Subpage functionality logic

Question

In 12c OBIEE we can create subpages for dashboard page.

I try to understand the logic of this solution: when we create a subpage, OBIEE by default is also creating additional subpage with same name as main page, where you can add content.

You can't hide it, you can't rename it because whole subpage setup will be ruined.

Any idea why OBIEE is creating this subpage and what is the purpose of it?

Gianni Ceresa · Answer

aPsikus wrote:Top page exists as single object, that's true. And you can't rename it. You can only change label in dashboard setup, but it will not change name in catalog for this page. Not really right ... Top pages exists as single objects in the catalog only when they don't have any subpage. They are just normal pages as they have always been even before the subpage was implemented. When you create subpages, the thing which represent the top page isn't an object in the catalog, therefor nothing is created. The "top page" is a virtual thing represented by a label and nothing else, the label is stored in the "dashboard layout" file. The XML also make it very explicit as that top page label is represented by the tag, but there isn't any "path" attribute linking to an object in the catalog for it. This thing isn't a page at all, you simply see it like a page on your screen, but it's only an XML tag called . An example: You have a dashboard with 2 pages called page1 and page2, in the catalog this thing is 3 files: "dashboard layout", page1 and page2. Till here all good. Now edit the dashboard and add a subpage on "page2", call it page2.2, save and run the dashboard. In the catalog now you have only a single extra file called page2.2, there isn't one representing the virtual "top page" called, by default, page2. aPsikus wrote:But you can't say nothing is created. Well ... it's a fact, everything prove it, so ... yes I can. There isn't an object in your catalog representing the "top level" label for something having subpages. The label is only inside "dashboard layout".

aPsikus · Answer

I'm not sure what do you mean by

Gianni Ceresa wrote:So there isn't anything created, just the top page move down as subpage as soon as you add a subpage.

Each page which you will create is in Catalog as dashboard page, doesnt matter if it is top page or subpage.

Top page exists as single object, that's true. And you can't rename it. You can only change label in dashboard setup, but it will not change name in catalog for this page.

Mentioned XML contains whole structure of the dashboard pages and subpages. But you can't say nothing is created.

Gianni Ceresa · Answer

aPsikus wrote:All the pages exists as a dashboard page (except this automatically created). You can check in Catalog. Sorry but no, it's not like that, and if you check in Catalog Manager you see that it isn't like that. As I said the "top page" isn't a page, as soon as you have subpages it is just a label. The page which was the top page become automatically a subpage. So there isn't anything created, just the top page move down as subpage as soon as you add a subpage. You don't have to trust me if you don't want, but look in your catalog correctly and you will see that nothing is created.... Or look at the definition of the dashboard which just shows the same exact thing. TL;DR : nothing is created, there isn't a single object created in the catalog (other than the new subpage you are adding) when adding a subpage. It's just a visual impression because the top page became a subpage as well.