Essbase in Notepad++ (just like EAS console) - Oracle

When I posted about the highlighting option in Notepad++ I got a comment which took me to Essbase Labs. The post describes about Textpad highlighting, this one (Textpad) has another feature in which all the Calc commands, Maxl statements, MDX syntax is shown in a clip library.

It is a pretty good option (but I don’t want to give $27 for that), so I thought of getting a similar feature in Notepad++. Only option was to Google, and found that clip library is also known as snippets, I just remembered that I’ve seen it in Notepad++, if you go to Plugin Manager there is a plugin called SnippetPlus (this was the one which I was looking for).

So I’ve created the entire Essbase Calculation commands, Maxl and MDX into the snippet format.

Some Details

You can see that now I’ve a dockable window in the right side (snippet plus)

Select ESSBASE_CALC from the Snippet Plus languages.

So let’s say that I don’t know the syntax for @DECLINE, so I double clicked on @DECLINE from the selection panel and this will give you the syntax for @DECLINE. I’ve added something extra into the syntax box, you can now see a url as a second line with the syntax(this is directly linked to Oracle.com so if they change the link don’t blame me :)), double click it and that will launch the techref page of @DECLINE 😉

So read…understand and then write the code :). I added it there because sometimes just the syntax is not enough and I don’t want to go through the entire pdf looking around for the function. (you get only what you need)

This feature is added for all the commands that has a Techref page. (to enable the clickable link setting in Notepad++ go to preferences –> MISC)

That’s it you can now carry all the functions without having Essbase or EAS. I’ve added DATAEXPORT, RETURN and some SET options which will not show up in EAS!!!!. I had to remove the Mathematical operators (like * – + / %) and Boolean ones (>= <= == <> !=) they were giving me alignment issues, somewhere coming at the top and some after @functions (I probably think it’s because of < and > tags that I used).

There is one cool feature in SnippetPlus (if you are lazy like me you are definitely going to like this)

I want to Aggregate two dimensions (Product and Region), so just type Product, Region in notepad++

Now check Use Surround with (right corner radio box) and select ESSBASE_CALC and double click on AGG, now Magic begins.

Yes, it’ll complete the command and will wrap both the members. There are lot of functions that are included here. Please let me know if I left out any. I’ll give one more example for AND/OR

Lets say I would like to get ((Product or Region) AND Sales)

So I type in Product Region Sales, highlight Region and double click OR then highlight Sales and double click AND. End result

Product OR Region) AND Sales) (you’ve to add the beginning parenthesis)

To get this file you’ll have to give me $25 dollars ($2 discount). Just kidding 🙂 🙂 🙂

Download the Essbase snippet from here. (Select all->Copy->Paste into Notepa->Save A SnippetPlus.xml)

After adding SnippetPlus plugin, there will be a file called SnippetPlus.xml, in Notepad++ config folder (pluginsconfig). Replace that one with the one you downloaded. Restart Notepad++.

You’ve to un-check “Use Surround With” radio button to get the syntax of all commands (MaxL, Calc scripts, MDX)

“Use Surround With” to use surround with functions.

Happy working.

I would like to thank Rajesh Kumar who is the Author of SnippetPlus and Chris Covier from NotePad++ team for their unextended support.

P.S. There is a limitation where if you select a user-defined language sinppetplus will not change automatically (this is because all the user-defined language in Notepad++ is internally referred as USER).

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27 thoughts on “Essbase in Notepad++ (just like EAS console)”