Making Smart View Smarter

I have been working on cloud products for a while now, for multiple clients and in multiple instances. My list of private connections was getting out of hand and I really didn;t like having to search through them. Plus I wanted to connect to EPM Cloud, OAC, Essbase in OAC, in 19c , on-prem. Plus an added level for me, is this is for multiple customers. I dealt with it for a long time and finally asked my friends at Oracle if there was an easier way.  The answer I got back was "Of course, why don't you just do this".   Create a file and use it as a shred connection. The this is what I'm going to describe. I'm sure it is buried in the documentation somewhere, but this way you can find it a bit easier.

First you have to create a xml file.
I'm putting in a full file so you can cut and paste it to make your life easier. In may case I have 4 test servers and 3 production servers. Mine are all OAC and Essbase 19c, but you can include EPM cloud and on-prem connections as well. The important thing is the Server name. That is what you see in Smart View.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<res_GetProvisionedDataSources>
<!-- Test OAC (including 19c) -->
    <Product id="OAC-test" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115">
    <Server name="Test OAC Server 1" context="https://XXXXXXX.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>

    <Product id="OAC-test" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="19.1.1.1.001">
    <Server name="Test 19c Essbase " context="https://YYYYYYY/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>

    <Product id="OAC-test" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115">
    <Server name="Test OAC Server 2" context="https://ZZZZZZ.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>
   
    <Product id="OAC-test" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115">
    <Server name="Test OAC Server3" context="https://essbasesdstest-gapinc1.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>
<!-- Production OAC  -->   
    <Product id="OAC-Prod" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115">
    <Server name="Prod OAC Server 1" context="https://AAAAA.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>

    <Product id="OAC-Prod" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="19.1.1.1.001">
    <Server name="Prod OAC Server2" context="https://BBBBB.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>

    <Product id="OAC-Prod" name="Oracle® Analytic Cloud - Essbase" displayVersion="12.2.1.1.115">
    <Server name="Prod OAC Server 3" context="https://CCCCCC.analytics.ocp.oraclecloud.com/essbase/smartview"/>
    </Product>

</res_GetProvisionedDataSources>

 Once you have the file created save it somewhere. So I could remember where it was, I put it under c:/Oracle/SmartView as that is the directory ORacle created when it installed Smart View for me. I named the file  "SmartViewProviders.xml 

Now Open Excel and go into the Smart View Options. 
On the advanced tab in the box for Shared Connection URL enter the path and name of your file . In my case I put in 
c:/Oracle/SmartView/SmartViewProviders.xml

 

After entering it, I clicked OK. clicking on Shared connection I now get a drop down box showing my options 

 

Typically when you click on Shared connections, it requires an immediate login. Not any more. You will not be prompted until you select one of the connections. Life could not be any easier.