Creating Active Reports with Developer Studio

Adam Lotrowski
Information Builders
Information Builders Summit 2008 User Conference
June 2008

Author:Rado Kotorov and Adam Lotrowski

Company: Information Builders

Presentation Title:Creating Active Reports with Developer Studio

Presentation Abstract:Using WebFOCUS Active Reports, developers and BI managers can create highly flexible self-service reporting applications. This session gets you completely ready to develop Active Report and Active Dashboards applications.

Active Reports give business users freedom to perform analysis anywhere (online or offline), on any device (computer, PDA, phone, etc.). Since all of the filtering, sorting, and calculating is done in the Web browser, Active Reports never have to query the corporate network.

Active Reports can be developed as any other WebFOCUS report. You may also convert any WebFOCUS report into an Active Report.

WebFOCUS Active Reports - Portable Analytics:

Active Reports – whether delivered to a user’s desktop or mobile device – consist of data and interactive capabilities bound together in a single file. They are easily distributed to large numbers of users who can then perform common analytic functions such as sorting, filtering, calculating, and charting. There is no need for access to specific personal computers, proprietary applications, or network conduits. The unsurpassed, easy-to-use interface requires no training. What’s more, significant network cost savings are achieved when users work in disconnected mode.

Report consumers can manipulate the contents into diverse permutations on their own and forward these reports to other users without any network or device constraint, which improves efficiency and facilitates collaborative decision making.

Contents

Setup a report as an Active Report

Parts of an Active Report

Configure features of an Active Report

Format options of an Active Report

Explore the Active Report menu – Part I

Enable remaining menu options

Explore the Active Report menu – Part II

Setting Presentation styles

Exploring the Active Report chart

Appendix: Building the Tabular Report

Creating Active Reports with Developer Studio Page 1 of 4211/5/2018

Copyright © 2008 Information Builders

Setup a report as an Active Report

  1. Open the HTML Report template:
  1. In the projects area of Developer Studio:
  1. Lab files are located in the expanded Project Folder: Active Reports
  2. In the Procedures folder, right-click the procedure: OverAllSalesDetail.fex and select Edit in Developer Studio Tool

  1. Double-click the Report component
  2. Your report should look like the image below:

  1. Convert report to an Active Report:
  1. Click the drop-down list on the Output Format toolbar
  2. Choose the output format: HTML Active Report

or

  1. Select Output from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Output tab
  2. From the Select Format drop-down list, choose the Selected Format: HTML Active Report (AHTML)

  1. Save and run your report
  2. Your Active Report should look like the image below:

Parts of an Active Report

  1. Pagination feature:
  1. Click the pagination icon
  2. Navigate pages:
  1. Click the paging arrows, or
  2. Click the current page number link, enter new page number and click Enter
  1. Column heading menu options:
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of the Revenue column
  2. Access sub-menus by clicking or hovering over a menu option with a sub-menu icon
  3. Click Calculate and click Sum
  1. Cell value popup menu:
  1. Click any cell value
  2. Click Highlight Row
  1. Close the Browser window and return to Developer Studio

Configure features of an Active Report

  1. Access Active Report features:
  1. Select Features from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Features tab
  1. Turn on Active Cache:
  1. Enable Active Cache by clicking the check box to the left of Active Cache
  2. Set Number of rows retrieved to 200
  3. Click Apply, OK
  1. Save and run your report
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of the Region column, click Sort Descending
  1. In the Pagination section, click on the paging double arrows.
  1. Close the Browser window
  1. Select Features from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Features tab
  2. Disable Active Cache by clicking the check box to the left of Active Cache


  1. Turn on Calculations:
  1. Set the Calculation for Column Region to: Count Distinct
  2. Set the Calculation for Column Store Name to: Count Distinct
  3. Set the Calculation for Column Revenue to: Sum
  4. Click Apply, OK
  1. Save and run your report
  2. Your Active Report should look like the image below:
  1. Close the Browser window and return to Developer Studio

Format options of an Active Report

  1. Access Active Report formatting:
  1. Select Format from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Format tab
  1. Set Pagination options:
  1. Set Justification to Top Left
  2. Set Lines per page to 10
  3. Set Text color to White
  4. Set Background color to Custom:
  1. Enter either the HSL or the RGB color number:
  1. HSL Color: 146 – 120 – 172
  2. RGB Color: 147 – 172 – 219
  1. Click Add to Custom Colors
  2. Select newly added color from Custom colors
  3. Click OK
  1. Set Visualization colors:
  1. Set Negative to Red
  2. Set Positive to Blue
  1. Set Calculation options:
  1. Set Values color to White
  2. Set Background color to custom color created in Step 2d
  3. Set Location to Bottom row
  1. Set Menu options:
  1. Click the User Type Ellipse
  2. Uncheck Hide Columns
  3. Uncheck Export
  4. Uncheck Filter records
  5. Uncheck Charting
  6. ClickOK
  1. Set Font color:
  1. Set Text color to White
  2. Set Background color to Gray (80%)
  1. Set Menu color:
  1. Set Background color to custom color created in Step 2d
  2. Set Hover color to Gray (50%)
  3. Set Border color to Gray (25%)
  1. Click Apply, OK
  2. Save and run your report
  3. Your Active Report should look like the image below:

Explore the Active Report menu – Part I

  1. The Calculate option:
  2. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any numerical column
  3. Mouse over the Calculate menu option, click % of Total
  1. The Visualize option:
  2. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any numerical column
  3. Click Visualize
  1. The Show Records option:
  2. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any column
  3. Mouse over the Show Records menu option, click 5 Records
  1. Your Active Report should look like the image below:


  1. The Restore Original option:
  2. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any column
  3. Click Restore Original
  1. The Comments feature:
  2. Click any cell in the Active Report
  3. Click Comments, enter some text and click Add Comment
  4. Repeat Step a and b
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any column
  2. Mouse over the Comments menu option
  3. Click Hide Indicator
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the heading of any column
  2. Mouse over the Comments menu option
  3. Click Expand
  1. Close the Browser window and return to Developer Studio

Enable remaining menu options

  1. Access Active Report formatting:
  1. Select Format from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Format tab
  1. Set Menu options:
  1. Click the User type drop-down, select Business
  2. Click on the User type Ellipse
  3. From the User level drop-down, select Power
  4. ClickOK, Apply and OK
  1. Save and run your report

Explore the Active Report menu – Part II

  1. The Filter options:
  1. Filter based on cell value:
  1. Click the Audio Expert cell
  2. Click Filter Cell
  3. Click any Active Report cell
  4. Click Remove Cell Filter
  1. Filter on column value:
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Revenue column
  2. Click the Filter menu option
  3. Click Greater than or equal to
  4. Click next drop-down arrow
  5. Click the value $24,004.00(3rd item in 2nd column)
  1. Close the Field Value selection window
  2. Click Filter
  3. Click the minimize button in the Filter dialog window


  1. Toggle filtered calculations
  1. In the Pagination heading, click the Sigma icon
  2. Click to change calculation to Total
  3. Click to change calculation to Sub totals
  4. Click to return to both Total and Subtotal calculations
  1. Remaining filter features:
  1. Click the minimized Filter Selection window
  2. Click Add Condition, click Store Name
  1. Click the next drop-arrow
  2. Select Audio Expert
  3. Click Highlight
  1. Close the Filter dialog window
  1. The Chart option
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Profit column
  2. Click the Chart menu option
  3. Click the Pie sub-menu option
  4. Click the Region sub-menu option
  1. The Rollup option
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Quantity column
  2. Click the Rollup menu option
  3. Click the Store Name sub-menu option
  1. The Pivot (Cross Tab) option
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Revenue column
  2. Click the Pivot (Cross Tab) menu option
  3. Click the Store NameGroup By (Sum) sub-menu option
  4. Click the Product TypeAcross sub-menu option
  1. The Windows option
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in any heading column
  2. Click the Window menu option
  3. Click the Tabs sub-menu option
  4. Click on each tab created
  5. Close the Pivot tab
  1. The Hide option
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in the Cost of Goods Sold column
  2. Click the Hide Column menu option
  3. Click the drop-down arrow in any heading column
  4. Click Unhide Columns menu option
  5. Click Unhide All
  1. The Save options
  1. Click the drop-down arrow in any heading column
  2. Click Save Changes
  3. Click Save Report
  1. Select Save as from the File menu in the Browser window
  2. Select in the Save as type drop-down: Web Page, HTML only
  3. Click Save
  1. Close the Browser window and minimize Developer Studio
  1. Open saved Active Reports
  1. On the desktop, open the File WebFOCUS Active Report:
  1. Click security message in under the address bar of the browser window and Allow Blocked Content
  2. Click Yes to allow file to run
  1. Select Open from the File menu in the Browser window
  1. Navigate to the C: drive
  2. Select the file ARSave.html
  3. Click OK
  1. Close the Browser window(s) and return to Developer Studio

Setting Presentation styles

  1. Set Hidden presentation:
  1. In the Report Painter window:
  1. Click the column: Region
  2. Right-click within any red or blue square area
  3. Click Options
  4. In the Active Reports section enable Present Hidden setting by clicking in the checkbox
  5. Click Apply, OK
  6. Repeat i-v for columns: Store Name, Quantity, Cost of Goods Sold and Profit
  1. Save and run your report
  1. Close the Browser window and return to Developer Studio
  1. Set the Initial Presentation style:
  1. Select Format from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Format tab
  2. From the Initial Presentation drop-down, select Bar Chart
  3. Click Apply, OK
  1. Save and run your report

Exploring the Active Report chart

  1. The Chart menu button bar:
  1. Change the chart type:
  1. Click the Pie chart button
  2. Click the Bar chart button
  1. Change the calculation:
  1. Click the Sum button
  2. Select Max
  1. Add a new metric:
  1. Click the main chart button
  2. Select Add (Y)
  3. Click Profit
  1. Export to Microsoft Office:
  1. Click the main chart button
  2. Click Export to
  3. Select PowerPoint
  1. Double-click on the chart in PowerPoint
  2. Click: Edit Existing
  3. Close PowerPoint
  1. See chart stacked:
  1. Click the main chart button
  2. Click Stacked

Appendix: Building the Tabular Report

  1. Create a new report called OverallSalesDetail
  1. In the projects area of Developer Studio:
  1. Lab files are located in the expanded Project Folder: Active Reports
  2. Right Click on the Procedures folder
  3. Click on NewProcedure
  1. Name the new procedure OverallSalesDetail
  2. Select from Create withReport Painter
  3. Click Open
  1. Select the centurysales master file description
  1. Add columns to the report

From the Fields tab in the Object Inspector, double-click on field name or drag a field to the Report Painter window:

  1. Under Measures, add REGION
  2. Under Measures, add STORENAME
  3. Under DimensionsProduct, add PRODUCTTYPE
  4. Under Measures, add QUANTITY
  5. Under Defines, add COSTOFGOODSSOLD
  6. Under Defines, add PROFIT
  7. Under Measures, add LINEPRICE

** NOTE:Organizer the Object Inspector by right clicking with the Object Inspector pane and select:


  1. Sort and sum column values in the Report Painter window:
  1. Select the column: Region
  2. While holding the Control (CTRL) Key down select the columns:Store Name and Product Type
  3. Click the By button on the Columns toolbar to sort vertically (creating rows)
  1. Select the column: Quantity
  2. While holding the Control (CTRL) Key down select the columns:Cost of Goods Sold, Profit and Line Price
  3. Click the Sum button on the Columns toolbar
  1. Change the LINEPRICE’s column title (Line Total) to Revenue:
  1. Select the column: Line Total
  2. Right-click anywhere within the area of the red square
  3. Click Column Title…
  4. Enter the text: "Revenue"
  5. Click OK
  1. Add a page heading:
  1. Position the cursor in the page heading by clicking your left mouse button in the heading area
  2. Type the text: "Overall Sales Detail"
  1. Add subtotal calculations:
  1. Select column: Region
  2. Select Insert from the Report menu and select Subtotal
  3. Position the cursor in the subtotal by clicking your left mouse button in the Subtotal - REGION area
  4. Delete the text: “TOTAL”
  5. Type the text: "REGION TOTAL FOR"
  1. Select column: Store Name
  2. Select Insert from the Report menu and select Subtotal
  3. Position the cursor in the subtotal by clicking your left mouse button in the Subtotal –STORENAME area
  4. Delete the text: “TOTAL”
  5. Type the text: "STORE NAME TOTAL FOR"


  1. Style the report:
  1. Select Styling from the Report menu to open the Report Options’ Style tab
  1. Click the Style File Selection button to open theStyle File Selection dialog box
  1. Select an existing style sheet from the Choose StyleSheet Source drop-down list
  2. Select the style sheet: Professional Pastel Blue - (PROBLUE.sty)
  1. Click OK, Yes, Apply
  1. Filter the report:
  1. Select the Where/Iftab from the Report Options’ window
  1. Click Assist
  2. Double-click Country (Under Dimensions > Location)
  3. Select from the Logical Relation drop-down the value equals
  4. Select from the Compare Value drop-down the value Value
  5. Double-clickCompare Value
  1. Click the Data Source ellipse
  2. Select Dimensions, select Location, select Country, Click OK
  3. Double-Click on United States
  1. Click OK, OK, Apply
  1. Insert image:
  1. Select theImages from the Options’ Images window
  2. Click Browse to open the Open File dialog box
  3. Select the image: pwrbyWF_sm.gif
  4. Click Open
  5. Click Add
  6. Select from the Location drop-down listPage Footer
  7. Click Apply, OK
  1. Style the Page Footer:
  1. On the Styling tab, in the Background Coloring section, click the button Select Colors
  1. Click on White
  2. Click the button Select Borders
  3. Change the Top Border Width to OFF
  1. Click OK, Apply, OK
  1. Save and run your report:
  1. Select Save from the File menu
  2. Choose Run from the File menu or from the General toolbar, click the Run button
  1. Your report should look like image below:

Creating Active Reports with Developer Studio Page 1 of 4211/5/2018

Copyright © 2008 Information Builders