Lightning Tools

In this walkthrough we will demonstrate how to integrate a DB2 database with Microsoft SharePoint 2010 through the BCS and ODBC and display DB2 data on SharePoint 2010 page. In order to do this we will describe how to create a new external content type by using BCS Meta Man.

1. Prerequisites:
   • Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010
   • Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Professional or higher
   • BCS Meta Man
   • Download and install “IBM Data Server Runtime Client (Windows 32-bit AMD and Intel x86)” http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=4020&uid=swg21385217 on a machine where BCS Meta Man runs
   • Download and install “IBM Data Server Runtime Client (Windows AMD64 and Intel EM64T)” http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?rs=4020&uid=swg21385217 on a machine where SharePoint 2010 runs
2. Open Visual Studio 2010
3. Create a New Project
4. Select the “SharePoint 2010” node, and then the “Empty SharePoint Project” project type
5. Give your project a name i.e DB2BCSMetaManDemo and click “OK”
    
   
   [Please click the images for a larger view]
   
6. On the next dialog box, enter the url of where you want to deploy your model, and make sure you select “Deploy as a farm solution” , click “Finish” button
   
7. Add a new item to the newly created Project, either right-click on the Project in the Solution Explorer and Navigate to Add New Item, or select the Project Item and press “Ctrl+Shift+A”
8. Select the “Lightning Tools” node, select “BCSMetaMan” Item Type, give your model a name, such as “DepartmetModel” and click “Add”
   
9. If prompted, click “Trial” on the licensing dialog
10. To show the “BCS Meta Man Data Source Explorer” we need to enable it from the Menu item, this new window can be docked so it doesn’t get in your way
    
11. Click the “Add Connection” button to show the “Connection Dialog”
12. Select “ODBC Server” as Data Source type, enter DB2 ODBC connection string (for example it can be “Driver={IBM DB2 ODBC DRIVER};Database=SAMPLE;Hostname=cygnus;port=50000;Protocol=TCPIP;Uid=Administrator;Pwd=12345;Trusted_Connection=false;”), enter double quotes as left and right delimiters and “?” as parameter symbol and click “Connect” button
    
13. The Data Source Explorer will now be populated with your DB2 data
    
14. We will be working with the ADMINISTRATOR.”DEPARTMENT” table, to add it to the Model , just drag it from the “Data Source Explorer” onto the “Diagram”
15. When you drop the table you will be shown the following dialog, we should choose “Database , click “OK”
    
16. Accept the default entity name by clicking “Next”
    
17. Accept the default “Identifiers” by clicking “Next”
    
18. Accept the default 3 methods to be created, click “Generate” (The default 3 methods are: “Finder” – Returns all items, “Specific Finder” – Returns a single item by identifier, “IdEnumerator” – Returns just the Identifiers for all of the items )
    
19. Press F5 to deploy, this will load up your SharePoint Page once deployed
20. Add a new External list by selection on SharePoint page “Site Action”->“More Options”->“External List”
    
21. Click on the icon to show the available External Content Types
    
22. Select our DB2BCSMetaManDemo.ADMINISTRATOR_DEPARTMENT External Content Type, click “OK”
    
23. Click “Create”
24. Your External System data from DB2 database is now displayed in the SharePoint External List
    

We hope this walkthrough will be useful for you. If you have any questions feel free to email them to support@lightningtools.com

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