Primavera Risk Analysis - Connecting to Primavera database |

Primavera Risk Analysis - Connecting to Primavera database

Connecting to Primavera P6 Database

This document is an extract from the Primavera Risk Analysis help file version 8.7 SP3.
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Table of Contents

1. Setting up a connection to Primavera project database 1

1.1. Primavera P6 - Opening Primavera P6 Projects 1-2
1.2. Primavera P6 - Primavera Connection Wizard 2-4
1.3. Primavera - Using the Primavera Integration API to connect 4-6
1.4. PDF Documentation and Printing Help 6-7

1 Setting up a connection to Primavera project database

1.1 Primavera P6 - Opening Primavera P6 Projects

1.1.1 Overview
Primavera Risk Analysis can read in project data from a P3 project file, XER files, a P6 EPPM database and
a P6 Professional database. It is also possible to connect via Web Services ('Using Web Services to
connect' in the on-line documentation) using v8.0 and 8.1.
The primary purpose of this interface is to enable Primavera P6 users to risk analyze their projects using
Primavera Risk Analysis's risk tools.

1.1.2 Opening Primavera P6 Projects

Primavera Risk Analysis can read Primavera P6 projects using the following methods:

Direct connection to Primavera P6 Project Database

A direct connection to your Primavera P6 Project Database can be set up with the Primavera
Connection Wizard (Section 1.2).
Primavera Risk Analysis will then allow users to log onto the Primavera P6 Project Database giving
them access to their Primavera P6 projects.
See Opening a Primavera project from database ('Primavera P6 - Opening a project from a
Primavera P6 project database' in the on-line documentation)

XER files
XER files can be created from the Primavera P6 desktop client using the File | Export command.
Having created an XER file it can be read directly by Primavera Risk Analysis using the File |
Primavera | Open Primavera XER file.
There is no need to have any Primavera P6 software installed. You can open a .xer file that has been
sent to you.
Disadvantages of XER compared with the "Direct connection" shown above
- Always imports project resources individually as there is no option to import as only costs
summarized as Labor, Non-Labor, Material and Expense.
- Cannot be used to update the Primavera P6 database.
See Opening a Primavera XER project file ('Primavera P6 - Opening a Primavera P6 XER
project file' in the on-line documentation)

Reading P3 files (.P3 or .PRX)

Use this method when reading files created in the P3 format.
.PRX files are simply compressed .P3 and need to be extracted before they can be read by
Primavera Risk Analysis.
See Opening Primavera P3 files ('P3 - Opening and Updating Primavera P3 files' in the on-
line documentation)
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MPP files
Primavera P6 can create MPP files. This format is not recommended as it is designed to support
projects created and saved in MS Project. The format is limited in the way that Primavera P6 can store
data.

1.2 Primavera P6 - Primavera Connection Wizard

The Primavera Connection Wizard will help you set up the connection between Primavera Risk Analysis
and a Primavera P6 project database.

Security
All Primavera Risk Analysis connections to a Primavera P6 project database use Primavera's security. This
allows users to login with their Primavera user name and password giving the user access to only the
projects they have permission to view.

If this is the first time you are connecting to a Primavera P6 Database using the API or you receive an
error while trying to connect using the API, please perform the steps detailed in Opening Primavera
Risk Analysis From Primavera P6 Professional (on-line documentation).
This will perform the necessary API connection steps for integration between Primavera P6 and
Primavera Risk Analysis.
Oracle recommends using a Secured Socket Layer (SSL) connection where available.

Using Connection Wizard to connect to Primavera P6 EPPM database

1. Use File | Close to close any open plans.
2. File | Primavera | Connection Wizard.
3. Select the version of Primavera P6 you are working with.
4. Complete the Connection Wizard (see below for connection options).

P6 v6 (API) and P6 v7 (API)

There are two methods of connecting to the P6 v6 (API) and P6 v7 (API) project database:
1. Native connection ('Primavera P6 - Using Native connection with Primavera P6 v6.x and
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v7.x' in the on-line documentation) (recommended)

2. Using the Primavera Integration API to connect (Section 1.3)

Auto Synchronize Primavera User Fields

The user defined fields in Primavera P6 can be used to store project risk data. When you log onto a
Primavera P6 database Primavera Risk Analysis will automatically search for any new user defined fields
that may have been added since the last time Primavera Risk Analysis connected. Turn this option off if
you do not wish Primavera Risk Analysis to check for new fields each time a user logs onto a Primavera P6
database.
If this option is off and no user fields have been previously synchronized, then a message box asking if
you wish to synchronize user fields is displayed.

P6 EPPM database R8 and R8.1 or higher (Web Services)

To connect to these versions you will need to have Web Services ('Using Web Services to connect' in
the on-line documentation) installed.

P6 Professional database R8.1 or higher (API)

The API used to connect to P6 Professional R8.1 or higher is installed with the P6 Professional product.
To connect to this version select P6 Professional database R8.1 or higher (API) and then enter your valid
JRE path.
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Additional Database Connection settings

Batch Size: For API and Native connections. This option does not normally need to be adjusted.
Primavera recommend a batch size of 1024 for Primavera v6.0 and v7.0.
Connection Timeout: For API and Native connections. Increase this value if you are experiencing
"Server Busy" messages during the import. Primavera P6 reports the server as being busy if this timeout
setting is exceeded during an import, e.g. the network connection is slow, the project contains a lot of
data.
Always display import log: A log of the import will always be displayed even if there are no errors.
Use these connection settings for all Primavera Risk Analysis users: This will populate the
PrimaveraRiskAnalysis.ini file in the Primavera Risk Analysis installation folder with the Primavera
connection settings. Primavera Risk Analysis will always use these settings when they are available rather
than the user's own registry settings.

1.3 Primavera - Using the Primavera Integration API to connect

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The Primavera Integration API contains components that allow Primavera Risk Analysis to access your
Primavera P6 project database.
The API method can be used when connecting to the following Primavera applications:
 P6 v6
 P6 v7
 P6 Professional database R8.1 or higher

Requirements
- Primavera P6 installed using Oracle or SQL / MSDE installation. The Interbase installation is not
supported.
- Primavera Integration API installed.

Step 1 - Install the Primavera Integration API

The Primavera Integration API should be installed. It is shipped with Primavera P6 software on the
Primavera Integration API CD.
The Primavera Integration API can be installed on a server or locally on your PC.
If you need assistance installing the Primavera Integration API your Administrator or Primavera
representative should be able to assist you.

Step 2 - Set up Primavera Risk Analysis to use API

IMPORTANT It is essential that Primavera Integration API is correctly installed and operational.
1. Check the Primavera Integration API is able to connect and read projects from your Primavera P6
database using one of the Demo installed with the Primavera Integration API. If this is not
successful then it is likely Primavera Risk Analysis will not be able to connect and you will need to
contact your administrator or Primavera representative for help on installing and connecting the
Primavera Integration API.
2. Run the Primavera Risk Analysis software.
3. Use File | Close to close any open plans.
4. File | Primavera | Connection Wizard.
5. Step through wizard and select P6 v6 (API), P6 v7 (API) or P6 Professional database R8.1 or
higher (API)
6. Click Next >
7. Choose the Primavera Integration API option.
8. If you need to use the Remote please see details below for additional settings.
9. Browse and find the Primavera Integration API location.
10. Browse and find the Java JRE location.
The folder you need to browse and select should contain the following additional folders and file:
...\bin\client\jvm.dll
For example: "\Program Files\Primavera\Claim Digger\_jvm" or "\Program Files\Java\j2re1.4.2"
11. Complete the Wizard. You should now be able to connect to the Primavera P6 project database:
File | Primavera | Open Primavera P6 Project

ADVANCED - Remote connection

Server:
Enter the name or IP address of the Java Application Server.
RMI-port:
Enter the port number where the Primavera API RMI (Remote Method Invocation) service is running
(e.g. 9099).
Mode:
This implements one of the Java API modes used to transmit data to and from the Primavera P6
database. Primavera Risk Analysis tells the Java API which mode is required and the Java API
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implements it. Choose one of the following modes:

Standard - The default mode.
Compression - The data is compressed before transmitting which should mean less data is
transmitted.
Encrypted - The data is encrypted before being transmitted.
HTTP - Information is sent using HHTP tunneling, this allows the RMI service to operate across a
specified port number and is designed for use across firewalls.
HTTPS - As HTTP but the information is sent using Secure Socket Layers.
Both HTTP and HTTPS may require some additional configuration of the application server
(Tomcat or Weblogic) and must be enabled from the Primavera API Configuration Tool.

HTTP(S) Port:
Only enabled when either HTTP or HTTPS modes are selected, this is the port number the application
server is configured to listen for HTTP or HTTPS requests.
Batch Size:
Usually does not need changing. For remote connections if the time taken to display a large EPS is
great then increasing this value to 1024 may help.
Connection Timeout (Seconds):
This option allows the amount of time Primavera Risk Analysis tries to connect to Primavera P6 to be
increased. This should only be increased if connections to the Primavera P6 database are timing out
even though the connection is correctly configured. Usually only required for large Primavera P6
database implementations.
If the connection is timing out the following "Server Busy" message is displayed:
"This action cannot be completed because the other program is busy. Choose 'Switch To' to
activate the busy program and correct the problem".

Changing database connection

Primavera Risk Analysis will display connections to the same databases as the Primavera Integration
API.

ADVANCED - Registry settings

Registry settings are created by the Connection Wizard that are then used by Primavera Risk Analysis
to connect to the Primavera P6 project database.
They are located under:
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ORACLE\Primavera Risk Analysis\Primavera]

1.4 PDF Documentation and Printing Help

PDF Documentation
Some of the on-line help (e.g. tutorials) can be found in the Documentation folder that is created when
the Primavera Risk Analysis software is installed. The documentation is saved in the Adobe PDF format.
The default installation folder for the documentation is:
C:\Program Files\Oracle\Primavera Risk Analysis\Documentation

Printing an individual help topic

After printing a help topic, Windows can sometimes freeze the help file. If this occurs, right-click
on the Primavera Risk Analysis help application icon in Windows Start menu Taskbar (usually
located at the bottom of the screen) and choose Restore.
1. Select the required topic.
2. Click on the Print button.
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3. Choose Print the selected topic.

Printing a chapter of the help

After printing a chapter of the help, Windows can sometimes freeze the help file. If this occurs right-
click on the Primavera Risk Analysis help application icon in Windows Start menu Taskbar (usually
located at the bottom of the screen) and choose Restore .

1. Select the required chapter.

2. Click on the Print button
3. Choose Print the selected heading and all the subtopics.
The example below has the Risk Tutorial - Part 1 selected. Clicking on the Print button and selecting
Print the selected heading and all the subtopics will print out the whole of the 'Risk Tutorial - Part 1'.