Build a Simple VCL Application for SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data

Embarcadero RAD Studio provides a development environment for Delphi and C++Builder applications. With the CData ODBC Driver for SAP SuccessFactors LMS, you gain access to live SAP SuccessFactors LMS data within RAD Studio, abstracting the data into tables, views, and stored procedures that can be used to retrieve SAP SuccessFactors LMS data. This article will walk through connecting to SAP SuccessFactors LMS and creating a simple VCL application with the Form Designer.

Create a Connection to SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data

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.

SAP SuccessFactors LMS uses OAuth authentication. Before connecting, you must configure an OAuth application tied to your SAP SuccessFactors LMS account.

To establish a connection, set the following properties:

• User: Your SAP SuccessFactors LMS username.
• CompanyId: Your SAP SuccessFactors company identifier.
• Url: The SAP SuccessFactors API URL (e.g., https://api4.successfactors.com).
• OAuthClientId: The client Id assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.
• OAuthClientSecret: The client secret assigned when you registered your custom OAuth application.

See the Getting Started chapter of the help documentation for a guide to creating a custom OAuth app and using OAuth.

You can then follow the steps below to use the Data Explorer to create a FireDAC connection to SAP SuccessFactors LMS data.

1. In a new VCL Forms application, expand the FireDAC node in the Data Explorer.
2. Right-click the ODBC Data Source node in the Data Explorer.
3. Click Add New Connection.
4. Enter a name for the connection.
5. In the FireDAC Connection Editor that appears, set the DataSource property to the name of the ODBC DSN for SAP SuccessFactors LMS.

Create VCL Applications with Connectivity to SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data

Follow the procedure below to start executing queries to SAP SuccessFactors LMS data from a simple VCL application that displays the results of a query in a grid.

1. Drop a TFDConnection component onto the form and set the following properties:

   • ConnectionDefName: Select the FireDAC connection to SAP SuccessFactors LMS data.
   • Connected: Select True from the menu and, in the dialog that appears, enter your credentials.

2. Drop a TFDQuery component onto the form and set the properties below:

   • Connection: Set this property to the TFDConnection component, if this component is not already specified.

   • SQL: Click the button in the SQL property and enter a query. For example:

     SELECT ItemID, ItemTitle FROM [Admin].[Search_Service].[Items] WHERE Active = true
     

   • Active: Set this property to true.

3. Drop a TDataSource component onto the form and set the following property:

   • DataSet: In the menu for this property, select the name of the TFDQuery component.

4. Drop a TDBGrid control onto the form and set the following property:

   • DataSource: Select the name of the TDataSource.
5. Drop a TFDGUIxWaitCursor onto the form — this is required to avoid a run-time error.

You now have an executable application that displays the results of the SQL Query set in the TFDQuery object.

Related Articles

Below you can find other articles for using the CData ODBC Driver with RAD Studio, Delphi, and C++ Builder.

• DataBind Controls to SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data in C++Builder
• DataBind Controls to SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data in Delphi
• Viewing SAP SuccessFactors LMS Data in RAD Studio Data Explorer