Spotfire: What's a Spotfire data source and data connection?

What's a Spotfire^® data source?

In a Spotfire analysis, data sources contribute with data to a final Spotfire data table. Data sources can be combined to create data tables, and they can be of many different types. It's the final data tables that are used in visualizations and filters.

The data sources that are used to make up a final data table are easy to overview in Spotfire's Source View. Expand Spotfire's data panel to open the Source View.

Data sources can represent data from files, data connections, information links, data functions and ODBC connections.

In the example above we have combined data from three data sources into a final Spotfire data table:

• IBM DB2 (ORDERS) - its icon tells us that this is a data connection.
• Microsoft SQL Server (CUSTOMER) - its icon tells us it's also a data connection.
• ORDERS - Sheet1 - its icon tells us it's a file data source. The default name gives that it's an Excel sheet.

The following sections describe the different data source types in Spotfire.

What's a file data source?

A file data source is created when you load data from for example a CSV, Excel or .sbdf file.

Note: Edit an Excel data source by going to Edit > Data Table Properties, select the Excel data table and choose Refresh Data With Prompt.

What's an Information Link?

An information link is a structured request for data which can be sent to the database. These specifications include one or more columns, and may include one or more filters.

What's an Information Services Data Source?

To access an external system, an information link requires an Information Services data source, which stores the connection string. More details are available in the help here.

What's an ODBC+DSN Data Source?

Spotfire can connect to virtually any data source providing an ODBC driver. From the Add data tables menu select Open from database. More information is available in the help here.

What's a Custom Data Source?

If ODBC, JDBC, Odata or any other alternative doesn't work for you, you can build you own custom data source using a script or C#. Read more about how to do this here.

What's a Data Connection?

With a data connection, you can access data from an external system in Spotfire. Data connections are created and opened using a connector.

When you connect to your data using a Spotfire connector, a data connection typically stores the following metadata:

• Database or cube name
• Tables
• Columns
• Measures/Key figures
• Dimension/Characteristics
• Joins
• Custom Queries (SQL)
• Prompt settings
• Stored Procedures
• Column name changes
• If the data connection is configured to allow in-database, in-memory or both.

The image below shows a Views in Connection dialog. What's configured here is what's stored in a Data Connection object.

A Data Connection can be stored in:

• A .dxp file (aka embedded).
• In the Spotfire Library.

The image below shows an example of Library content as viewed in Spotfire Business Author and in Spotfire Analyst's Library Administrator tool.

Note: The official documentation is available here.

What's a connection data source?

When you connect to your data using a Spotfire connector, a connection data source typically stores the following information:

• Database name and port number
• Authentication Type
• Encryption Mode
• Connection timeout
• Character set

As you can see, the connection data source is basically storing the connection string.

A connection data source is always paired with a data connection.

You can store your data connection data sources in three different locations:

• Inside a data connection that is stored in a dxp file.
• Inside a data connection that is stored in the spotfire Library.
• In the Spotfire Library as a standalone item.

By default, if you select a connector on Spotfire's start page or in the Add data tables dialog, the first option above will be used. The connection data source is stored inside its data connection which is stored in your analysis file (.dxp). Read more here.

This is great as it allows you to connect to a data source within seconds and what you do is available only in your analysis file. However, once you are happy with you data source (and data connection) you should move it to the Spotfire Library to enable sharing and reuse, just like with Spotfire Information Links.

Note: If you already know that you will share and reuse your connection data source then use the Manage Data Connections tool available from the tools menu.

Note: If you want to move a connection data source from your dxp file to the Spotfire Library this is done from Edit > Data Connection Properties.