QlikView Distribution Service with 3 Major Files and Folders

In our effort to understand each QlikView component in depth, the next step is QlikView Distribution Service. You might remember coming across these terms in the architecture tutorial. Let us start exploring it further and learn about what is distribution service in QlikView, what role it plays and important files and folders in your system which store information related to QlikView Distribution Service.

So, let’s start QlikView Distribution Service.

What is QlikView Distribution Service?

At the backend of the QlikView architecture framework, all the user documents created by the QlikView developer. A developer creates user documents by using scripts to fetch data from the data source. These user documents create (.qvw or .qvd files) then load and distribute to the servers using a publisher.

The publisher consists of two components, Distribution Service and Publisher License. It is necessary for Publisher License to connect with the Distribution Service to ensure proper functioning of distribution service.

The important functions of QlikView Distribution Service are-

• Working with source documents to produce user documents.
• Producing .qvw (QlikView files) files for distribution to the client via server and web server or via e-mail.
• Producing PDF files to export to document folders or distributed via e-mail.

Do you Know What is QlikView Publisher Repository (QVPR)?

The chain of events in the working of QlikView Distribution Service is as follows,

• First, at the backend, the raw data load from one or more data source (database) into one or more data files (.qvw or .qvd files).
• Then a bigger QlikView document having more than one data files, reduce into composite smaller documents (one or more).
• If these documents are distributing to the QlikView Servers, then necessary file attributes and distribution/usage rules attach to the main document files.

The QlikView distribution service acts according to a scheduled time or in response to an event. If there is no distribution service available in a QlikView deployment, then there are no distribution, loading and reduction facilities provided. Instead, this work redirects to a reload engine which only reloads the user documents and the .qvw files deployment at the backend has to do by the developer manually.

Important Files and Folders

All the important information about QlikView distribution service store in the sub-folder named distribution service found in program data folder. The path to the distribution service folder is, %ProgramData%\QlikTech\DistributionService. The file path of the executable (.exe) file is,

%ProgramFiles%\QlikView\Distribution Service\QVDistributionService.exe

The protocol used for distribution service is HTTP:4720 and SNMP:4721.

Let’s Explore QlikView Directory Service Connector (DSC) 

All the files related to QDS store in the ‘Data’ folder inside the QDS (QlikView Distribution Service) folder. Also, inside the QDS folder is the information about all the different QDS nodes which can view and edit. In some cases, the QlikView Publisher works in a setting where more than one QlikView Distribution Service situate on different machines. Those QDSs can also manage from the QDS folder.

To create a QlikView Distribution Service entry in an already existing QDS cluster, click on the ADD icon given at the right of the screen. Enter the new QDS URL in the text box and the QDS entry will configure. The URL might look like, http://<mycomputer>:4720/qtxs.asmx (for example). If you wish to delete a QlikView Distribution Service from the cluster, click on the DELETE icon.

Let us take a look at the files present in the sub-folders present in QlikView Distribution Service folder. The files segregate into three sub-folders, Settings and Configuration, Cluster and Logs where each folder important files relates to their domain. The files from all the three folders are very crucial in the proper functioning of QlikView.

a. Setting and Configuration

This folder contains important settings and configuration files which ensures proper functioning of the QlikView Distribution Service according to the settings and configuration select by the handler.

The points below give all the details on file name with the description of the content in them. The files listed below contain the information stored in QVPR.

• Configuration.xml – Configuration file for the service.
• Tasks\Task_<GUID>.xml – These have the actual tasks. The deleted task not automatically remove due to support issue analysis.
• Triggers\Triggers_<GUID>.xml – The actual triggers, the deleted triggers are not automatically removed.
• MasterConfigurationNotification.xml – Has a list of configuration notification files which are used to keep QDS in sync and to notify QDS nodes of configuration changes.
• MasterTaskNotification.xml – Contains a list of task notification files that are used to keep QDS in sync and to notify QDS nodes of task changes.
• MasterTaskExecutionNotification.xml – Contains a list of task execution notification files which are used to keep QDS in sync and to notify QDS nodes of task execution changes.
• MasterTriggerNotification.xml – Contains a list of trigger notification files that are used to keep QDS in sync and to notify QDS nodes of changes to triggering events.
• TaskDetails.xml – Contains a list of the available tasks in the Tasks folder, use for synchronizing the files in that folder with QVPR.
• TriggerDetaiIs.xml – Contains a list of the available triggers in the Triggers folder, also use for synchronizing the files in that folder with QVPR.
• DistributionGroupDefinition.xml – It is the Configuration file for Distribution Groups.

b. Cluster

There are two important files in the Cluster folder and both of these files use for QlikView Distribution Service(QDS) clustering and load balancing purposes.

• One file is LoadBalancer.xml, which is used by the QDS to decide which node out of the cluster should select and assign the task to.
• The second file is NodeInformation.xml, which contain and maintains the data and status of all the other QDS nodes (QlikView Distribution Service part of the cluster) that are not being used by Load Balancer.

Read about QlikView IntervalMatch & Match Function 

c. Logs

Log files as we know contains the data/information of all the activities going on in the QDS cluster as well as in individual QlikView Distribution Service. By default, the logs data keeps in QlikView’s system for 30 days’ time and delete automatically after that. You can change this time duration for which the log reports store in the system from the QDS folder. Here, we will discuss some important log files:

• TaskResuIts\TaskResuIt_<GUID>.xml – Contains the latest result of the task identified by the GUID.
• TaskLoglndex\TaskLoglndex_<GUID>.xml – This file is used just for Iookup (one file per task), pointing to the actual log.
• EdxResuIts\EdxResuIt_<GUlD>.xml – This file contains the current status of the EDX task until the task is complete and when the execution is finished, it contains the result (success/fail) and the task started as a result of the previous task ending. (if any).
• <node-nr>\Log\<Date>.txt – General QDS event and error log.
• <node-nr>\Log\CIuster_<Date>.txt – Synchronization log.
• <node-nr>\Log\LoadBalancer_<Date>.txt – Load balancing log.
• <node-nr>\Log\Root_<Date>.txt – Contains QDS event log.
• <node-nr>\Log\WebService_<Date>.txt – Contains QDS event log.
• <node-nr>\Log\Workorder_<Date>.txt – Contains QDS event log.
• <node-nr>\Log\<date>\<time> – <task name>\Tasklog.txt – Contains QDS task event log.
• <node-nr>\Log\<date>\<time> – <task name>\DistributionReport.xml – Contains details of distribution related to the task (only exists for distribution tasks).

So, this was all about QlikView Distribution Service (QDS) Tutorial. Hope you like our explanation.

4. Conclusion

Hence, we have studied the important role QlikView Distribution Service plays in loading and distributing QlikView files in .qvw and .qvd formats. It acts as a mediator between the backend databases and frontend users by working in synchronization with other QlikView components. Still, have a confusion? Feel free to approach us, we will surely get back to you.

Also Read- QlikView List Box & Multi Box

Reference