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MicroStrategy Visualization Framework FAQs

  1. What is the MicroStrategy Visualization Framework?
  2. What is a visualization, and what is a widget?
  3. When should the MicroStrategy Visualization Framework be used?
  4. What if I want to use one of the out-of-the-box MicroStrategy widgets?
  5. What programming language is used by the Visualization Framework?
  6. How can I get the MicroStrategy Visualization Framework?

1. What is the MicroStrategy Visualization Framework?

The Visualization Framework SDK provides APIs, tools, samples and documentation that allows developers to:

  • Build new widgets, or import third-party widgets created by the community of Flash developers
  • Build Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) that integrate with insightful reports and documents from MicroStrategy Web
  • Incorporate interactivity and specialized workflows that are not available with MicroStrategy Web
  • Build custom visualizations

The Visualization Framework provides an infrastructure to help you display MicroStrategy data in a custom visualization format like Adobe Flash, while simultaneously taking advantage of MicroStrategy functionality, such as drilling, history lists, security filters, object security, caching, prompting, single sign-on, and portal integration.

2. What is a visualization, and what is a widget?

For MicroStrategy, the term "visualization" is used to describe anything that you can build with the Visualization Framework. This includes both Adobe Flash visualizations and other kinds of visualizations that can be rendered in MicroStrategy Web in either DHTML or Flash mode.

Under this same context, the term "widgets" is used to describe generic visualizations that are built to be highly reusable so that they can be shared and used over and over. MicroStrategy Web includes a library of out-of-the-box widgets and other visualizations that can be used to express data in much more meaningful ways than is possible with traditional graph types.

3. When should the Visualization Framework be used?

When the dynamic dashboard functionality provided by these out-of-the-box widgets and other visualizations do not meet your application requirements, you can use the Visualization Framework SDK to extend existing widgets and visualizations or to build completely new widgets, visualizations, interactivity, and workflows to suit your business needs. Both Flash widgets and other Flash visualizations built with the Visualization Framework can be used within documents to create interactive, dynamic dashboards.

In addition, the Visualization Framework also allows developers to create desktop applications that can access, display, and manipulate MicroStrategy’s BI data even in offline environments.

4. What if I want to use one of the out-of-the-box MicroStrategy widgets?

Neither the Visualization Framework, nor knowledge of Adobe® Flex™ programming are required to use out-of-the-box widgets and other visualizations that are certified to work with MicroStrategy Web.

5. What programming language is used by the Visualization Framework?

Knowledge of Adobe® Flex™ programming, and access to an Adobe® Flex™-compatible Integrated Development Environment (IDE) are required to customize or build widgets and other visualizations.

6. How can I get the MicroStrategy Visualization Framework?

The MicroStrategy Visualization Framework is not available separately. It is included with purchase of the MicroStrategy SDK.