General Preferences

The General Preferences folder in the Configuration tab contains settings that determine which schedule tasks, distribution formats and methods will be available to a user.

After you make any changes in your app, reinstall your app for those changes to take effect.

Setting

Optional or Required/Default Value

Descriptions and Possible Values

Allow Group Blackout Periods

Required.

By default, this option is selected.

Specifies whether or not schedule blackout periods can be defined at the group level, in addition to being globally defined for all users. This option must be selected to view group blackout periods that have been defined.

Set Next Run Time to Day After Blackout Period End

Optional. By default, this option is not selected.

When selected, if a recurring scheduled distribution is cancelled due to the schedule being run on a blackout period date, the schedule will run at the same time the following day. For more information, see Controlling When Schedules Run After Blackout Periods.

Allow PDF Distribution Directly to a Printer

Required.

By default, this option is selected.

When selected, PDF is a selectable format for the Printer distribution method. This enables a PDF file to be distributed directly to a printer. The printer must have the appropriate driver to print PDF files.

Use Legacy Behavior for Parameterized Schedule Settings

Optional.

By default, this option is not selected.

Restores the legacy behavior for the use of amper variables in schedule settings. When selected, amper variables can only be used in the Email Subject. The value of an amper variable is set to the value stored with the schedule in the WebFOCUS ReportCaster parameters table. Runtime values are not available.

Schedule Tasks

Optional.

All Task Types are enabled, by default.

Specifies what Task Types are available to users. The default Schedule task for all Advanced Schedules is WebFOCUS Report. When you are creating a task in the Advanced Scheduling tool, clicking the New button displays the dialog box for the selected default task. For more information, see Specifying Schedule Task Settings.

Distribution Formats

Optional.

All formats are enabled, by default.

Specifies what report and graph formats are available to users.

Distribution Methods

Optional.

You can select the folder icon to select which distribution method to be enabled.

Specifies what distribution methods are available to users.

Specifying Schedule Task Settings

The Schedule Tasks setting in the General Preferences folder enables authorized users to specify what Task Types are available to users and groups.

By default, all Task Types are enabled (selected). A minimum of one Task Type must be selected.

Note:
  • If a task is cleared after a schedule using that task has been created, the schedule will fail when it is run. A message in the log will indicate how to fix the problem.
  • The burst setting of a schedule with distribution to the Library cannot be changed from burst to non-burst. Similarly, it cannot be changed from non-burst to burst. This limitation is due to the association of version numbers with individual library items. The version number would have to be reset to 1 when the burst setting is changed.
    Procedure
  1. In the General Preferences folder, click the icon to the right of the Schedule Tasks field.
    The WebFOCUS ReportCaster - Schedule Tasks dialog box opens.
  2. To enable or disable specific Task Types, select or clear the check box for the following options:
    • WebFOCUS Report
    • WebFOCUS Server Procedure
    • File
    • URL
    • FTP
    • WebFOCUS Schedule
  3. Optionally, choose a default Schedule task for the Advanced Scheduling tool. WebFOCUS Report is selected, by default.
  4. Optionally, if you want the ReportCaster Distribution Server to not run scheduled jobs for the task types that have been cleared, select the Only run schedules for selected Tasks check box.
  5. When your selections are complete in the Schedule Tasks dialog box, click OK.

    The changes are saved and the Schedule Tasks dialog box closes.

  6. To implement the configuration changes, restart the Distribution Server and WebFOCUS ReportCaster web application.

Specifying Schedule Format Settings

The Distribution Formats setting in the General Preferences folder enables users to specify what report and graph formats are available to users and groups.

This setting only applies to WebFOCUS ReportCaster (Repository) procedures. By default, all report and graph formats are enabled (selected). A minimum of one report or graph format must be selected.

Note: If a format is cleared after a schedule using that format has been created, the schedule will fail when it is run. A message in the log will indicate how to fix the problem.
    Procedure
  1. In the General Preferences folder, click the icon to the right of the Distribution Formats field.

    The WebFOCUS ReportCaster - Report/Graph Formats dialog box opens.

  2. Using the Styled Formats drop-down list, you can select Specialized Formats, Non-styled Formats, or Graph Images. Optionally, you can keep the default, Styled Formats.
    By default, Styled Formats are displayed with each format type selected.
  3. To enable or disable styled formats, select or clear the check box for one of the listed formats.
  4. To enable or disable Non-styled Formats, which do not support styling using WebFOCUS ReportCaster StyleSheet commands, select Non-styled Formats from the drop-down list. By default, the Non-styled Formats are displayed with each format type enabled.
  5. To enable or disable graph images, select Graph Images from the drop-down list. By default, the graph image formats are displayed with each format type enabled.
  6. When your selections are complete in the Report/Graph Formats dialog box, click OK.
    The changes are saved and the Report/Graph Formats dialog box closes.
  7. To implement the configuration changes, restart the Distribution Server and WebFOCUS ReportCaster.

Specifying Schedule Distribution Method Settings

The Distribution Methods setting, in the General Preferences folder, enables authorized users to specify the distribution methods that are available to users and groups. If a method is cleared after a schedule using that method has been created, and Only run schedules for selected Distribution Method is selected, the schedule processing will not run the scheduled tasks. A message in the log will indicate that the distribution method is not configured for use. In addition, a schedule that has multiple distributions will not run if one of the distribution methods is cleared in the Distribution Methods drop-down menu, in the General Preferences folder, of the Configuration tab.

By default, all distribution methods are enabled (selected).

Note: A minimum of one distribution method must be selected.

The Repository option only appears if these products are enabled. Repository is an optional product component that is installed with the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Client.

    Procedure
  1. In the General Preferences folder, click the icon to the right of the Distribution Methods field.

    The WebFOCUS ReportCaster - Schedule Distribution Methods dialog box opens.

  2. To enable or disable specific distribution methods, select or clear the check box for one of the listed options.
    Note: At least one schedule distribution method must be selected.
  3. Optionally, select the Only run schedules for selected Distribution Methods check box to limit the schedules running to those that have at least one of the Distribution Methods selected.
  4. When your selections are complete in the Schedule Distribution Methods dialog box, click OK.
    The changes are saved and the Schedule Distribution Methods dialog box closes.
  5. To implement the configuration changes, restart the Distribution Server and WebFOCUS ReportCaster web application.