drag from one list to the other.
To move several elements that are not adjacent, press Ctrl and click each element you want. Then hold down the Shift key and drag from one list to the other.
During the implementation process, you often have to set values for parameters. You use the Business Modeler to configure almost all parameters, and the changes are recorded in the audit trail.
See also: Non-Engine Parameters.
To view and edit parameters in the Business Modeler
Log onto the Business Modeler as described in “Logging onto the Business Modeler.”
Click Parameters > System Parameters.
The System Parameters dialog box appears. This dialog box includes the following tabs:
| Tab | Typical parameters on this tab |
|---|---|
| Worksheet | Maximum number of members on which a user can work at the same time Flag that switches on debug mode |
| System | Base time unit |
| Database | Database version Initial sizes of tablespaces |
| Engine | Maximum number of forecasts that are kept Parameters that control the proport mechanism |
| Application Server | Date format Server name |
Find the parameter of interest. The dialog box provides find, sort, and filter capabilities to help you with this.
To change the value of the parameter, click the Value field for that parameter.
Type the new value or select an allowed value from the drop-down menu.
Click Save to save your changes.
Click Close.
See also
When you make changes in the Business Modeler, those changes are not necessarily available to users immediately.
To make changes available to users
Save your changes within Business Modeler. To do so, click File > Save.
Make sure that the changes are included in the components in which the users work. See “Creating or Modifying a Component” .
Load the changes into the system. How you do this depends on which user interfaces the users are working with:
For the Web-based products, stop and restart the Web server. Information on this is beyond the scope of the Oracle documentation.
For Demand Planner or Demand Replenisher, either restart the user interface or use the System menu to reload the configuration.
If you have created a new series, make sure this series is included in the appropriate worksheets. See the Oracle Demantra Demand Management User's Guide or other user guides.
Note: These steps are necessary when you make changes to series, levels, level attributes, units, indexes, level methods, integration interfaces, components, or users.
Click File > Exit. Or click the Exit button.
To access the Workflow Manager, a User Group must be assigned to the workflow.group parameter in the Business Modeler. For details, see Providing Access to the Workflow Editor. For more information on user groups, see Creating or Modifying a User Group.
To open the Workflow Manager, select the Workflow Manager menu item. The Workflow Manager opens in a new tab. You close the Workflow Manager by closing the tab.
If your users use Microsoft Internet Explorer, Oracle requires that you or they set the browser locale. The applet locale is based on the browser locale.
Having browser locale set, Oracle Demantra can manage both the portal and applet. With client machine locale alone, Oracle Demantra can manage applets, but cannot determine the locale for portal parts.
If an applet starts as standalone, Oracle Demantra uses the client machine locale.
The instructions for setting the browser locale are in Oracle Demantra User's Guide > First Time Login.