Distribution Options in the Basic Scheduling Tool

In this section:

How to:

The Distribution tab in the Basic Scheduling tool provides the options available for distributing the report output for the scheduled report procedure (FEX). After selecting the option from the shortcut menu of a procedure, you can distribute a report output using one of the following methods.

Note:

Using the Email Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool

In this section:

How to:

Reference:

When you distribute a report through email, you can include the report in the body of the email (known as an inline email message) or send it as an attachment. Only the DHTML, DOC, GIF, HTML, JPG, PNG, SVG, and WP formats can be distributed as an inline email message.

Note: You must be authorized to distribute by Email in order to create a schedule that uses Email distribution.

Distributing a report as an inline email message is particularly useful when the report is distributed to mobile devices or through email systems that do not support attachments.

You can also distribute a report to a fax machine, as explained later in this section.

Note:

Reference: Considerations When Sending a Report to Multiple Email Addresses

When you create a schedule that uses email distribution, you can type email addresses in the To field, as shown in the following image.

The Distribution Information Section of the Distribution: Email tab in the basic schedule.

If you type multiple email addresses in the To field, you can use a semi-colon or comma symbol between each email address, to designate how the Distribution Server delivers information.

Example: Using a Comma to Separate Email Addresses in the To Field

If you use the comma symbol to separate email addresses, all email addresses are visible to every email recipient.

The schedule will distribute a report named Sales_Metrics_YTD.htm to these email addresses. When you run the schedule, the log report states that one report named Sales_Metrics_YTD.htm has been distributed to both email addresses through a single email.

Example: Using a Semi-Colon to Separate Email Addresses in the To Field

If you use the semi-colon symbol to separate email addresses, each recipient only sees their own email address.

The schedule will distribute a report named Sales_Metrics_YTD.htm to these email addresses. When you run the schedule, the log report states that two reports named Sales_Metrics_YTD.htm have been distributed to EmailA@tibco.com and EmailB@tibco.com through separate emails.

Reference: Using the Cc and Bcc Email Options

You can use the Cc and Bcc options for all types of email schedules. These options allow you to send copies of an email distribution to additional recipients, simplifying the creation of scheduled email distributions.

Individuals in the Cc list receive a copy of emails sent to each party, and their names are visible in the Cc list box included in the email, identifying them as recipients of a copy of the email created by the distribution.

Individuals in the Bcc list also receive a copy of each email sent to each part, but their names are not visible to any other recipient. The Bcc list box is not included in the email when delivered to its recipient. This list is visible only to the sender.

To access this feature in the Basic Scheduling tool, right-click a report, chart, document, visualization, or portal, select Schedule, and then select the Email distribution option to open the Distribution: Email tab, a portion of which is shown in the following image.

The Distribution: Email tab of the ReportCaster Basic Schedule window, displaying the CC box in the Distribution Information group.

After you select one of the distribution options in the Type box, or enter one or more email addresses in the To box, you can add recipients to the Cc and Bcc boxes. You can select the Cc button in the Type column or select any of the other buttons in the Type column to open the Enter Email Addresses dialog box, as shown in the following image.

The Enter Email Addresses dialog box as it appears over the Distribution: Email tab.

You can then enter individual email addresses for each party that is to receive a copy of the scheduled output in the Cc box or Bcc box, as shown in the following image.

The Enter Email Addresses dialog box with email addresses separate by semicolons.

Email addresses entered in the Cc box are visible to other recipients of the email. Email addresses entered in the Bcc box are not visible to anyone. Unlike the To box, you can separate individual email addresses with commas or semicolons in these two boxes without affecting the way in which copies are distributed to parties in the either list.

When your input is complete, select OK and review the addresses as they appear in the main Distribution: Email tab, as shown in the following image.

The Distribution: Email tab with CC and BCC information boxes added to the Distribution Information section.

In order to access this feature in the Advanced Scheduling tool, navigate to the Action bar and select Schedule. On the Schedule tool bar, select Schedule. On the Advanced Scheduling tool ribbon, in the Show group, select Distributions. On the Distributions tab ribbon, in the Manage Distributions group, click the New arrow, and then select Email. The Distribution dialog box opens, a portion of which as shown in the following image.

The Distribution: Email tab of the ReportCaster Advanced Schedule window, displaying the CC box in the Distribution Information group.

After you select a distribution option in the Type box and add email addresses or a distribution file or list to the To box, you can add recipients to the Cc and Bcc boxes as described in the previous paragraphs.

Procedure: How to Use the Email Distribution Option

You can use parameters (amper variables) when specifying values in the Email settings of a schedule. These parameters can be system variables, such as &YYMD, or any amper variable for which a value is returned by the Reporting Server when the scheduled procedure is executed. To use the dot file extension separator after a variable, terminate the variable with the '|' character (for example, &YYMD|.htm). Similarly, to use the ampersand character itself, follow the ampersand with the '|' character (for example, Smith&|Jones). If a value for a parameter specified in a schedule is not returned by the Reporting Server when the procedure executes, the schedule will fail with a "No report to distribute" error. If the scheduled task is burst, you can also use the '%BURST' symbol to include the burst value. If the Packet Email setting is Yes, the burst value will not be substituted in the Zip filename.

Note: Variables cannot be used for a Watch List email because a Watch List email is not distributed from a schedule. It is a separate process that has no connection to the WebFOCUS Server.

  1. Right-click a report procedure (FEX), point to Schedule, and then click Email.

    The Basic Scheduling tool appears.

  2. Select the Distribution tab.
  3. Accept the Email Address(s) method that appears, by default, in the Type box or select one of the following methods from the list in order to provide the email addresses that will receive the distribution.
    • Distribution List
    • Distribution File
    • Email Address(s)
    • Dynamic Distribution List from Server Procedure
    • Dynamic Distribution List from Repository Procedure
  4. In the To box perform one of the following tasks:
    1. If you selected Email Address(s) in the Type box, enter the email address or addresses of the recipients of the distribution directly into the To box.

      Or

      Click To in order to open the Enter Email Addresses dialog box and enter email addresses for the recipients. You can use this feature if you must also add email addresses to the Cc or Bcc fields. When your updates are complete select OK.

      You can specify multiple email addresses in an email address field. Separate each email address with a comma (,) or a semicolon (;). If you separate multiple addresses by comma, the email addresses will appear in the To line of a single email when the scheduled output is distributed. If you separate multiple addresses by semicolons, the single email address of the recipient will appear in the To line of each of the multiple emails sent when the scheduled output is distributed.

      Each individual email address can contain a maximum of 130 characters, according to the SMTP specification. The total maximum length of this field is 800 characters. For more information, see Specifying Multiple E-mail Addresses.

      Note: You can also use group mail lists (defined on your mail server) with the Email Address(es) option. You can use group mail lists to distribute a report or notification to multiple recipients without having to maintain multiple email addresses in the Repository. The format of the group mail list depends on the mail server being used. For example, if you are using a Microsoft Exchange Server and your group mail list is defined as #group1, you would enter group1@listdomain in the Email Address(es) field. If the group mail list contains a space within its name, enclose the space with double quotation marks ('' ''). For more information, see your mail server administrator.

    2. If you selected Distribution List in the Type box, click To and select a previously configured Distribution List from the Open dialog box. For more information, see Creating and Maintaining Distribution Lists
    3. If you selected Distribution File in the Type box, type the full path and file name of the external distribution file you want to use for this schedule. The path and file must be accessible to the WebFOCUS Distribution Server. For more information, see Create an External Distribution File.
    4. If you selected Dynamic Distribution List from Server Procedure or Dynamic Distribution List from Repository Procedure in the Type box, click To and select the Name of the procedure that contains the dynamic distribution list.

      A Dynamic Distribution List enables you to return in memory, either a list of burst values and destinations, or only a list of destinations from a data source (for example, a flat file, SQL database, FOCUS data source, or LDAP).

      When Dynamic Distribution List is selected, the To field is enabled to facilitate the selection of the Procedure Name. Once a procedure is selected, you can pass a parameter on the command line of the fex, as shown in the following image.

      For more information, see Creating a Dynamic Distribution List and Generating a Dynamic Distribution List From WebFOCUS Repository Procedures.

  5. In the Cc box, perform one of the following tasks:
    1. Enter email addresses directly into the Cc box, separating them with commas or semicolons.

      Both of these separators cause the distribution server to send the same copy to all parties in the Cc list or the Bcc list.

      Or

    2. Click Cc to open the Enter Email Addresses dialog box and enter email addresses for the recipients in the To, Cc, Bcc, and Reply boxes. You can separate multiple addresses by comma or by semicolon. When your updates are complete click OK.

      Use this method if you wish to add a Bcc list. The Bcc list does not appear on the Distribution: Email tab until you enter values in it using the Enter Email Addresses dialog box.

      Note:

      • You can create a schedule that bursts sections of a report to different email recipients. However, if you type an email address in the Cc or Bcc box, every section of a burst report will distribute to the same Cc or Bcc email address.
      • If you type multiple email addresses in the Cc and Bcc boxes, Cc and Bcc emails are always sent to each email address individually, regardless of whether a comma or semi-colon is used to separate addresses.
  6. In the From box, your user ID appears, by default. You can replace it with another value.

    ReportCaster does not require a value for this field, but your email system may require one.

  7. In the Reply Address box, type a valid email address. If recipients reply to the email, their messages will be sent to this address. If your email system is unable to deliver the content, the undeliverable output message is also returned to this address. ReportCaster requires this field.
  8. In the Subject box, type the text that you want to appear in the email subject line. ReportCaster may not require this information, but it may be needed by your email system. The value you entered in the schedule Title field for the schedule is the default Subject value.
  9. Specify whether you want to send the report as an email attachment, or within the body of the email inline by selecting or clearing the Send all reports as attachments option. For more information, see Using the Email Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  10. You can type a message to appear in the email body to replace the default message, Please see attachment(s).

    Note: You can also provide a custom default distribution message using the Email Distribution and Notification settings in the ReportCaster Configuration tool in the ReportCaster Console. This allows you to override the default message, Please see attachment(s), by enabling you to create a custom message specific to your organization. The message displays when creating a schedule using Email distribution. The new message will not affect existing schedules.

  11. You can select a file from the WebFOCUS Repository that contains the message you want to distribute with your Email distribution.

    Note: When you use the file option, the information can be maintained in one common place. It can also be revised among multiple schedules. There is no size limit to the contents of the file, other than what the email client and server support.

  12. You can specify a value for the Packet Email or accept the default value. The Packet Email option is set to the default value configured by the Manager. For a schedule that has a task that is burst, you can decide how many emails to send to each recipient. Options include:
    • No. Sends each attachment in a separate email.
    • Yes. Sends one email that contains all attachments.
    • By Burst Values. Sends one email with multiple attachments for each burst value.
  13. Specify whether to send the report as a compressed (.zip) file by selecting or clearing the Add Report to Zip File check box.

    You have the option of converting your distributed report into a password-protected compressed file. By default, the Add Report to Zip File check box is not selected and the report will not be compressed. You can optionally password protect a zipped file by including a password in a Distribution File or Dynamic Distribution List.

  14. If the Add Report to Zip File check box is selected, enter the name of the Zip file in the Zip File Name box.

    Note: Support of Unicode characters in a Zip file name and content within a Zip file on Windows 7 and Windows 2008 Server R2 requires the following hotfix from Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2704299/en-us. Without this hotfix, file names are corrupted after you decompress a .zip file in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2.

  15. Additionally, you can override the default minimum size (in KBs) a file must exceed before it is automatically added to a Zip file. The Zip minimum size is set to the default value configured by the administrator. To automatically zip an attachment that exceeds a certain size that is different from the default, set this value to the desired size.
  16. Select the Notification tab to specify whether to send an email notification of the schedule job status. If you select Always or On Error, then you have to specify the Reply Address, Subject, Brief Message To, and Full Message To.
  17. Select the Properties tab to specify the Title, Priority, whether to delete the schedule if it will not run again, and whether the schedule is enabled to run. For more information, see About Properties in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  18. Select the Recurrence tab to specify how often to run the schedule. If you want the schedule to run on the current day, set the Start Date and Start Time to values later than the current time. For more information, see About Recurrence in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  19. Click Save & Close to save the schedule.

Considerations When Distributing DHTML Reports as an Inline Email Message

Typically, a DHTML report distributed as an inline email message will not render correctly. For example, the following image shows a compound report in DHTML format.

A compound report in DHTML format.

The following image shows the previous report sent as an inline email message. The email client does not render the report correctly.

A DHTML report that does not render correctly.

As an alternative, you can use the -HTMLFORM command to distribute a report with multiple table requests as an inline email message.

The following procedure will produce a report that contains two table requests. The procedure is coded with -HTMLFORM

-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/Folder1/car_table1_hold.fex
-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/Folder1/car_table2_hold.fex
-HTMLFORM BEGIN
!IBI.FIL.HOLD2;
!IBI.FIL.HOLD1;
-HTMLFORM END

The following image shows the result of the -HTMLFORM procedure after it has been distributed by email in HTML format.

A report with two tables.

For more information about -HTMLFORM, see the TIBCO WebFOCUS® Developing Reporting Applications technical content.

Specifying Email Server Options

The Email Distribution Options dialog box enables you to view and assign the Mail Server Name, select an SSL connection for the server, select a TLS connection for the server, require authentication for the server, and assign Account Name and Password. Click the Email Server icon to access Email Distribution Options.

Mail Server Name. The name of the mail server to be used by this schedule. The default value is set in the WebFOCUS configuration tool.

  • This server requires a secure SSL connection. Check this box if the specified mail server uses SSL.

  • This server requires a secure TLS connection. Check this box if the specified mail server uses TLS.

  • This server requires Authentication. Check this box if the specified mail server requires authentication with a user ID and password.

    • Account Name. A valid user ID for the specified mail server.

    • Password. The password for the specified user ID.

Using the FTP Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool

How to:

This section provides information about distributing scheduled output using File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP distribution options can be accessed by clicking the FTP Server button in the Options group on the ribbon. The FTP Distribution Options dialog box is shown in the following image.

The FTP Distribution dialog box with the default configuration of (Customized FTP) in the FTP Server Name field.

Procedure: How to Use the FTP Distribution Option

Note: You can use parameters (amper variables) when specifying values in the FTP settings of a schedule. These parameters can be system variables, such as &YYMD, or any amper variable for which a value is returned by the Reporting Server when the scheduled procedure is executed. To use the dot file extension separator after a variable, terminate the variable with the '|' character (for example, &YYMD|.htm). Similarly, to use the ampersand character itself, follow the ampersand with the '|' character (for example, Smith&|Jones). If a value for a parameter specified in a schedule is not returned by the Reporting Server when the procedure executes, the schedule will fail with a "No report to distribute" error. If the scheduled task is burst, you can also use the '%BURST' symbol to include the burst value. If the multiple reports are distributed in one archive file, the burst value will not be substituted in the Zip filename.

  1. Right-click a report procedure (FEX), point to Schedule, and then click FTP.

    The Basic Scheduling tool appears.

  2. Click the Properties tab.
  3. Enter a title in the Title box or leave the default. Optionally, enter a summary in the Summary box.
  4. Click the Distribution tab.
  5. From the Type drop-down menu, select the method in which you will provide the file names to distribute to the FTP server. The options are:

    • Distribution List. The report will be sent to all FTP addresses in the selected Distribution List. For more information, see Creating a Distribution List.

    • Distribution File. Type the full path and file name of the external distribution file you want to use for this schedule. ReportCaster cannot validate the file existence. The path and file must be accessible to the ReportCaster Distribution Server. For more information, see Create an External Distribution File.
    • Single File. Type the name and file extension of the file you will distribute. The value contained in the Save Report As field of the schedule will automatically populate the Name field. When you burst the scheduled report, ReportCaster automatically adds the burst value to the end of the file name for each burst file. Optionally, you can add the '%BURST' syntax to the beginning of the file name, add a directory to the beginning of the file name, or both at the same time.

      Note:

      • In order for the report to distribute correctly, you must add a file extension to the Name value. By default, the Single File Name value does not include a file extension. To add a file extension, you can select the Override the Format Specified in the Procedure check box and select a report format in the Task tab or type the file extension manually.
      • ReportCaster does not validate the location of the file path or whether the specified file already exists.
      • The maximum length of this field is 800 characters.
    • Dynamic Distribution List. A Dynamic Distribution List enables you to return in memory either a list of burst values and destinations, or a list of only destinations from a data source (for example, a flat file, SQL database, FOCUS data source, or LDAP).
  6. In the Report Compression section, specify options by which to compress the report. Select Create an archive file (.zip), Create compressed file(s)(.zip), Create compressed file(s)(.gz), or accept the default, None.

    Note:

    • The default setting for Report Compression is derived from the configuration settings. For more information, see Zip Settings.
    • Support of Unicode characters in a Zip file name and content within a Zip file on Windows 7 and Windows 2008 Server R2 requires the following hotfix from Microsoft: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2704299/en-us

      Without this hotfix, file names are corrupted after you decompress a .zip file in Windows 7 or in Windows Server 2008 R2.

  7. Select the Notification tab to specify whether to send an email notification of the schedule job status. If you select Always or On Error, you must specify the Reply Address, Subject, Brief Message To, and Full Message To.
  8. Select the Properties tab to specify the Title, Priority, whether to delete the schedule if it will not run again, and whether the schedule is enabled to run. For more information, see About Properties in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  9. Select the Recurrence tab to specify how often to run the schedule. If you want the schedule to run on the current day, set the Start Date and Start Time to values later than the current time. For more information, see About Recurrence in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  10. Select the FTP Server tab to open the FTP Distribution Options dialog box.
  11. In the FTP Server Name field, perform one of the following steps:
    1. Accept the default value (Customized FTP) in the Server Name field and leave the remaining fields blank in order to use the default FTP Server configuration defined in the (Default Settings) page of the ReportCaster Configuration tab.
    2. If your organization permits, accept the default value (Customized FTP) in the Server name field and type values in the remaining fields in order to create a new FTP Server configuration that applies to this distribution schedule exclusively. For more information about the FTP Server settings, see Using the FTP Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
    3. Select a predefined FTP Settings configuration from the FTP Server Name list.
  12. Click the Save & Close button.

Using the Printer Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool

How to:

The report formats that support printing are DOC, PDF (when you configure ReportCaster to enable PDF to print and the printer has the appropriate driver), PS, and WP.

Note:

Procedure: How to Use the Printer Distribution Option

Note: You can use parameters (amper variables) when specifying a value for the Printer Name field of a schedule. These parameters can be system variables, such as &YYMD, or any amper variable for which a value is returned by the Reporting Server when the scheduled procedure is executed. To use the dot file extension separator after a variable, terminate the variable with the '|' character (for example, &YYMD|.htm). Similarly, to use the ampersand character itself, follow the ampersand with the '|' character (for example, Smith&|Jones). If a value for a parameter specified in a schedule is not returned by the Reporting Server when the procedure executes, the schedule will fail with a "No report to distribute" error. If the scheduled task is burst, you can also use the '%BURST' symbol to include the burst value.

  1. Right-click a report procedure (FEX), point to Schedule, and then click Printer.

    The Basic Scheduling tool appears.

  2. Click the Distribution tab.
  3. From the Type drop-down menu, select the method in which you will provide the file names to distribute to the printer. The options are:
    • Distribution List. The report will be sent to all printers in the selected Distribution List. To select a Distribution List, click the icon next to the Distribution List field.
    • Distribution File. Type the full path and file name of the external distribution file you want to use for this schedule. The path and file must be accessible to the ReportCaster Distribution Server. For more information, see Creating an External Distribution File.
    • Printer Name. Specify the printer using the following format. 
      queue@printserver

      where:

      queue

      Is the name of the printer queue.

      printserver

      Is the host name or IP address of the printer.

      ReportCaster can differentiate between the printer queue and the printer host name or IP address due to the presence of the '@' separator. Although ReportCaster supports specifying only the host name or IP address of the printer, we recommend that you specify both the printer queue and host name or IP address when distributing ReportCaster output to a printer. The maximum length of this field is 800 characters.

    • Dynamic Distribution List. A Dynamic Distribution List enables you to return in memory either a list of burst values and destinations, or only a list of destinations from a data source (for example, a flat file, SQL database, FOCUS data source, or LDAP). For more information, see Creating a Dynamic Distribution List.
  4. If you select Distribution List, click the Name button, which will display the Open dialog box to allow you to select a Distribution List. If you select Distribution File, specify in the Name field the fully qualified path and file name where the external Distribution File is located. If you select Printer, specify the printer name in the Name field.
  5. Select the Notification tab to specify whether to send an email notification of the schedule job status. If you select Always or On Error, then you must specify the Reply Address, Subject, Brief Message To, and Full Message To.
  6. Select the Properties tab to specify the Title, Priority, whether to delete the schedule if it will not run again, and whether the schedule is enabled to run. For more information, see About Properties in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  7. Select the Recurrence tab to specify how often to run the schedule. If you want the schedule to run on the current day, set the Start Date and Start Time to values later than the current time. For more information, see About Recurrence in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  8. Click Save & Close to save your changes.

Using the Report Library Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool

The Report Library provides secure access to distributed report output stored in the Repository and allows you to save multiple versions of the same report output, set an expiration date, and keep a specified number of versions. The Report Library is only available to users who are authorized to access and view the Library reports in the folder location in which they are stored.

Note:
  • You must be authorized to distribute to the Report Library in order to create a schedule that uses the Report Library distribution method.
  • If ownership of a Report Library distribution schedule has changed, you must also change the ownership of any associated Library reports to match the new owner of the schedule.

You can send an email notification informing users authorized to access the Library report of its availability. This will notify these users each time a new version is distributed and provide a URL to directly access the new version.

When creating a schedule for distribution to the Report Library, you select the folder to which the report output will be distributed. Using the Advanced button, you can specify a subfolder to which the output will be distributed. If the subfolder does not exist, it is created dynamically during distribution of the initial schedule execution. During subsequent executions of the schedule, reports are distributed to the existing Library item where it is located. You must specify a pattern to be used for the title of the subfolder when the subfolder is created. The pattern can contain text, parameters (amper variables) and, if the scheduled task is burst, the ‘%BURST’ symbol. If the ‘%BURST’ symbol is used, a new subfolder is created for each burst value. You can also select the option to compress a library report when it is stored in the Repository.

You can also specify a Category value to help you further organize the listing of Library reports within the ReportCaster Explorer. In the ReportCaster Explorer, a Category column is available that can be selected to sort Library reports by the Category values.

Note: A Library report in XML format must be opened in a new window.

When scheduling a report procedure (FEX) stored in the Repository, the default folder location to which the report output will be distributed is the same folder location as that of the scheduled report procedure (FEX). When distributing reports to the Library, it is a best practice to create and specify a different folder location for each Library report. This precaution enables you to define and manage secure access at the folder level for report output. It also helps you avoid name conflicts when creating multiple schedules for the same report procedure (FEX), and when running burst Library reports that assign the burst value to the title of each report section that is distributed. The title value is the value that displays in the Resources tree.

For example, consider a Regional Product Sales (Quarterly) report, located in a folder entitled Product Information, that is scheduled to distribute burst reports by region to the Regional Product Sales (Library Reports) Library folder on a quarterly basis. The Regional Product Sales (Library Reports) folder contains a library report for each region value included in the report request results. When creating additional schedules for the Regional Product Sales report, you would create and specify a different folder location for each schedule because the burst report descriptions will use the same region values.

Reference: Consideration When Limiting Distribution to Values in an Access List

When limiting Report Library distribution to values in an Access List, note the following:

  • All other burst values not specified in the Access List are not distributed to the library.
  • This option does not alter the running of the procedure or the retrieval of records from the data source, but simply filters the burst report sections returned from the Reporting Server based on the burst values specified in the Access List.
  • When the Burst this Report option is enabled and the Limit distribution to values in Access List option is not enabled, ReportCaster continues to distribute all burst report sections returned by the Reporting Server to the Report Library.
  • Upon saving the schedule, validation is performed to confirm that the schedule has the Burst this Report option enabled. If it has not been selected, a message appears reminding you that you must enable the Burst this Report option to limit distribution to values specified in an Access List, and the schedule options are redisplayed.
  • The log file contains information specifying that the Limit distribution to values in Access List option was selected. A separate log entry appears for each Access List burst value specifying whether a report section for that burst value was distributed to the library.

Procedure: How to Use the Report Library Distribution Option

Note: You can use parameters (amper variables) when specifying values for the Library fields of a schedule. These parameters can be system variables, such as &YYMD, or any amper variable for which a value is returned by the Reporting Server when the scheduled procedure is executed. To use the dot file extension separator after a variable, terminate the variable with the '|' character (for example, &YYMD|.htm). Similarly, to use the ampersand character itself, follow the ampersand with the '|' character (for example, Smith&|Jones). If a value for a parameter specified in a schedule is not returned by the Reporting Server when the procedure executes, the schedule will fail with a "No report to distribute" error. If the scheduled task is burst, you can also use the '%BURST' symbol to include the burst value.

  1. Right-click a report procedure (FEX), point to Schedule, and then click Report Library to open the Basic Scheduling tool.
  2. In the Show group, select Properties, enter a brief description in the Summary field, and accept or update the values assigned to the remaining fields on this tab.

    For more information, see About Properties in the Basic Scheduling Tool.

  3. In the Show group, select Recurrence and configure the frequency for this distribution.

    For more information, see About Recurrence in the Basic Scheduling Tool.

    Note: The schedule is automatically configured to Run Once on the current date and time within the default time zone. To ensure that the schedule will run on the current day, set the time value in the Start field to a later time.

  4. In the Show group, select Task and perform the following steps.
    1. In the Scheduling Object group, confirm that the Path, Procedure, and Server Name fields identify the correct location of the procedure within the Repository.

      The distribution server uses this information to access the procedure when you run the schedule. For more information about the Task tab, see About Tasks in the Basic Scheduling Tool.

    2. If you are distributing content that uses a burst value, select the Burst Report check box in the Report Properties group.

      Note: Because the Burst Report process creates separate subfolders for each individual report that uses a different burst value, you will be unable to clear this check box after you create and save the Report Library distribution schedule. If you no longer need to burst your selected Report Library distribution content, you must create a new Report Library distribution schedule that does not select the Burst Report check box.

    3. If the output stored in the Report Library must use a different format, select the Override the Format Specified in the Procedure check box and then select an alternative format code from the accompanying list.
    4. Accept or update the Report Title in the Save Report As field.
  5. In the Show group, select Distribution and perform the following steps.
    1. Confirm that the path in the Folder Location field identifies the location to which the report output is to be distributed.

      If not, select Folder Location to open the Browse for Folder dialog box, navigate to the folder that should receive the report output, and click OK.

      Note:

      • You can only select an existing folder from the Browse for Folder dialog box. You cannot create a new folder.
      • You must be authorized to create content in the selected folder.
      • The default folder location for Library output is the folder from which the scheduling tool is launched. If you are not authorized to create content in that folder, the My Content folder underneath that folder becomes the default location. If there is no My Content folder, the first writeable folder underneath that folder becomes the default location.
    2. Select Advanced if you need to set report compression, optional subfolders, version descriptions, and category.

      and configure the following options as necessary:

      • Compress Stored Report. Enables you to compress a library report when it is stored in the Repository.

        Note: If you distribute a compressed report to the Library, consider that this may impact the response time in viewing the report. A compressed report must first be decompressed before it is sent. You should evaluate the benefits of saving repository space against the impact of the time it takes to retrieve a compressed report from the Library.

      • Enable Subfolder. Can be enabled to indicate a subfolder to which to distribute a report. If Enable Subfolder is selected, a pattern must be indicated. A pattern can contain text, parameters (amper variables), and the %BURST symbol.
      • Version Description. In the Library Advanced Options dialog box, you can provide parameterized descriptive text for each version of a report in the Report Library. The Version Description can include text, amper variables, and the ‘%BURST’ symbol if the report is burst. The Version Description is created by the Distribution Server at the time of schedule execution. The description displays next to the version number in the Report Viewer.
      • Category. An optional value that can be used to sort library reports within the ReportCaster Explorer. For more information, see Using the ReportCaster Explorer.
    3. In the Access Options group, select one of the following options to specify the groups and users who are authorized to access the Library report.
      • Private (Accessible only to the owner). Only the Owner of the schedule is authorized to access the Library report. This is the default value.
      • Published (Accessible according to ReportCaster security policy). All users who are authorized to view the Library report in the folder in which it is stored can access the report. The destination folder of the Library report must be a published folder, and the schedule owner must be authorized to publish content within this folder.
      • Shared (Appears under Shared Content Folder). All users who are authorized to view the Library report in the folder in which it is stored can access the report. The report appears under a Shared Content folder.
        • Note: When working with a Library schedule for which the access option check box 'Shared (Appears under Shared Content folder)' and the Send Email after Report Saved to Library check box are selected simultaneously, ReportCaster will only send email messages to the schedule owner.
      • Shared with (Appears under Shared Content folder according to Library Access List). Only the groups or users defined in the Access List, and the owner of the schedule, are authorized to access the report. The report appears under a Shared Content folder.

        If you select this option, select Access List and then select an Access List that you are authorized to access from the Open dialog box.

        When bursting is selected, you can limit distribution of the burst values to the values specified in the Access List by selecting the Limit distribution to values in Access List check box.

      Note: When the Access Option of an existing schedule is changed, it will be applied to all versions of the private Library report the next time a new version is distributed. Access options specified in the Library schedule are not applied to published Library Reports.

    4. In the Expiration of Reports in Library group, accept the Never Expire option, which is selected by default, in order to prevent reports from being purged from the Report Library.

      Or

      Select the Expire after option, and then select one of the following options to specify the expiration limit.

      • version(s). The Report Library stores the specified number of the most recent versions of report output. Use the up and down arrows to select the number of versions.

        For example, if you specify three versions and the current version is 7, then version 7, 6, and 5 are stored in the library. However, if you delete version 6, then only versions 7 and 5 are stored in the library. If you then distribute version 8 to the library, only version 8 and 7 are stored in the library since you deleted version 6 and version 5 is not among the top three versions.

        You can store up to 9,999,999 versions of a report in the library. If you exceed this limit, the new report will not be stored and you will receive a message in the ReportCaster log file.

        Note: The actual number of times a report can be run is 2exp(31) -1.

      • day(s). The Report Library stores the report for the specified number of day(s). Use the up and down arrows to select the number of days.
      • week(s). The Report Library stores the report for the specified number of week(s). Use the up and down arrows to select the number of weeks.
      • month(s). The Report Library stores the report for the specified number of month(s). Use the up and down arrows to select the number of months.
      • year(s). The Report Library stores the report for the specified number of year(s). Use the up and down arrows to select the number of years.

      Note:

      • ReportCaster automatically purges expired reports one hour after the scheduled Log Purge Time. The default Log Purge Time is 1:00 AM. Therefore, the default library purge time is 2:00 AM each day. If you are an authorized user, you can also purge expired Library reports on-demand from the ReportCaster Console.
  6. In the Show group, select Notification and specify whether or not to send an email notification of the scheduled job status.

    If you select Always or On Error, then you must also specify the Reply Address, Subject, Brief Message To, and Full Message To.

    The Subject field displays the Title of the schedule, by default.

  7. If you must send an email notification to users that are authorized to access the Library report each time a new version is distributed, in the Options group, select Library Notification to open the Library Distribution Options dialog box, select the Send an Email after Report saved to Library check box and configure the following settings.
    1. Accept the default value in the Mail Server Name field or revise it to match the host name and configuration of the email server to which ReportCaster will connect to distribute the Library email notification.
    2. Accept the default value in the Library URL field or revisit to match the URL that must be used to sign in to and open the Report Library. The default value is specified in the ReportCaster configuration. When a user is sent a Library email notification, the email contains a link to the report in the Library about which the user is being notified. That link is created by adding the specific report ID of the notification to the Library URL. When the link is selected, the user is prompted to sign in. ReportCaster security processing determines if the user is authorized to access the Library report.

      Note: You can configure ReportCaster to not send a link containing a URL. For more information, see ReportCaster Configuration.

    3. Enter a value in the From field such as the name of the person creating the schedule. ReportCaster does not require a value for this field, but your email system may require one.
    4. Enter the email address of the sender in the Reply Address field. This is a required field. If report recipients reply to the notification, then their messages are sent to this address.

      Note:

      • If you are authenticating to the mail server with your user ID and password, then the reply address will be the email address associated with that user ID.
      • If the mail server is configured with authentication and the Reply Address is configured in the ReportCaster Configuration tool, then the Reply Address field in the scheduling tools will be disabled. If a Reply Address is not configured, then the field is enabled to allow a Reply Address to be sent to the email server, however the actual Reply Address of the delivered email will be that of the authenticating account.
    5. Enter any text that you want to appear in the email subject line in the Subject field.
    6. Enter any optional message you want to appear in the body of the email notification in the Message field.

      The email message also contains the URL of the report content in the Library.

      The number of users who receive an email notification depends upon the value selected for the Access option. If you selected the Owner, Published, or Shared Access option, the schedule owner will be notified by email when the schedule executes and output is distributed to the Library. If the Access option specifies an Access List (Shared With), then each user on the Access List is notified when the schedule executes and output is distributed to the Library. Groups in the Access List are not used to retrieve email addresses. Only listed users receive an email notification.

  8. When your configuration is complete, in the Actions group, select Save & Close to save your changes.

Library Bursting To Top-Level Folders Using the Basic Scheduling Tool

How to:

When creating a schedule with Report Library distribution, you can select the Domains folder in the Resources tree as the top-level folder location to which the sub-folders containing library reports will be burst.

You can schedule a library report to be placed in a sub-folder without having to create the sub-folder first. When you schedule a library report to be burst to a top-level folder, the distribution server will automatically create new sub-folders containing the burst library reports.

A library report does not have to be distributed to a single folder. Depending on which sub-folder pattern is used, a user can distribute library reports into multiple sub-folders based on the burst values defined by the chosen variable.

Note: In order to burst library reports to top-level folders, you must be authorized to create new sub-folders in the Domains folder.

Procedure: How to Burst Library Reports to Top-Level Folders Using the Basic Scheduling Tool

  1. Right-click the procedure you wish to distribute, point to Schedule, and then click Report Library.

    The Distribution tab within the Basic Scheduling tool opens.

  2. Click Folder Location.

    The Browse for Folder dialog box opens.

  3. Select the Domains folder, as shown in the following image.
  4. Click OK.
  5. On the Distribution tab, click Advanced.

    The Library Advanced Options dialog box opens.

  6. Click Enable Sub-folder and specify a sub-folder pattern, which will be used to create sub-folder titles. In the following image, the subfolder pattern used is the variable ‘%BURST’.

    For more information on WebFOCUS Variables, see ReportCaster Internal Variables.

  7. Click OK.
  8. Click the Task tab and select the Burst Report check box.
  9. Complete any other items necessary for the schedule to run properly and save the schedule. For more information, see Creating a ReportCaster Schedule in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  10. From the Workspaces area of the start page or the WebFOCUS Home Page, right-click the schedule you created and click Run.

    New sub-folders containing your burst library reports are now created in the Domains top-level folder.

    Note: The sub-folder structure is contingent on the variable that is used.

Using the Repository Distribution Option in the Basic Scheduling Tool

How to:

When distributing scheduled output to Repository in the Basic Scheduling tool, specify the Repository folder location to which to distribute the report output.

Note: You must be authorized to distribute to the Repository in order to create a schedule that uses Repository distribution. You must also be authorized to distribute content to your selected folder. For more information, see the TIBCO WebFOCUS® Security and Administration manual.

The best practice for recurring and burst schedules is to create and specify a different folder location for each report being distributed for the same report procedure (FEX). This is important so the security access can be defined and managed at the folder level and when opting to burst the distributed report output because the burst value is assigned as the title value to each report section that is distributed. The title value is the value that displays in the Resources tree.

When the report output is distributed using the Repository distribution option, the Day, Date, and Time information is prepended to the Save Report As value specified in the schedule task information. For example, the Schedule for the Product Packaging & Price report is assigned the default Save Report As value 'Product_Packaging_Price.htm' (blanks and special characters are replaced with an underscore character).

The report output distributed to Managed Reporting on Monday December 19, 2011 at 1:35pm EST is assigned the description: Mon, 19 Dec 2011 01:35 PM EST Product Packaging Price.

Procedure: How to Use the Repository Distribution Option

  1. Right-click a report procedure (FEX), select Schedule, and then select Repository.

    The Basic Scheduling tool displays in a new window.

  2. Enter or verify task information. For more information, see About Tasks in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  3. Click the Distribution tab.

    The Distribution Server adds Day, Date, and Time to the beginning of the Save Report As value specified in the Task tab.

    Verify that the folder location is the folder to which you want to distribute the report output. The folder location defaults to the same folder as the report procedure (FEX) being scheduled. Users can select a different folder to distribute the report output to by clicking the Folder Location button, which will display a dialog box of the Resources tree from which a folder location can be selected, as shown in the following image.

    Note: You must also be authorized to distribute content to your selected folder.

  4. Select the Notification tab to specify whether to send an email notification of the schedule job status. For more information, see Notification Options. If you select Always or On Error, then you must specify the Reply Address, Subject, Brief Message To, and Full Message To.
  5. Select the Properties tab to specify the Title, Priority, whether to delete the schedule if it will not run again, and whether the schedule is enabled to run. For more information, see About Properties in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  6. Select the Recurrence tab to specify how often to run the schedule. If you want the schedule to run on the current day, set the Start Date and Start Time to values later than the current time. For more information, see About Recurrence in the Basic Scheduling Tool.
  7. Select Save & Close to save your changes.

Distributing to the File System Using the Repository Distribution Method in the Basic Scheduling Tool

The Repository File System Distribution function allows you send reports to a directory accessible by the distribution server. When you distribute to the Repository with the File System configured, you can choose a File System folder, as shown in the following image.

Note:

A user must be granted the Distribute to File System privilege to use this distribution method. In addition, an administrator must use the WebFOCUS Administration Console to configure file system directories for distribution. Users must be authorized to see these folders, which is done by granting users the list command on the File subsystem. For more information, see the TIBCO WebFOCUS® Security and Administration technical content.

Once authorized, a user can schedule content to be distributed to a configured folder.