Create Interactive Metabase Dashboards that Work with Bing Search Results

Metabase is an open source data visualization tool that allows users to create interactive dashboards. When paired with CData Connect Server, users can easily create visualizations and dashboards linked to live Bing Search results. This article describes how to create a virtual database for Bing Search and build a simple visualization using Bing Search results.

CData Connect provides a pure SQL interface for Bing Search, allowing you to easily integrate with live Bing Search results in Metabase — without replicating the data. Connect looks exactly like a MySQL database to Metabase and uses optimized data processing out of the box to push all supported SQL operations (filters, JOINs, etc) directly to Bing Search, leveraging server-side processing to quickly return Bing Search results.

Create a Virtual MySQL Database for Bing Search Results

CData Connect Server uses a straightforward, point-and-click interface to connect to data sources and generate APIs.

1. Log into Connect Server and click Connections.
2. Select "Bing Search" from Available Data Sources.
3. Enter the necessary authentication properties to connect to Bing Search.

   To connect to Bing, set the ApiKey connection property. To obtain the API key, sign into Microsoft Cognitive Services and register for the Bing Search APIs.

   Two API keys are then generated; select either one.

   When querying tables, the SearchTerms parameter must be supplied in the WHERE clause.

4. Click Save Changes
5. Click Privileges -> Add and add the new user (or an existing user) with the appropriate permissions.

Connect to CData Connect from Metabase

After creating the virtual database, navigate to your Metabase instance. Use the MySQL interface to connect to CData Connect.

1. Navigate to the administration screen (Settings -> Admin) and click "Add Database" from the "Databases" tab
2. Configure the connection to CData Connect and click "Save"
   • Database type: Select "MySQL"
   • Name: Name the connection (e.g. "Bing Search (CData Connect)")
   • Host: The URL of your Connect instance (e.g. https://CONNECT_SERVER_URL)
   • Port: The port of the MySQL endpoint for your Connect instance (e.g. 3306)
   • Database name: The name of the virtual database you just created (e.g. Bing Search1)
   • Username: A CData Connect username
   • Password: The password for the above CData Connect user
   • Click to Use a secure connection (SSL)

Query Bing Search Results with Metabase

Once you configure the connection to CData Connect, you can query Bing Search and build visualizations.

1. Use the "Write SQL" tool to retrieve the Bing Search results
2. Write a SQL query based on the virtual database, e.g.
   
   

   SELECT Title, ViewCount FROM VideoSearch WHERE SearchTerms = 'WayneTech'

3. Navigate to the "Visualization" screen, choose a visualization, and configure the visualization

More Information & Free Trial

At this point, you have built a simple visualization from Bing Search results in Metabase. You can continue to work with live Bing Search results in Metabase just like you would any MySQL database. For more information on creating a virtual MySQL database for Bing Search (and more than 200 other data sources), visit the Connect Server page. Sign up for a free trial and start working with live Bing Search results in Metabase today.