A connection configuration file is an XML file, such as the one shown in Listing 12‑1, in UTF‑8 or ASCII encoding. The file specifies the data source connection properties to use when iHub runs a design. Having the data source connection information for a design in an external file makes it convenient to modify. You change the connection information without altering the design. You specify the location of the file by defining the ConnConfigFile property in acserverconfig.xml, the shared configuration file that all cluster nodes access.

You can create an external connection profile to a data source used by a design. Changes to the profile are automatically picked up by the design. The settings in a connection configuration file override any connection configuration properties in the connection profile. The sample connection configuration file in Listing 12‑1 externalizes the file path to the connection profile, C:\SqlServer.profile.

In a BIRT design, the configuration key used to specify a data source is the unique ID of the ODA data source extension and data source name defined in the BIRT design or library. You must concatenate the string as follows:

For example, the key is org.eclipse.birt.report.data.oda.jdbc_SQL Server.