Use Case - Consuming ODA Data Sources

Purpose

The Open Data Access (ODA) framework provides an uniform way for scalable data retrieval from heterogeneous data sources. Any Java or Web application that consumes the ODA runtime and design-time APIs would thereby provide the capability for data providers to plug in an ODA-compliant data source driver to retrieve data.
The ODA framework includes an ODA consumer helper component that assists an ODA consumer application to manage the diverse behavior and capabilities of individual ODA drivers.

Extension Points Involved

N/A

Java API Interfaces/Classes

Consuming the oda.consumer component using the same ODA runtime interfaces:

• org.eclipse.datatools.connectivity.oda.consumer.helper package
• org.eclipse.datatools.connectivity.oda package (Java interfaces for runtime data access)
• org.eclipse.datatools.connectivity.oda.manifest package (utility classes to access the content of individual ODA extension's plug-in manifest)

ODA Design-time API for collecting a data source and data set design by an ODA designer:

• org.eclipse.datatools.connectivity.oda.design package
• org.eclipse.datatools.connectivity.oda.design.ui.designsession package

Exemplary Clients

The Eclipse BIRT project actively consumes the Open Data Access (ODA) framework. It allows any custom data source to plug-in and provide reporting data. See BIRT FAQ for its Data Access support.

BIRT's oda consumer component can be found in its CVS source repository in the org.eclipse.birt.data/org.eclipse.birt.data.engine.odaconsumer package.