Connect to and Query Google Data Catalog Data in QlikView over ODBC

The CData ODBC drivers expand your ability to work with data from more than 200 data sources. QlikView is a business discovery platform that provides self-service BI for all business users in an organization. This article outlines simple steps to connect to Google Data Catalog data using the CData ODBC driver and create data visualizations in QlikView.

The CData ODBC drivers offer unmatched performance for interacting with live Google Data Catalog data in QlikView due to optimized data processing built into the driver. When you issue complex SQL queries from QlikView to Google Data Catalog, the driver pushes supported SQL operations, like filters and aggregations, directly to Google Data Catalog and utilizes the embedded SQL engine to process unsupported operations (often SQL functions and JOIN operations) client-side. With built-in dynamic metadata querying, you can visualize and analyze Google Data Catalog data using native QlikView data types.

Connect to Google Data Catalog as an ODBC Data Source

If you have not already, first specify connection properties in an ODBC DSN (data source name). This is the last step of the driver installation. You can use the Microsoft ODBC Data Source Administrator to create and configure ODBC DSNs.

Google Data Catalog uses the OAuth authentication standard. Authorize access to Google APIs on behalf on individual users or on behalf of users in a domain.

Before connecting, specify the following to identify the organization and project you would like to connect to:

• OrganizationId: The ID associated with the Google Cloud Platform organization resource you would like to connect to. Find this by navigating to the cloud console.

  Click the project selection drop-down, and select your organization from the list. Then, click More -> Settings. The organization ID is displayed on this page.

• ProjectId: The ID associated with the Google Cloud Platform project resource you would like to connect to.

  Find this by navigating to the cloud console dashboard and selecting your project from the Select from drop-down. The project ID will be present in the Project info card.

When you connect, the OAuth endpoint opens in your default browser. Log in and grant permissions to the application to completes the OAuth process. For more information, refer to the OAuth section in the Help documentation.

When you configure the DSN, you may also want to set the Max Rows connection property. This will limit the number of rows returned, which is especially helpful for improving performance when designing reports and visualizations.

Populate a Chart with Google Data Catalog Data

The steps below supply the results of an SQL query to a visualization in QlikView. In this article, you will create a bar chart with the query below:

1. Click File -> Edit Script (or click the Edit Script button in the Toolbar).
2. On the Data tab, select ODBC in the Database menu and click Connect.
3. Select the DSN (CData GoogleDataCatalog Sys) in the resulting dialog. A command like the following is generated: ODBC CONNECT TO [CData GoogleDataCatalog Sys];
4. Enter the SQL query directly into the script with the SQL command (or click Select to build the query in the SELECT statement wizard). SQL SELECT Type, DatasetName FROM Schemas WHERE ProjectId = 'bigquery-public-data';

   Where possible, the SQL operations in the query, like filters and aggregations, will be pushed down to Google Data Catalog, while any unsupported operations (which can include SQL functions and JOIN operations) will be managed client-side by the CData SQL engine embedded in the driver.

5. Close the script editor and reload the document to execute the script.
6. Click Tools -> Quick Chart Wizard. In the wizard, select the chart type. This example uses a bar chart. When building the chart, you have access to the fields from Google Data Catalog, typed appropriately for QlikView, thanks to built-in dynamic metadata querying.
7. When defining Dimensions, select Type in the First Dimension menu.
8. When defining Expressions, click the summary function you want and select DatasetName in the menu.

9. Finish the wizard to generate the chart. The CData ODBC Driver for Google Data Catalog connects to live Google Data Catalog data, so the chart can be refreshed to see real-time changes. Live connections are possible and effective, thanks to the high-performance data processing native to CData ODBC Drivers.