Oracle Data Visualization Desktop

This blog covers how to use the Oracle® Data Visualization Desktop (DVD) to analyze data.

Introduction

Oracle’s DVD version 12.2.4.3, released in May 2018, makes it easy to visualize data. You can upload data files or connect to a database by using available data sources.

DVD is a single-user desktop application that provides visualization functionality to business users. DVD is better than the Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) 12C analyzer and is a user-friendly tool.

Benefits

DVD offers the following benefits:

• A personal, single-user desktop application: Install on personal systems and analyze the data there.

• Offline availability: Shared and imported projects are always available.

• Completely private analysis: Analyze data without depending on others.

• Full control of data source connections: Choose from many connection types that provide secure connections.

• Direct access to on-premises data sources: Connect to the database by using VPN.

• Lightweight single-file download: Directly download and install the .exe file.

• No remote server infrastructure: Easily manage the standalone application on your personal system.

• No administration tasks: Administrative tasks like start, stop, and upgrade are not required.

Installation

DVD installation has the following minimum system requirements:

• Operating system: Microsoft® Windows® x64 (64-bit) 7 SP1+, 8.1, or 10; Windows Server® 2012 R2; MacOS® Sierra (10.12) or High Sierra (10.13)

• CPU: Intel® Core™2 Duo CPU E8400 @ 3.00 GHz, 2992 Mhz 2 Cores, 2 logical processors or faster

• Memory: 4.00 GB memory or more

• Minimum free disk space: 2 GB plus space for any uploaded data files

• User privileges: Administrative privileges to install

To install DVD, download and run the installation file from Oracle.

The following image shows the DVD home page after installation.

Features of DVD version 12.2.4

DVD features include the following items:

• New data connector types
• Duplicating data sets
• Machine learning (ML) capabilities to make predictions and intelligent suggestions
• Data flow enhancements
• Data source editor changes
• Updates to projects and visualizations, including map backgrounds

Create a project and choose a data set

By using DVD, you can analyze data from various data sources such as Microsoft Excel®, database, and Oracle applications, by creating a project and data sets to fetch data.

To create a project, use the following steps, as shown in the following image:

1. Go to the Main Menu.

2. Select Project.

3. Click Create.

4. Click Data Set.

After you click Data Set, you must select from the data sources as shown in the following image:

From a File: You can upload an Excel file (assuming the first row of the spreadsheet is column headings).

From Oracle Applications: You can connect to live OBIEE instances, where OBIEE reports as direct sources.

From Database: You can connect to various databases such as Oracle, DB2®, MySQL®, MongoDB®, and so on.

Connect to a database

When you select From Database, you see the available database connection types as shown in the following image:

When you select Oracle database, you are prompted for connection details as shown in the following image:

After the data source is connected, click on Create Data Set on the home page and select the tables to use by clicking on the available schemas in the database. After the Data Set is created, you can modify the columns or add new columns in the Data Set.

You can use Shift+click or Ctrl+click to select multiple columns. Click Add Selected to add the columns you selected, or click Add All to include all the table columns in the data source. Drag identical columns to the dashboard data element, and click Change Visualization Type in the canvas as shown in the following image:

The visualize canvas has a color section, which allows you to make the visualization more attractive by adding colors to measure values, as shown in the following image:

The following image shows the project view after you add data elements to the dashboard:

Each canvas at the bottom of the dashboard can have multiple visuals of data.

You can duplicate the canvas and visuals, and you can change the visualization depending on your needs. You can also add an image to canvas such as adding client logs to dashboard.

The following images show the canvas view:

Importing and sharing

DVD has options to share the project files with other users and to import project files shared by external users. When you share the project, you need to give the password for protecting the file.

Importing

Follow these instructions to import a project or application:

1. Go to Home page.
2. Click Projects.
3. Click Page Menu.
4. Select Import.
5. In the Import dialog, click Select File or drag a project or application file onto the dialog.
6. Click Import.

Sharing a project

Follow these instructions to share a project:

1. Go to Home page.
2. Click Projects.
3. Select the project or folder that you want to share.
4. Click Actions.
5. Select Share.
6. Click File.
7. In the File dialog, click Include Data to include the data with the project or folder.
8. If you want to include the data source connection’s user name and password with the exported project, click Connection Credentials.

Differences between Oracle DVD and 12C OBIEE VA

Following are the major differences between Oracle DVD and 12C OBIEE VA:

Conclusion

Oracle DVD is a simple business intelligence (BI) tool that is used to analyze data, and it doesn’t need to connect data warehouse instances. Easy to install on a desktop, DVD enables you to analyze data by connecting with various data sources. It’s a user-friendly tool and can be used by anyone with minimal knowledge of analysis.

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