Simulating data

To avoid development delays, use simulated data when a data source is unavailable.

For example, if your team is building a weather widget, the team members building the UI might want to see how their design works with data in place before the team members working on the connector to the data provider have finished their work.
  1. Create some sample data for your application.

    You can provide the sample data from a lookup, a data transform, or a load activity. The sample data should include values to populate all the properties that the page, section, or other component referencing the data page requires.

  2. Create or identify the data page the application will reference.
    • Use an existing data page:
      1. In Dev Studio, in the Data types explorer, expand the data type that you are using.
      2. Click the data page that you are using.
    • Create a new data page:
      1. In Dev Studio, in the Data types explorer, in the More menu of the data type that you are using, click Add data page.
      2. In the Label field, enter a description of the data page.
      3. Click Create and open.
  3. In the Definition tab, in the Data sources section, select Simulate data source.
  4. In the System name field, select the name of the system to use for simulated data.
  5. Click Save.
Result: 

If you already had a configured data source, the system saves the actual data source configuration for future use. When you clear the checkbox, the system restores the actual data source specification, so when you are ready to move from simulated to real data, clear Simulate data source and save the data page.

If you created a new data page, update the data source to use real data when the actual data source is available.