Purpose

To allow the designation of Report Engines which will be available for System Jobs

As required

This form allows details of 3rd party Report Engines to be recorded in Callista. These details are then available to build and execute reports using Report Engines other than Oracle Reports.

Reports in Callista have traditionally been developed and executed using Oracle Reports. It should be noted that if an institution elects not to integrate third party Report Engines, then their current reporting configuration will not be effected by the existence of this new functionality.

Data in this form will normally be set up and maintained by IT staff.

This form has fields that are used as parameters in Maintain Job Details (JBSF4110). For example, the Template Enabled check box in this form is used in JBSF4110 to reveal the Report Template tab when a Report Engine is selected in the same form.

This form may be accessed directly via the main menu.

The Report Engine block contains:

• Report Engine
• Set as Default check box
• Report Engine name
• Description
• Context URL (1)
• Directory Name (2)
• URL Constant String (3)
• Report Extension (4)
• Parameter Delimiter
• Template URL String
• URL Construction
• Template Enabled check box
• Mandatory Template check box
• Comments
• Closed check box

Buttons:

• View

Rules/Notes:

An Error is generated if the Set as Default indicator is set for more than one Report Engine.

A Warning is displayed if the Closed check box is set and S_JOB records exist for the Report Engine.

A Warning is displayed if the Closed check box is set and the default indicator is set for this Report Engine.

An Error is generated if the Mandatory Template check box is selected and the Template Enabled check box is unselected

If 2 or 3 or 4 are included in the URL Construction field, but fields (2), (3) or (4) are blank then a Warning is displayed.

If fields (2), (3) or (4) are filled but do not appear in the URL Construction field, then a Warning is generated.

A warning is generated if you do not include the character * in the URL Construction field. This character represents the report name when the URL is submitted.

To create a new Report Engine record:

• Go to JBSF4150
• This form opens in insert mode
• Type in the Report Engine Code. This is the Institution-defined code for a report engine and could also be the short name for the engine
• Select the Set as Default check box, if this is to be the default Report Engine
• Type the Long Name for the Engine in the Report Engine Name field
• Type any other information required in the Description field
• Type the path kept in the S_JOB_CONTROL table, to execute the report, in the Context URL field
• Type the operating system directory path where the reports are stored in the Directory Name field
• Type any constant URL string that must also be added to the URL when running reports (if required) in the URL Constant String field
• Type the report extension (e.g. rdf, xdo) that will be added to the URL when running reports (if required), in the Report Extension field
• Type the single character that is used in the generated http URL to separate each report parameter input in the Parameter Delimiter field
• Type the template label used in the URL in the Template URL String field:
  • in the URL Construction field specify how the Context URL, Directory Name, URL Constant String and Report Extension fields should be assembled to form the URL string so that it is in the correct format for passing to the Report Engine.
• Use the Template Enabled check box to record whether the use of templates with the Report Engine is supported (one or more templates can be provided and used for reporting). If this check box is not selected, it will mean that no templates are to be provided or used for reporting.
• Used the Mandatory Template check box to record whether the use of templates with the Report Engine is mandatory. If the check box is selected, at least one template must be specified in JBSF4110 for jobs that use the particular Report Engine
• Record additional information or details about the report engine in the Comments field
• Type in the in the Report Extension field
• After saving this record, the details will be available to identify reports built and executed using Report Engines other than Oracle Reports.

Rules/Notes:

If you are setting this Report Engine as the default Report Engine and another Report Engine is already set as default then an error will occur. The Default check box will need to be deselected for the other Report Engine before setting the checkbox for this this Report Engine. If no Report Engines are set as default, then the default will be Oracle Reports.

The path specified in the Directory Name field is a default path for all the reports for this engine. 

Reporting Tools will generally use ‘&’ or ‘+’ as the Parameter Delimiter, but other characters may be used. This character must be specified. The Parameter Delimiter is not displayed in URL Construction field

In XML Publisher the Template URL string is ‘_xt=’. In other 3rd party reporting tools it could be something else or not required at all.

Example of URL Construction:
Context URL (1) = XMLP_SERVER_URL
Directory Name (2) = callista
URL Constant String (3) = ?_xpf=1&_xpt=&_xdo=
Report Extension (4) = xdo

URL Construction = 1/2/*.43/2/*.4

Actual URL created is: http://crux.its.instit.edu.au:8680/xmlpserver/callista/*.xdo?_xpf=1&_xpt=&_xdo=/callista/*.xdo
-----------------------------1---------------------------/----2----/*.--4--------------3----------------/----2----/*.-4-

This URL will be displayed when the View button is clicked.