Scaling & Performance
Q: How many records (rows) and fields (columns) can Omniscope handle?
A: Relatively speaking, rather a lot... there really is no fixed upper
limit in terms of rows and columns. The effective upper limit depends on a
complex relationship between processor speed, available Windows/Java
memory, data types, density of the columns and the number and type of
Omniscope views employed in a given file. Omniscope file complexity is
principally related to the number of cells (rows x columns), whereas the
capacity of the users' computers is most closely related to the amount of
RAM in the machine. The best way to determine how Omniscope will perform
with larger data sets (over 5 million cells) or very large data sets (over
15 million cells) is to request
a trial key.
In general, a recent computer running a 32-bit operating sytem
with:
- 512 MB of RAM should open/navigate files of about 5 million typical
cells
- 1.0 GB of RAM should open/navigate files of about 17-18 million
typical cells
- 2.0 GB of RAM should open/navigate files up to about 20 million
typical cells
The less than proportional increase between 1.0 and 2.0 GB of RAM
results when the 32-bit Windows/Java addressing limit is reached. 64-bit
computers with 2.0 GB or more RAM will have much higher limits. For more
information on Omniscope scaling and performance, consult our Knowledge Base.
Q: We are still pulling together our data. If we get sign-off on
Omniscope reports using a small sample of our data, will the look and feel
vary as we add more records?
A: Not noticeably in most cases. Omniscope views look pretty much the
same regardless of record count, and only the very largest data sets (over
about 15 million cells) need testing for possible performance
optimisation. You can mock-up your target data set in a spreadsheet, open
it in Omniscope and develop a full set of reports in a day. Omniscope is a
very quick way to put sample (or even real) reports on user desks
practically the next day, surfacing all sorts of issues of data quality,
interpretation, ownership, etc. while the reporting database, warehouse or
'mart' is still being designed.
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Installation & Activation
Q: Is Omniscope compatible with Vista and MS Office 2007?
A: Yes, Omniscope version 2.3 and above are fully compatible with Vista
and MS Office 2007 files, provided you are running a version of Java that
fully supports Vista, which means either the version that comes with
Visokio applications (currently 1.5.0_11) or a version after 1.6.0_03.
(for more information, see Known
Issues-Java on Vista).
Q: What version of Java must be installed to run Omniscope?
A: Java 5 or better. The current version of Java is now 6. If you are
installing Omniscope on a machine with a version of Java earlier than 5
(also known as 1.5.0), the installer will trigger a prompt to upgrade. You
can also choose to install a private instance of Java 6 just for use with
Visokio applications. You can install or check your already-installed
version of Java here.
Q: My company machine has Java installed, yet my Visokio application
will not start?
A: On more than one occasion, we have seen centrally administered
machines whose recent Java installations are not complete...certain Java
files are either missing or not functioning. If you can see a Java icon in
the Windows Control Panel, and the version is more recent than 1.4.2, it
may be that your Java installation is not complete. In this case, you have
two options; either 1.) re-install the very latest version of Java for all
applications in your machine to use from the official site here, or 2.)
install a private version that only Visokio applications will use from www.visokio.com/getjava .
Q: My machine was rebuilt by the IT department, and when I re-install
my Visokio applications, I cannot activate with my license key?
A: If you or your IT department does not de-activate your installation prior to
re-building your machine, your license key will remain set to 'in use' and
you will not be able to activate another installation on the re-built or a
new machine using that key. In this case, you should contact us.
For more information on installation, activation, and de-activation,
see the Omniscope User Guide.
For more detailed technical articles, consult the Knowledge Base sections
on Installation , Activation, and Troubleshooting.
Q: We need more than one Enterprise server license to permit
clustering, maintaining a development installation separate from the
production server and provisioning a hot back-up machine. How are these
licensed?
A: Clients running more than one Enterprise server are eligible for our
Commercial Publisher relationship licensing arrangements which provide for
upgrading any number of Omniscope Professionals to Enterprise servers as
needed over time.
Data Entry & Import
Q: I am trying to type a value into a cell, but the cell outline turns
red and the value does not change?
A: Omniscope enforces data typing (validation). If Omniscope sees (or
you declare) that a field (column) data type is numeric, Omniscope will
not let you enter text, or a date, etc. To check and if necessary change
the data type for each of your columns, go to Edit > Manage
fields (columns) on the Main Toolbar.
Q: What is the underlying data structure in an Omniscope file?
A: Currently, Omniscope is not a database, but a superior alternative
to spreadsheets and other reporting tools for visualising, managing and
communicating tabular data/ reporting views. Each .IOK file contains a
single, totally 'flat' table of rows (records) and columns (fields)...plus
embedded images, links, etc. This may change in future versions. Omniscope
files can be linked to each other, such that records in one file are
linked to another, more detailed Omniscope file with a different(usually
more granular) data structure.
Q: When importing an Excel file, does Omniscope import the text in the
comments fields?
A: Not currently. To import Excel comments field text into an Omniscope
file as text column(s), you must cut and paste the comments fields into
separate Excel columns.
Q: Can I import and refresh data columns currently held in different
views/tables of our database?
A: The ODBC protocol is currently limited to connecting to only a
single view/table. If you need to connect to more than one view/table to
import and refresh, you must use the JDBC protocol.
For more information on importing your data, see the User Guide
sections on Using your Data and Connecting to
Databases. For more technical articles, see the Knowledge Base
sections on Importing Data
Files and Database
Connections.
Securing Data
Q: If I publish my data in an Omniscope file, can anyone copy or
export the data from the file? Is it secure?
A: Omniscope files use proprietary strong compression and encryption
that will withstand attempts to hack into the file for substantial periods
of time, more than long enough to protect the value of your data. We can
change our methods at any time should they become known. If you save
either an .IOK or.IOM file using an activated edition, you have the option
to prevent data editing and export, stopping anyone from changing and/or
copying and pasting data from the file. It will also disable all data
export options for that file.
Q: How can I control who can open an Omniscope file, and for how
long?
A: When you save an Omniscope file using the Professional Edition, you
have the option to password protect the file. If you have licensed the
Enterprise Edition, you have additional publishing options including the
option to time limit the file, and the option to 'lock' the file so that
it will not open unless the subscriber is logged into your website with
valid credentials.
For more information on options available to secure access to your
data, see the User Guide sections on Saving .IOK files/ Exporting
Data and Advanced Tools for Publishers.
Q: What is the difference between an .IOK and a .IOM file?
A: .IOK files produced by Professional and Enterprise Editions can be
opened by anyone with a free Viewer installed. Standard Editions produce
.IOM files that can not be opened with the free Viewer, but only by
activated Omniscope installations (Standard, Professional and Enterprise
Editions)
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Navigation & Views
Q: Some of the Omniscope views are not very useful for my data set.
Can I turn them off?
A: Yes, on the Main Toolbar, go to Appearance > Views and untick the views you do not want to be available for that file.
For more information, see the User Guide section on Using Views
Reports & Presentations
Q: We want our Omniscope files to look like our other reports and
screens. Can we replace the Visokio logo in the upper right-hand corner of
the display?
A: Yes, on the Main Toolbar, go to Appearance > Branding >
Add Corner logo. For best results, use a version of your logo that
is 19 pixels high. (Branding options are only available on Professional
and Enterprise Editions.)
Q: Colour schemes displayed for data management and analysis are too
brightly functional for final presentations and report files. Can we tone
them down or make them more stylish?
A:Yes, on the Main Toolbar go to Appearance > Themes. Here you can select some other themes, or create and save your own theme
matching your corporate style and palette.
For more information, see the User Guide sections on Creating Reports and the
Appearance Menu commands.
Using Maps
Q: I want to use mapping, but my data sets do not yet include columns
with geographic coordinates. What can I do?
A: There are currently three ways to add geographic decimal coordinate
(longitude and latitude) columns to your data for map displays; 1.) Locate
your records in Omniscope using the free Visokio world, country and city
maps- just place the markers manually to generate the coordinates in the
file automatically (see the tutorial on Using Maps), or 2.) Look up
missing coordinates using online sources for finding coordinates such as
Google Earth (and often Wikipedia). In Google Earth, look up the missing
places, set a placemark then read off the values, then type/cut-and-paste
them into Omniscope, or 3.) Merge the columns into your Omniscope data
automatically using a merge
file. To merge in coordinate columns for capital cities or geographic
centres of countries, we supply free 'By Countries' merge
file containing these columns. We also supply a free 'By Cities' merge
file containing coordinates for about 60,000 of the world's largest
cities. Free merge files 'By Post codes'
are also available for the U.K., the U.S., and a growing number of other
countries. Other free and licensed reference merge files may be available
from data vendors in future.
To learn more, see the User Guide
sections on Using Maps and Using the Map View, and the
Knowledge Base sections on Maps
& Coordinates.
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Printing
Q: How can I print one or more Omniscope displays or Report Pages so
that they look the same on paper as on the screen?
A: Upgrade to the latest
version. Version 2.3 has dramatically improved printing options,
including the option to print the entire files as a PowerPoint slide pack
or Abode Acrobat .PDF document. (Standard, Professional and Enterprise
Edition only).
For more information, see the User Guide coverage of printing in the File Menu and View Tools commands sections.
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Refreshing Data
Q: Can Omniscope displays be updated live, in real time, across my
network and the web?
A: Yes, beginning with version 2.3. Any number of desktop displays can
receive 'push' updatesd from a single, central Source Omniscope file. The
Source Omniscope file can in turn be refreshing on a shorter time cycle
(or immediately if triggered by changes) from the source database
view(s)/table(s). Please note, the auto-refresh option will always return
the User file configurations to match the Source file upon each opening.
If Users wish to preserve personalised configurations while refreshing
from a single .IOK Source file, you must configure the Source .IOK file as
the linked data source for the customised/personalised User files (see
below).
For more information, see the User Guide section on Refreshing Data and the
Knowledge Base discussions of Integration options and Auto-Refresh.
Q: How can I refresh .IOK files that users have configured in ways
different to my Source .IOK file, and in personalised ways unknown to
me?
A: You can configure your Source .IOK file as a linked data source for
Users .IOK files, which they can then customise and re-configure over time
as they adapt to their Omniscope working/reporting files. Whenever they
open their file, only the data will be refreshed, leaving their
individually personalised view configurations, filter settings and Report
Pages unchanged.
Automation
Q: Can we provide custom, personalised data sets as Omniscope files on
demand?
A: Yes, the Enterprise Edition includes Scheduler and Generator
automation tools that run on your server. The Scheduler is time-driven,
but the Generator listens continuously on a specified port for your
systems to present an XML version of your data exported on demand in
response to a user request on your system. Whenever the Generator detects
a new data file, it applies the data to the relevant template .IOK file
and dispatches the new, on-demand, personalised Omniscope file to the
requesting user in the specified way.
For more information, see the Knowledge Base discussion of Automation options
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Integration
Q: We are a software company/VAR that provide integrated solutions and
have our own software package(s) and underlying database(s). Can we
connect, bundle or integrate Omniscope for reporting and data entry/export
?
A: Omniscope is designed to become part of integrated data management
and reporting solutions. Omniscope not only connects to and refreshes from
internal proprietary data repositories, warehouses and 'marts' it also
links to and displays web-based content, including 'dashboards'. Normally,
database connections using ODBC (single table) or JDBC (multi-table) in
conjunction with the Scheduler and Generator automation tools are
sufficient to create powerful integration. If not, we can develop (for a
fee) a bespoke Connector to optimise further the performance and
functionality of the combined system.
For more information, see the Knowledge Base discussion of Integration Options and Web integration
Available Connectors
Bloomberg and other financial feeds
Q: I have a Bloomberg PC, and I want to import Bloomberg data into my
Omniscope files...why is there an option 'Create Bloomberg spreadsheet' in
the File > Export menu?
A: It is a question of record count, update/refresh speed and
performance. If you want to refresh Bloomberg fields in Omniscope on a
manual as-needed 'pull' basis, using the File > Import to current
file > Refresh from Bloomberg should perform well enough. When
you first import Bloomberg fields into Omniscope, you may have to refresh
manually a couple of times to fully populate the file. Because
auto-refresh from Bloomberg has not yet been implemented in Omniscope, if
you want to refresh a very large number of records on an automated 'push'
real-time basis, use Create Bloomberg spreadsheet to
generate a stand-alone Excel automatic price-monitoring spreadsheet that
will perform better. This may change in future.
For more information, see the User Guide section on Working with Bloomberg
Q: Do you have a connector for Reuters?
A: Not at present, but one can be developed given enough interest from
Reuters and its customers.
Salesforce.com/APEX and other hosted business platforms
Q: I have installed the free Visokio Connector for Salesforce in my
Salesforce account and I am looking at my data objects in Omniscope. Why
do the files only show internal ID numbers, rather than the names of
account owners, opportunities, etc.?
A: Salesforce data objects are transactional tables, so data is divided
across multiple objects/tables. To see the big picture, you need to join
the objects/tables so that the internal IDs are replaced with the names,
etc. This can be done by creating a report that joins the tables, or by
defining a new custom data object as a join. During the free 30-day trial
period, or if you have an activated Professional Edition, you can perform
some of the joins using Omniscope.
Note: The current version of the Connector for Salesforce does not
support downloading joined tables or report files. The next version will
support both. If you would like to be a beta tester for the next version
of the Connector for Salesforce, please contact us. You must have an
Enterprise or Unlimited Salesforce account. Availability to Professional
account users is coming soon.
For more information, see the User Guide sections on using the
available Connectors
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