ReportCaster Configuration

In this section:

ReportCaster configuration parameters are managed within the ReportCaster Console Configuration tab. For additional ReportCaster configuration information, see the ReportCaster manual.


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Changing Configuration Parameters With Scripts

Several scripts allow you to change Distribution Server configuration settings. The Distribution Server cannot start unless it can connect to the repository. If you cannot start the Distribution Server, use these scripts to correct connection settings. The scripts are installed in:

/install_directory/ibi/WebFOCUS80/ReportCaster/bin

The following scripts are available:

Script

Purpose

dbname

Changes the DB Name parameter. This parameter is only needed when using a DB2 repository on z/OS..

dbpass

Changes the password used to access the repository.

dbuser

Changes the user ID used to access the repository.

repclass

Changes the JDBC class used to access the repository driver. See Additional WebFOCUS Repository Topics and Tasks for information on this value.

repurl

Changes the JDBC URL used to access the repository. See Additional WebFOCUS Repository Topics and Tasks for information on this value.

To run a script, execute it at a shell prompt with the first argument being the value you wish to set.

Warning: If a value contains a semicolon (;), you must place that value between quotation marks.



Example: Running Configuration Scripts

If during the installation you typed the wrong user ID and password to access the repository, you can change them as follows.

  1. Navigate to the following directory:
    /install_directory/ibi/WebFOCUS80/ReportCaster/bin
  2. Execute the following to change the user ID used to access the repository:
    ./dbuser userID

    where:

    userID

    Is the correct user ID to access the repository.

  3. Execute the following to change the password used to access the repository:
    ./dbpass password

    where:

    password

    Is the correct password to access the repository.

The other scripts (for example, repurl, repclass) are executed in the same fashion. If your URL or CLASS contains a semicolon (;), place the URL or CLASS between quotation marks when running the scripts.


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Configuring the Memory Available for the ReportCaster Log Report

The size of the ReportCaster log report is limited by the amount of memory available to the Java VM. When the memory of the Java VM is exceeded, a Java OutOfMemoryException error occurs.

To control the size of the log report, you can set the following ReportCaster Server Configuration tool parameters:


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Configuring the Heap Size for the ReportCaster Distribution Server

If the ReportCaster Distribution Server experiences a Java out of memory error, you must increase the amount of memory (heap size) available to Java on the Distribution Server. This is done by passing parameters on the Java command line, as follows:

java -Xms<initial heap size> -Xmx<maximum heap size>

For example,

java -Xms256m -Xmx512m

You must restart the Distribution Server to enable this change.


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Configuring ReportCaster Failover and Workload Distribution

How to:

The Distribution Server Failover feature allows you to configure a backup Distribution Server that can resume ReportCaster operations when there is an interruption (planned or unplanned) in the primary Distribution Server service. The primary Distribution Server is monitored to verify that it is operational. If there is an interruption in service, the failover Distribution Server is triggered to take over the role of the primary server.

The Workload Distribution feature allows ReportCaster to distribute scheduled jobs across multiple Distribution Servers, providing an efficient and fast way to process large numbers of ReportCaster schedules. Multiple Distribution Servers can be installed on one or more hosts. One instance is designated as the Workload Manager, while the other are designated as Workers. The WebFOCUS Repository will be shared by the Workload Manager and the Workers. Workload Distribution is set up through the ReportCaster Configuration tool. All servers will share one set of configuration information, and the Workload Manager will push any configuration changes to the Workers.

For your application of ReportCaster, you can configure either or both Failover and Workload Distribution. The following procedure includes instructions to configure both, but notes when to skip to the appropriate steps if you are only configuring one or the other.



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Procedure: How to Configure Distribution Server Failover

To configure distribution server failover:

  1. Open the ReportCaster Console and click Configuration in the top pane.
  2. Click the Distribution Servers folder in the left pane.
  3. Click the button to the right of the Secondary Distribution Server field.

    The Secondary Distribution Server dialog box opens, as shown in the following image.

  4. Select the Enabled check box.

  5. Enter the host name and port number of the Secondary server.
  6. Click OK.
  7. Click Save and then OK when you are prompted to save.
  8. Install the Distribution Server on the specified host with the specified port number for that host.


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Procedure: How to Configure Workload Distribution

To configure workload distribution:

  1. Open the ReportCaster Console and click Configuration in the top pane.
  2. Click the Distribution Servers folder in the left pane.
  3. Click the button to the right of the Workload Distribution field.

    The Workload Distribution dialog box opens, as shown in the following image.

  4. Select the Enabled check box.

  5. Click Add.
  6. Enter the name, host name, and port number of the Worker Distribution Server.

    Repeat this step for each Worker Distribution Server instance that you want to add.

  7. Click OK.
  8. Click Save and then OK when you are prompted to save.
  9. Install the Distribution Server on each of the specified hosts with the specified port number for that host.

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Changing the Custom Template for the Scheduling Tool

The SchedulePreferences.xml file contains the Custom and Standard template information, as well as template information for the Schedule button feature available in Developer Studio.

  1. Locate the SchedulePreferences.xml file in the \ibi\WebFOCUS80\config\caster directory. On UNIX, this directory is /ibi/WebFOCUS80/Config/caster.
  2. Before you begin, make a copy of the file for backup purposes.
  3. Open the SchedulePreferences.xml file in a text editor. The Custom template consists of the information under the SchedulePreference element containing the <id>Custom<id> tag. When changing the scheduling options associated with the Custom template, modify only the information associated with this element. This is the SchedulePreference element for the Custom template:
    <SchedulePreference __cn="ibi.broker.api.data.preference.schedule.SchedulePreference">
       <id>Custom</id> 
       <name></name>
       <description></description>
    .
    .
    .
    </SchedulePreference>

    Important: Do not modify the information in the SchedulePreference element containing the <id>Standard<id> tag

    <SchedulePreference __cn="ibi.broker.api.data.preference.schedule.SchedulePreference">
       <id>Standard</id> 
    .
    .
    .
    </SchedulePreference>

    The Custom template lists all available distribution methods, report output formats, task types, scheduling intervals, notification options, and some other properties of a schedule. By removing an entry from the Custom template, an administrator can limit the scheduling options available to the user of the scheduling tool.

    Note that some options may already be limited by the global settings in the ReportCaster configuration tool. Therefore, even if an entry is not removed from the Custom template, the option controlled by that entry may not be available in the scheduling tool.

  4. After you have finished editing the SchedulePreference.xml file, save your changes and restart the application server. When the Custom template is applied to the scheduling tool, the options available will reflect the changes made to the Custom template.

    Note:

    • The Custom template is not applied by default.
    • For information on enabling the Custom template in Dashboard, see the Managed Reporting manual.
    • You can also apply the Custom template when the scheduling tool is used outside the Dashboard. For more information, see the WebFOCUS Security and Administration manual.

See the following examples for ways to modify the Custom template.



Example: Limiting the Available Formats

In this example, only EXL07, EXL2K, HTML, and PDF will display as available report output formats in the scheduling tool. Other formats (<formatItem>) have been deleted from the Custom template.

<taskPreference __cn="ibi.broker.api.data.preference.schedule.TaskPreference">
   <show>true</show>
   <collapsed>false</collapsed>
   <formatItem>EXL07</formatItem>
   <formatItem>EXL2K</formatItem>
   <formatItem>HTML</formatItem>
   <formatItem>PDF</formatItem>
   <taskType>TaskWFServerProcedure</taskType>
.
.
.
<taskType>TaskWFServerProcedure</taskType>


Example: Limiting the Available Distribution Methods

In this example, only Email and Library will display as available distribution methods in the scheduling tool. Other methods (<methodItem>) have been deleted from the Custom template.

</destinationPreference>
<methodItem>EMAIL</methodItem>
<methodItem>LIBRARY</methodItem>
<storageLibraryPreference __cn="ibi.broker.api.data.preference.schedule.StorageLibraryPreference">


Example: Limiting the Available Tasks

In this example, only Standard Reports and My Reports will display as available tasks in the scheduling tool. Other tasks (<taskType>) have been deleted from the Custom template.

<formatItem>SVG</formatItem>
<taskType>TaskStandardReport</taskType>
<taskType>TaskMyReport</taskType>
<alertType>AUTO</alertType>


Example: Limiting the Available Scheduling Intervals

In this example, only Daily, Weekly, Monthly, and Custom periods will display as available intervals in the scheduling tool. Other intervals (<timeInfoTypeItem>) have been deleted from the Custom template.

<timeInfoPreference __cn="ibi.broker.api.data.preference.schedule.TimeInfoPreference">
   <show>true</show>
   <collapsed>false</collapsed>
   <timeInfoTypeItem>DAY</timeInfoTypeItem>
   <timeInfoTypeItem>WEEK</timeInfoTypeItem>
   <timeInfoTypeItem>MONTH</timeInfoTypeItem>
   <timeInfoTypeItem>CUSTOM</timeInfoTypeItem>
   <secondaryRunInterval>true</secondaryRunInterval>
</timeInfoPreference>

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Adding Support for UTF-8 to the Distribution Server

Support for UTF-8 can be added to the Distribution Server by adding -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 to the Distribution Server Java command. If the Distribution Server is being run from the command line, modify the schbkr bat or script file and add -Dfile.encoding=UTF8 to the Java command.


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Configuring ReportCaster for Graphs

How to:

In order for ReportCaster to distribute graphs, you must either set DISPLAY or use the headless option. This is similar to the Server Side Graphics configuration discussed in Verifying and Troubleshooting Server Side Graphics (PCHOLD).



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Procedure: How to Configure ReportCaster for Graphs

The procedure for distributing graphs will depend on whether you have an X Windows Server.

To distribute graphs, do one of the following:


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