PowerPoint Integration With Dashboard

In this section:

PowerPoint integration with WebFOCUS provides users with a method of exporting Dashboard reports and graphs into the PowerPoint application. PowerPoint options appear as an icon in a Launch block and present users with choices for exporting reports and graphs into new and existing PowerPoint presentations. When exporting to PowerPoint, reports retain their styling, and graphs can be output as a static image or a live graph, which is an MSChart object.

From the Add Block or Edit Block page, a developer can add the Microsoft Office output options only to a Launch block. The Microsoft Office output options check box, which represents the PowerPoint options, is unavailable for other block types and when the Launch block contains Report Library content. The PowerPoint options are available for any Launch block created for a Public View, Group View, or a user My View. The Dashboard page where you can add the Microsoft Office output options is shown in the following image.

Content List Window

Note:


Top of page

x
Exporting Reports to PowerPoint From Dashboard

A report can be exported from Dashboard to PowerPoint as a new presentation. A new file is created, the report is placed in the first slide, and the styling is retained.


Top of page

x
Exporting Static Graphs to PowerPoint From Dashboard

A static graph can be exported from Dashboard to PowerPoint as a new presentation. A new file is created and the graph is placed in the first slide as an image of the graph output. Note that the datasheet object is not populated with graph data.


Top of page

x
Exporting Live Graphs to PowerPoint From Dashboard

How to:

A live graph is the term used to describe an MSChart object that stores data in the datasheet object, which makes it possible to manipulate data in a graph. Live graphs can be exported from Dashboard to PowerPoint with the following menu options:

When you export a live graph, you can select from the following list of graph types: Clustered Column, 3D Clustered Column, Clustered Bar, 3D Clustered Bar, Line, Line with Markers, 3D Line, Pie, 3D Pie, Clustered Cylinder Column, Clustered Cylinder Bar, Clustered Cone, Clustered Cone Bar, Clustered Pyramid, and Clustered Pyramid Bar.



x
Procedure: How to Export Live Graphs to PowerPoint From Dashboard

The following procedure assumes that a developer has already added the Microsoft Office output options to the launch block where the live graph is stored in Dashboard.

  1. From the Dashboard launch block, click the PowerPoint icon in the title bar above the graph, as shown in the following image.

    Dashboard launch block

    The PowerPoint Options pop-up menu appears, as shown in the following image.

    PowerPoint Options pop-up menu

  2. Select either New PowerPoint Presentation or Open existing presentation.
  3. Select the desired Graph Type from the drop-down list.
  4. If you select New PowerPoint Presentation, a new PowerPoint file is created, and the graph is placed in the first slide of the new presentation.

    If you select Open existing presentation, use the dialog box that appears to browse your desktop and select an existing PowerPoint file. Then in the dialog box that appears, use the Object Insertion Position drop-down list to select New Slide, or an existing slide if you want to overlay existing content, and click OK.


Top of page

x
Adjusting Browser Security to Use the PowerPoint ActiveX Control

How to:

Because WebFOCUS uses ActiveX to integrate PowerPoint and Internet Explorer, you have to adjust your browser security settings to use the PowerPoint ActiveX control.



x
Procedure: How to Adjust ActiveX Browser Security Settings
  1. In Internet Explorer, from the main menu at the top of the browser, select Tools, then Internet Options.
  2. Select the Security tab and click the Custom Level button.
  3. Set each of the following security settings to Prompt or Enable:
    • Download signed ActiveX controls
    • Download unsigned ActiveX controls
    • Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe for scripting

Note: PowerPoint (Microsoft Office output option) is only supported with an Internet Explorer browser. Firefox and other browser types are not supported.


WebFOCUS