Zip Settings

The Zip Settings folder in the Configuration tab contains settings for adding an extension to a distributed Zip file, the Zip encryption to use for distribution, and defining a Zip encryption password plug-in.

The Zip Settings folder contains the following configuration settings.

Setting

Optional or Required/Default Value

Descriptions and Possible Values

Add Zip Extension to Filename if Not Specified

Required.

By default, this option is selected.

Controls whether or not the .zip file extension will be automatically appended to the Zip file name entered by the user in a schedule distributed by email or FTP.

Select this option if you want to automatically append .zip to the entered file name.

Do not select this option if you want to use the file name as entered by the user and not have .zip automatically appended to the file name.

Zip Minimum with Email Distribution

Required.

The default size is in KB and set to 0.

Select either MB or KB and customize the size of your file using the up and down arrows. .

Zip Encryption Password Plug-in

Required.

Default value is None.

Global setting that enables you to password protect and encrypt scheduled output distributed in a Zip file. This setting controls how passwords are obtained by the Distribution Server. The zip encryption is AES 256. For more information, see Configuring the Default Zip Encryption Password Plug-in.

Possible values are:

  • None. Do not use a plug-in to return the password for Zip protection.

    When set to None, you have the option to use the Zip encryption password feature by embedding the password in either a Dynamic Distribution List or a Distribution File rather than using a plug-in.

  • Default. Use the provided default plug-in to return a password for the Zip encryption password feature.
  • Custom. Use the provided custom plug-in named in the Zip Encryption Pwd Plug-in Name setting.

Zip Encryption Password Plug-in Name

Required when Zip Encryption Password Plug-in setting is Custom.

Type the name of a custom written plug-in that will return passwords. This plug-in must be available to the Distribution Server.

Zip Encoding

Optional.

Specifies an encoding other than the default encoding of the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Distribution Server platform. The encoding specified must match the encoding used by WinZip or any other Zip utility installed on the Distribution Server.

Note: This setting is also available in the Administration Console.

Maximum Concurrent Compressions

Optional

The default value is zero (0).

The total number of compression operations that the Distribution Server will perform simultaneously. If many running jobs include a compression operation (for example, zipping the output before sending), the compression operations could consume all of the available resources on the Distribution Server. You can lower this number to prevent this from occurring.

Use Distributed Filename for FTP Archive Filename if Archive Filename not Specified in Schedule

Optional.

If this box is checked, then when a schedule is created that uses FTP as the distribution method and the archive file name is left blank, the Distribution Server will use the name found in the FTP Distribution List as the name of the archive file to be distributed.

Using the Zip Encryption Protection Default Plug-in

The default plug-in provided with WebFOCUS ReportCaster enables the encryption password to be associated with the Managed Reporting Domain where the scheduled report resides. Therefore, the default plug-in can only be used to password protect reports stored in the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository in the Domains folder path. For information on customizing a Zip Encryption Protection Plug-in, see Configuring the Default Zip Encryption Password Plug-in.

For more information about the Zip Encryption Password plugin, see the ibi.broker.scheduler.plugin description found in the ReportCaster API Specifications document, located at https://webfocusinfocenter.informationbuilders.com/javadoc/rcaster/index.html.

The plug-in delivers the password to the Distribution Server at schedule execution time, where the output is then encrypted and zipped. To use the default plug-in, choose Default for the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in setting. The default plug-in references the password file, zipencrypt.txt, for the domain and password. During installation, an empty version of this file is included in the .../ReportCaster/cfg directory.

The password statement in this file must be in the following format: 

domain, domainhref, password,$

where:

domainhref

Is the location of the HTML page (for example, untitled/untitled.htm) that contains the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository folder.

password

Is the password to open content from the associated domain.

Note: The WebFOCUS ReportCaster log will indicate that encryption was used.

Guidelines

The guidelines for using the default plug-in are:

  • The zipencrypt.txt file must be in the .../ReportCaster/cfg directory.
  • The zipencrypt.txt file must contain the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository folder of the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository report.
    Note: Since a WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository folder is required to use the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in, attempting to enter a task other than a WebFOCUS ReportCaster Repository report will result in a failure to distribute the output of that task.
  • If the zipencrypt.txt file contains an entry with the Managed Reporting Domain, but no password, then the output is not encrypted and will be zipped or not zipped according to the Zip option selected in the schedule when it was created.
  • If both the Managed Reporting Domain and a password are in the password file, then the output is zipped regardless of the Zip option selected in the schedule when it was created.

Editing the zipencrypt.txt password file:

  1. From the bin directory on the Distribution Server, run the decode utility, decdpwds.
    Note: Once the decdpwds utility is run, a log file named decdpwds.log will be created in the ...ibi/WebFOCUS8x/ReportCaster/log directory.
  2. Make the necessary additions or edits, such as adding a domain or changing the password.
  3. Run the encode utility, encdpwds, to encrypt the file.
    Note: Once the encdpwds utility is run, a log file named encdpwds.log will be created in the ...ibi/WebFOCUS8x/ReportCaster/log directory.

For more information about the Zip Encryption Password plugin, see the ibi.broker.scheduler.plugin description found in the ReportCaster API Specifications document, located at https://webfocusinfocenter.informationbuilders.com/javadoc/rcaster/index.html.

Configuring Zip Settings

    Procedure
  1. From the Tools menu, click WebFOCUS ReportCaster Status.
  2. Click the Configuration button.
    Note: Authorized users can also access the WebFOCUS ReportCaster Configuration tool from the Administration Console.
  3. In the left pane, select the Zip Settings folder.
  4. Populate the Zip Settings fields using the information provided in the preceding tables.
  5. If you want to produce zipped output that is encrypted and password protected, you can use the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in. To use your own program to supply the password, select Custom from the drop-down list and enter the name of the program in the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in Name field. To use the default, select Default. For more information, see Configuring the Default Zip Encryption Password Plug-in.
  6. Click Save.

Configuring the Default Zip Encryption Password Plug-in

    Procedure
  1. From the Tools menu, click WebFOCUS ReportCaster Status.
  2. Click the Configuration button.
  3. In the left pane, select the Zip Settings folder.
  4. From the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in drop-down list, select Default.

    The default implementation requires that Inline Email be disabled.

    If you click OK, Inline Email is automatically disabled.

  5. Click Save.
  6. In the .../ReportCaster/cfg directory, create the zipencrypt.txt file that contains the passwords used by the Zip Encryption Password Plug-in.

    This file has the following structure: 

    Domain, domainhref, Password,$

    where the first column is the word Domain, the second column identifies the folder containing the report to be scheduled, and the third column is the password.

    Note: Only WebFOCUS ReportCaster procedures can be scheduled when this plug-in is configured. If a password is found, the output is encrypted. If a password is not found, the output is zipped but not encrypted.
  7. Restart the Distribution Server.