ReportCaster Configuration

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:

In the Distribution Servers folder, Max Messages per Task from Data Server limits the number of messages written to the log file. The default value is 1000.
In the Log Settings folder, Log Purge Period designates the number of days in which the logs will be purged. The default value is every 30 days.

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

In addition:

If the Distribution Server is running on Windows from the command line, then edit the schbkr file located in the ReportCaster bin directory.
If the Distribution Server is running as a Windows service, then use the Registry Editor to change the value of the JAVAOPTIONS registry key.

You must restart the Distribution Server to enable this change.

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 others 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 Failover or Workload Distribution, or both at the same time. 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:

Open the ReportCaster Console and click Configuration in the top pane.
Click the Distribution Servers folder in the left pane.
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.
Select the Enabled check box.
Enter the host name and port number of the Secondary server.
Click OK.
Click Save and then OK when you are prompted to save.
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:

Open the ReportCaster Console and click Configuration in the top pane.
Click the Distribution Servers folder in the left pane.
Click the button to the right of the Workload Distribution field.
The Workload Distribution dialog box opens, as shown in the following image.
Select the Enabled check box.
Click Add.
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.
Click OK.
Click Save and then OK when you are prompted to save.
Install the Distribution Server on each of the specified hosts with the specified port number for that host.

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.

Locate the SchedulePreferences.xml file in the \ibi\WebFOCUS80\config\caster directory. On UNIX, this directory is /ibi/WebFOCUS80/Config/caster.
Before you begin, make a copy of the file for backup purposes.
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.
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:
- By default, the Custom template is not applied.
- 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.

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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>

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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">

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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>

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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>

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. If the Distribution Server is being run as a Windows Service, modify the Windows registry by accessing

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\InformationBuilders\ReportCaster\WFXXXX 
\Parameters\Java

and adding the following to the Options string:

-Dfile.encoding=UTF8

where:

WFXXXX: Is the release number in which you are working.

Using the ReportCaster SFTP Key Generation Utility

How to:

Use the ReportCaster SFTP Key Generation Utility

ReportCaster includes a configuration utility for SFTP public and private keys.

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Procedure: How to Use the ReportCaster SFTP Key Generation Utility

Navigate to the drive:\ibi\WebFOCUS80\ReportCaster\bin directory and double-click sshkeygen.bat.

The ssh-keygen dialog box opens, as shown in the following image.
Set the output file to ibi\WebFOCUS80\ReportCaster\cfg\sftp_private_key.txt.
Enter a passphrase in the New Passphrase field.

The Passphrase strength field indicates the strength of the password entered.
Select the type of key.

The following image displays an example of a dialog box with all necessary changes made.
Click Generate.

WebFOCUS writes two files to the drive:ibi\WebFOCUS80\ReportCaster\cfg directory. These are sftp_private_key.txt and sftp_private_key.txt.pub. The file sftp_private_key.txt.pub contains the public key.
Install the public key (sftp_private_key.txt.pub) on your SFTP server.