To enter data in BlueDolphin, you can use the DataCollection Frontend and Service applications. The DataCollection applications run on Microsoft Windows only.
This article contains a .zip file containing the installer for the DataCollection software. See the bottom of this article. Also, download the templates.json file, which can also be found at the bottom of this article.
Install (1): DataCollection Windows Service
The .zip file contains two MSI files:
DataCollection Windows Service.msi
DataCollection Frontend.msi
The "DataCollection Windows Service.msi" should be installed on a Windows machine that can connect to the data you would like to upload to BlueDolphin. As BlueDolphin is hosted in Microsoft Azure (a cloud provider), the machine should also have access to the internet. Specifically, the application connects to:
https://api.eu.bluedolphin.app/api/ (for EU-based tenants) or https://api.us.bluedolphin.app/api/ (for US-based tenants) - tcp/443
Due to the old domains https://api.bluedolphin.valueblue.nl and https://api2.bluedolphin.valueblue.nl being deprecated soon, you should change the URL to one of the above, depending on the location of your tenant. The below url needs to be reachable for up- and downloading files:
And the application should be able to connect to various sources.
The MSI will install the application and a Windows Service.
After you have installed the Windows Service, you need to open the file DataCollection.Agent.Host.WindowsService.exe.config in the default installation folder (%PROGRAMFILESFOLDER%\ValueBlue BV\DataCollection Windows Service). In this file you will configure the properties needed to connect to your BlueDolphin instance. The values you will need can be found in BlueDolphin under Admin\General.
Configuration property | Value |
DataCollection.Tenant.APIKey | This can be found in BlueDolphin. |
DataCollection.Tenant | This can be found in BlueDolphin. |
PresentationServiceEndPointAddress | For EU-based tenants: https://api.eu.bluedolphin.app/api/ For US-based tenants: https://api.us.bluedolphin.app/api/ Due to the old domains https://api.bluedolphin.valueblue.nl and https://api2.bluedolphin.valueblue.nl being deprecated soon, please change the value to one of the above, depending on the location of your tenant. After editing and saving the config file, you need to restart the BlueDolphin DataCollector Service. |
When your organization uses a Proxy server to connect to the internet, the following configuration properties will need to be filled in:
Configuration property | Value | Description |
PresentationServiceUseProxy | true / false | True if you use a proxy server |
PresentationServiceProxyAddress | Proxy server address | |
PresentationServiceProxy UseCustomCredentials | true / false | True if you need to specify credentials |
PresentationServiceProxyUsername | Proxy server user name. Syntax: %domain%\%username% | |
PresentationServiceProxyPassword | Proxy server password |
After you have completed the configuration, you can start the service. In the case that the service runs under a service account and the service does not start, please check the Windows Event Viewer for the following error:
"Service cannot be started. System.ServiceModel.AddressAccessDeniedException: HTTP could not register URL http://+:8000/DataCollectionAgentService/. Your process does not have access rights to this namespace (see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=70353 for details). ---> System.Net.HttpListenerException: Access is denied"
When this is the case, please run the following command (as an administrator):
netsh http add urlacl url=http://+:8000/DataCollectionAgentService user=DOMAIN\USERNAME
Please replace DOMAIN and USERNAME with the appropriate values.
Install (2): DataCollection Frontend and templates
Datacollection Frontend
After you have installed the DataCollection Windows Service and started it, you can install the DataCollection Frontend by using the DataCollection Frontend.msi. By using the DataCollection Frontend, you can configure the format of the data going in and out of BlueDolphin.
Templates.json
In the download folder, search for templates.json.
Copy this file and put this in Program Files (x86) \ ValueBlue BV \Datacollection Frontend
Data from BlueDolphin (Export)
Aside from importing data to BlueDolphin, you can also export data from BlueDolphin.
Choose the option from BlueDolphin (Export). When you want to add a new export, select Add. The following screen will appear:
You can give a name to the export item and this is how the item will be visible in the tool. After this, you select the report. The reports you want to export have to be placed in the BI environment in the map "Dataset".
After you have attached the export item, you will see the next screen:
The table below explains what the different fields mean, so you can create the proper export definition.
Field | Explanation |
Selected output format | You can save the data directly from your reports, which will be the exact same data as when you download the reports from the BI web interface. |
Direct output location | Here you specify the path where your file is stored. |
Postprocess data using extension | When you want more control over the data, you can use an extension. Extensions will be supplied from ValueBlue, but it is also possible to make them yourself. |
Post process data | If you choose Postprocess data using extension, you can select one of the known extensions in the dropdown. |
Selected extension parameters | Depending on the chosen extensions, the possible parameters of the chosen extension will appear here. |
Empty before update | Here you can select if the database has to be emptied first before the synchronization starts. |
Should this report refresh in the background | If you want your export to be refreshed over time, you have to check the box. |
Update interval | Here you can select the synchronization interval in hours. |
Start on | You have to fill in the date from when you want the synchronization to start. |
To save the created export definition, choose Save in the File menu.
If you do not want to wait for the download interval or if you want to force a download, select the synchronization icon (top right with the export data).
For the explanation on how to create a report via DataCollector, go to this page.
DataCollection versions
Below you can see an overview of the differences between the BlueDolphin DataCollection versions.
BlueDolphin DataCollection v4 | Current version |
BlueDolphin DataCollection v3 | Third version |
BlueDolphin DataCollection v2 | Second version, added support of TLS1.1 & TLS 1.2 (update interval in minutes) |
BlueDolphin DataCollection v1 | Initial version, supports TLS 1.0 |