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Developer Studio provides intuitive GUI tools that enable you to concentrate on interface design, business logic, and data manipulation. Using Developer Studio, you can build powerful webpage interfaces that allow users to create and view reports.
The following are new features in Developer Studio.
As of Developer Studio Release 8.0 Version 07, the Kerberos authentication option has been added to the drop-down list in the Web Component Authentication area of the WebFOCUS Environment Properties dialog box.
For more information on configuring WebFOCUS Environments in Developer Studio, see the Developer Studio Application Development Getting Started manual.
For more information about the WebFOCUS configuration of Kerberos, see the WebFOCUS Security and Administration manual.
Developer Studio Release 8.0 Version 02 and higher supports Microsoft Team Foundation Server as a source control provider. Information Builders has tested and certified Microsoft Team Foundation Server 2012.
In order to use Microsoft Team Foundation Server as a source control provider with Developer Studio, you must have the Microsoft Visual Studio® Team Foundation Server 2012 MSSCCI Provider 32-bit plug-in installed. The plug-in is available through the Microsoft website.
You can run the MSSCCI software using the following environments:
Microsoft Visual Studio Team Explorer can also be installed on the same machine as Developer Studio so that you can simultaneously compare files from both.
The Developer Studio Options dialog box opens.
Once the Team Foundation Server MSSCCI Provider option is selected, Microsoft Team Foundation Server is used as your source control provider.
Note: The Team Foundation Server MSSCCI Provider check box is selected by default if the Microsoft Team Foundation Server is the only source control you have installed.
When an application is run, it will open in the Developer Studio Viewer, as shown in the image below.
The Developer Studio Viewer functions similar to a web browser. It has forward, back, stop, and reload buttons. It also has an address bar for entering application names and locations.
Using the Output Viewer Options tab from the Developer Studio Options dialog box, you can choose to run applications in Internet Explorer. You can also choose to run applications in a new window or refresh in a currently open window.
You can customize whether applications are run in Internet Explorer or the Developer Studio Viewer. You can also specify whether applications are run in a new window or refreshed in a currently open window. The Output Viewer Settings tab contains the following options:
Output Viewer Settings
Option |
Description |
---|---|
Use Internet Explorer |
When selected, your application will run in an Internet Explorer window instead of the Developer Studio Viewer. |
Navigation Options | |
Run in new window |
When selected, runs the application in a new window. Only one Navigation Option can be selected at a time. |
Run in same window |
When selected, refreshes an already open window to display the application. If no window is open, a new one will open when the application is run. Only one Navigation Option can be selected at a time. |
Master File dialog boxes accessed from the Developer Studio Data Servers area and Managed Reporting are enhanced to allow sorting of the files by clicking on the column header. The dialog box has also been enhanced to allow resizing.
Master File dialog boxes accessed from Developer Studio and BI Portal tools are enhanced to display the Reporting Server application directory name in addition to Description and Title. This enhancement allows developers to identify the location where the Master File resides and allows the Master File list to be sorted by the available columns.
Master Files are retrieved based on the application path set on the Reporting Server global, group, or user profile, or on the application path that may be set at a folder or file level for the WebFOCUS Client Repository. If a Master File with the same name is available in more than one application, the search path will retrieve and display the first instance found.
An option has been added to the Developer Studio main toolbar to allow users to stop running requests. Users can stop running requests from multiple WebFOCUS Environments that are configured in Developer Studio. A dialog box displays the environments where a user has made a connection when pressing the Cancel running objects button. The last environment used to run a job is selected by default.
Users can select to stop running jobs from additional environments, as well. Information in the dialog box will display with the status of the stop request. When multiple jobs are submitted for processing, they are queued on the Reporting Server and only active jobs for the user will be stopped.
You can select the SHORTPATH command in the Set tool to control screening conditions against cross-referenced segment instances in a left outer join.
The Set tool opens.
or
Double-click SHORTPATH.
SHORTPATH is added to the Used Settings list.
You may select from the following options:
Note: There must be an outer join in effect, either as a result of the SET ALL=ON command or a JOIN LEFT_OUTER command (either inside or outside of the Master File).
The following image is an example of the SHORTPATH command in the Set tool.
The corresponding syntax is:
SET SHORTPATH = {FOCUS|SQL}
The following are enhancements to Update Assist:
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HTML Composer enables you to graphically create an HTML page that incorporates forms, reports, graphs, and web objects.
The URL File action, found in the Hyperlink Properties dialog box, will create a hyperlink that invokes a Managed Reporting .url file. You can select the .url file to link to from the Source section. This action is only available when creating an HTML page hyperlink in the Repository area.
The IbComposer_getAllAmpersValues is used to get the current selected values from all the controls on your page layout. It then takes those values and assembles them as a string that can be added to the end of a URL call. An example of this would be having a REGION control and multiselecting MidEast, NorthEast, and NorthWest. It will assemble these selections as shown below:
®ION=%27MidEast%27%20OR%20%27NorthEast%27%20OR%20%27NorthWest%27
This function can be used in conjunction with the Business Intelligence Portal, where the generated string is appended to all Business Intelligence Portal calls that run reports or charts. This allows the parameter values to affect all portal components, even if new ones are added or existing ones are removed at run time.
IbComposer_getAllAmpersValues([verifySelection]);
where:
Boolean
Is an optional parameter. When true and when the Selection required property for the control is set to Yes, this returns an empty string for the parameter controls that do not have a selection made.
Note: All controls have the Selection required property. This property is set to Yes by default. If a control has no valid selection made at run time, a red box appears around it and the following status bar message displays:
Please make required selections
function button1_onclick(ctrl) { var val = IbComposer_getAllAmpersValues(); alert(val); OnExecute(ctrl); }
If you reference or import an existing report that uses a Master File that contains a parameter, the New Parameters dialog box opens with that parameter in the list, as well as any parameters from the report procedure.
You can use the Default Theme option to set the default theme of the HTML page. The Default Theme option is found in the HTML Page tab of the Developer Studio Options dialog box. Additional themes have been added.
You can set the default theme for a new HTML page. The Information Builders theme is chosen by default.
The following is the list of themes that you can use.
You can insert a bulleted or numbered list into a text object.
To insert a bulleted list or numbered list into a text element:
The right-click context menu opens.
For example, the following image shows each item of text on a different line with a bullet next to it.
Note:
To insert a nested list into the text element:
A list is started within the current list, allowing you to enter text on that list level, as shown in the following image.
Note: Pressing the Tab key while your cursor is on the same line as a list item will move that item one level down, resulting in a nested list. The bullet or number type selected is the next list type in the right-click context menu. For example, if you have a bulleted list that uses the disc bullet type, pressing the Tab key to move an item down one level will cause that nested list to have the circle bullet type.
You can continue to nest lists within other lists by using the same steps shown above.
Note: You cannot skip a list level. For example, in order to insert a nested bulleted list or nested numbered list on a lower level, there must be a list one level up from it.
When chaining maps with other controls in HTML Composer, you are able to pass fields that are not displayed by the map. You can pass these fields from one control to the map, and then from the map to another control where those undisplayed fields can then be used.
The following example shows how a map can be chained with other controls and how it can pass fields through the map for use later in the chain. For this example, the centurystores Master File was used.
This example contains an HTML page that has two list boxes and one map control. The Design tab view of this page is shown in the following image.
The Parameters tab view shows that these controls are chained together, as shown in the following image.
Listbox1 is populated with a list of store names from the centurystores Master File. When one of the stores on the list is selected, the store location is shown on the map, as shown in the following image.
When the store marker image is selected on the map, the store address is displayed in listbox2, as shown in the following image.
Listbox1 passes the necessary fields to mapcontrol1 so that it can display the store location on the map. In this case, it passes the STORENAME field.
The layer procedures include BY STORENAME to filter the layer to show only the markers for the selected store in listbox1. The layer procedures also include a BY STOREID reference, which the map does not display, but is used in listbox2 to retrieve the correct store address for the selected map marker.
Mapcontrol1 does not use this field. However, when the store marker is selected on the map, the STOREID field is passed from mapcontrol1 to listbox2, as shown in the following image.
STOREID is passed to listbox2 where it is used to filter out the store address from the selected marker.
Maps can pass fields that they do not display. They can then pass those unused fields to another control, down the chain, which can use the passed fields.
Mapping support has be expanded to include Bing® Maps. All the functionality of Google Maps™ integration is supported with Bing Maps. For detailed information, see Chapter 9, Using Maps in HTML Composer in the Designing a User Interface for a Web Application With HTML Composer manual.
The following JavaScript functions have been included in the Using Maps in HTML Composer chapter in the Designing a User Interface for a Web Application With HTML Composer manual.
toggleLayer('mapId', 'layerName')
toggleMarker('mapId', 'layerName', 'markerName')
refreshLayer('mapId', 'layerName')
panToAddress('address', 'mapId', 'zoom')
parent.panToPoint('lat', 'long', 'mapId', 'zoom')
showAllMarkers('mapId')
You can display the format of a date differently by selecting one of the available formats from the Date format in data source drop-down list in the calendar controls Property and settings dialog box. Several new formats have been added to this release. For a list of available date formats, see Date Formats in Chapter 2, Creating and Using Parameters in HTML Composer in the Designing a User Interface for a Web Application With HTML Composer manual.
The InfoWindow Action has been added to the Target Type drop-down list of the Hyperlink properties. The InfoWindow Target Type will execute the action in the WebFOCUS generated InfoWindow. For more information, see the Using HTML Composer chapter in the Designing a User Interface for a Web Application With HTML Composer manual.
The ESRI® Flex Viewer creates a component that adds numerous controls, a report, and a map object when used. An ESRI Flex Viewer component can be seen in the following image.
You can access the ESRI Flex Viewer component from the Insert menu by selecting Components and clicking ESRI Components. You can then click and drag the crosshair symbol to the desired size for the ESRI Flex Viewer controls and report. The ESRI Flex Viewer component will contain a number of controls, a report, and a map object. It is recommended that the ESRI Flex Viewer component be drawn big enough to accommodate all of these items.
You will then choose the esriinfo XML file from the Get source file dialog box to use with the ESRI Flex Viewer component, as shown in the following image.
Mapping support has be expanded to include ESRI maps. For detailed information, see Chapter 9, Using Maps in HTML Composer in the Designing a User Interface for a Web Application With HTML Composer manual.
You can choose whether a RIA window component starts expanded or collapsed by using the Initial State property, located in the Properties window. The two options are Expanded and Collapsed.
The following image shows the Initial State property on the Properties window.
You can select the Values are procedures names option from the Properties and settings dialog box when Static is selected as the Data type.
This enables a control to be populated with procedure names, so that when a value is selected, that procedure executes. The Value column is the procedure name itself and cannot be edited. The Display column is editable.
Note: In this procedure, a list box is used. However, the following controls are also able to use the Values are procedures names option: double list, drop-down, radio button, and check box.
Note: If the Properties and settings dialog box does not open, select View and click Properties and settings.
Note: You can add multiple procedure names to the Properties and settings dialog box by multiselecting procedures while in the Get source file dialog box.
The following image shows the procedure values with new display names.
The source can be different if you use a different control. For example, combobox1, customselect1, radio1, or checkbox1.
You could also select New Window as the target if you wanted the procedure to open in a new window.
The created hyperlink is shown in the following image.
The report is run, as shown in the following image.
The following features are available for HTML Composer users that license Visual Discovery.
The Values are VisDis Color By option has been added to the Parameters Properties and settings dialog box, as shown in the following image.
Values are VisDis Color By is an option available only through the Properties and settings dialog box of a list box, drop-down list, or double list box. You must first create a canvas using HTML Composer, add a Visual Discovery control, and then add a list box, double list box, or drop-down list that contains the field names from the data pool of the Visual Discovery control.
When you run the HTML page, you are able to select a field name from the list to change the colors of the Visual Discovery control.
You can preselect values of a Visual Discovery control that display at run time, by adding the onInitialUpdate() function to the Client JavaScript tab of HTML Composer. When you run the HTML page, the values you preselected will display.
You can pass a parameter between a Visual Discovery control and a report so that when data is selected from the Visual Discovery control, the same data is displayed in the report on the same page.
You can pass a parameter between a report and a Visual Discovery control so that when data is selected in the report, the same data is displayed on a new page that contains the Visual Discovery control.
You can chain into a Visual Discovery control using a parameterized procedure and a list box, double list box, or drop-down list. This allows you to select values from a list and the data correlating to that data will be displayed in the Visual Discovery control.
Document Composer enables you to design reports and to coordinate and distribute layouts made up of multiple reports and graphs in a single document. You can position reports and graphs anywhere on a single page or combine a series of layouts within a single document.
You can create pre-process code that applies to all objects added to a document. For example, if your document requires the joining of two tables, you can create pre-process code that joins those two tables. This join can then be used by any object in the document and any items following the pre-process code.
In addition, you can create post-process code that runs after the document is run. This can be used in conjunction with pre-process code. For example, using pre-process code, you could create a join. You could then use the post-process code to clear that join.
Note: Pre-process code and post-process code are not meant to display output.
While in a document:
The procedure viewer window opens.
Here, you can create the pre-process code that the document will use. A join is being used in this example.
Note:
Normally, double-clicking a report frame prompts you to select a Master File for creating a report. However, when pre-process code or post-process code is present, the procedure viewer opens instead.
The pre-process code is displayed, with the last block being a comment that states do not move, remove, or modify. Pre-process code above. This comment separates pre-process code from component code. Adding component blocks before this comment, or editing what is already there, modifies the pre-process code. Adding blocks after this comment affects the component code.
Report Painter opens.
The pre-process code joined the videotrk and movies Master Files, allowing you to use data from both in your report.
While in a document:
The procedure viewer window opens.
Here, you can create the post-process code that the document will use. A join clear is being used in this example.
Note: Any pre-process code you created is shown in the procedure viewer. Do not modify or delete pre-process code when creating or modifying post-process code.
After the document is run, the post-process code will clear all joins. When combined with pre-processing code, you could create the joins before the document is run and clear the joins after.
The Excel 2007 output format is available from the Output format property in the Properties window, as shown in the following image.
The Apply filter on load check option is only available for active output formats. It is available from the Properties and Settings dialog box.
When selected, this option causes the default value to be applied to the reports and charts when the page is loaded. This option is not active while the Add “ALL” option is selected. You cannot select this option while the Add “ALL” option is selected.
You can insert new or existing pages before or after the current page layout.
The right-click context menu opens, as shown in the following image.
The Get source file dialog box opens.
The previously created page layout is inserted either before or after right-clicking the page layout.
The right-click context menu opens, as shown in the following image.
The new page layout is inserted either before or after right-clicking the page layout.
You can insert bulleted and numbered lists into a text object. You can also nest those lists within themselves.
The right-click context menu opens.
For example, the following image shows each item of text on a different line with a bullet next to it.
Note:
To insert a nested list into the text element:
A list is started within the current list, allowing you to enter text on that list level, as shown in the following image.
Note: Pressing the Tab key while your cursor is on the same line as a list item will move that item one level down, resulting in a nested list. The bullet or number type selected is the next list type in the right-click context menu. For example, if you have a bulleted list that uses the disc bullet type, pressing the Tab key to move an item down one level will cause that nested list to have the circle bullet type.
You can continue to nest lists within other lists by using the same steps shown above.
Note: You cannot skip a list level. For example, in order to insert a nested bulleted list or nested numbered list on a lower level, there must be a list one level up from it.
You can layer objects in a page layout by using the object right-click menu.
You can layer objects that are added to the page layout by using the object right-click menu, as shown in the following image.
The options are:
Bring to front. Moves an object to the front so that it is stacked on top of every other object it overlaps with.
Send to back. Moves an object to the back so that it is stacked below every other object it overlaps with.
Move forward. Moves an object forward one position in the stacking z-order.
Move backward. Moves an object backwards one position in the stacking z-order.
When using any of these commands, the stacking order of the object will change. This is reflected in the z-index property in the Properties window, The z-index is the stacking order of a specific object.
A Dashboard Bar is an additional page layout where you can insert controls, reports, and charts that display above the dashboard tabs. The Dashboard Bar is only available for active report, active PDF, and active flash formatted documents. Dashboard Bar can be a maximum of one page. To insert a Dashboard Bar:
The Dashboard Bar is inserted into the document.
You can now insert controls, reports, and charts that display above the dashboard tabs.
Note: Though the Dashboard Bar can be a full page, it is not recommended that you insert large reports and charts as this would make the Dashboard Bar appear the same size or larger than the dashboard.
The Apply filter on load property is available from the Properties and Settings window. This option causes the default value to be applied to all reports and charts when the page is loaded.
When selected, this option causes the default value to be applied to the reports and charts when the page is loaded. This option is not active while Add “ALL” option is selected. You cannot select this option while Add “ALL” option is selected.
The Page Color property is available from the Property window. This option lets you set the page color.
Sets the background color of the page. Opens the Color Picker dialog box where you can choose from preset colors or set your own custom color.
Note: This option is only available in active report and active flash output formats. The option will be hidden in the Properties window until you select either active report or active flash from the Output format property.
The E page size is available from the Page Size Property window option.
Determines the size of the page. The options are:
Note: When using a Dashboard Bar, it is advised you use Page size options D or E. If you use other Page size options, text in the Dashboard Bar may overlap.
You can switch between the default JavaScipt charts and Fusion™ charts. To do this, select compound document from the Properties tab and then select active report from the Output format property list. The Chart Engine property is now available. Select one of the options from the Chart Engine property drop-down list, as shown in the following image.
The Chart Engine options are described below:
Standard. This option changes the engine to use JavaScript charts.
Flash. This option changes the engine to use Fusion charts.
Flex. This option changes the engine to use Flex charts.
HTML5. This is the default chart option. This option changes the engine to use High charts.
The following image shows the page numbering options, available from a page numbering object in the Page Master.
The following page numbering options are available from the Insert context menu:
Adds the <Page #> object, representing the current page number of the document.
Adds the <Total pages> object, representing the total number of pages in the document.
Adds the <Page # of ##> object, representing the current page number of the total number of pages in the document.
Adds the date or time in any of the selected formats:
mm/dd/yy
mm/dd/yyyy
Month (First three letters) Day, Year
Month (Full Name) Day, Year
Day Month, Year
Quarter Year
HH.MM.SS
Note: THE HH.MM.SS format is a time format. The time is updated dynamically to display the current time at run time.
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Report Painter provides you with many powerful reporting features that enable you to create and style complex reports. You can graphically paint the report on the Report Painter window, a graphical representation of the report page.
The Validate Input check box is found in the Variable Editor dialog box. When checked, at run time, this validates whether your data entry is consistent with the definition of a parameter.
The Expression Builder in WebFOCUS 8 has been enhanced. The Criteria and Advanced sections were added, as shown in the image below. The ability to create multiple WHERE, IF, or WHERE TOTAL expressions without having to exit and reenter the Expression Builder has also been added. The previous version of the Expression Builder is now called the Basic Expression Builder. The Expression Builder enables you to create WHERE, IF, or WHERE TOTAL expressions quickly by selecting fields, relations, operators, and values from lists. You can base selection criteria on a specified value, a variable value, or a field value.
Additional options have been added to the Compare Type drop-down list, located in the Expression Builder. These Compare Types are parameter options that automatically generate the required syntax so that the Variable Editor does not need to be invoked. These compare types are:
You are able to create your own functions by using the Define Function Wizard. The Define Function Wizard assists in the creation of a user function. The created functions can later be retrieved through the Function Arguments dialog box using the Retrieve User Functions button. By clicking Retrieve User Functions, your created functions will be available for use.
Reports in Report Painter may be promoted to a Compound Document, similar to InfoAssist. This is done by clicking the Build a Compound Document button . The original report is left unaffected and a copy of the report is put in Document Composer.
The VISDISAE output format has been added to the unstyled formats and can be selected from the Output Format drop-down list in the Report Options dialog box, as shown in the following image. For more information on the VISDISAE output format, see the Using WebFOCUS Visual Discovery to Develop Analytic Dashboards manual.
The DFIX output format has been added to the unstyled formats and can be selected from the Output Format drop-down list in the Report Options dialog box, as shown in the following image. You can use the DFIX output format to specify a delimited data file and the delimiters of that file. For example, you could set the delimiter to be a slash (/) so that data in the files is separated by a slash.
WebFOCUS |