How To Deploya Command Center

By Adam R. Franz

What is a Command Center?

A single BQY file on the OnDemand Server used as a launching point for all or a series of BQY files that are also available on the OnDemand Server as well as possibly other reporting documents available on the OnDemand Server or on other servers. The Command Center is where the user is first directed to when accessing a suite of Brio Intelligence reports.

Why Use a Command Center?Simplifying integration with existing

applicationsReductions and eliminations in user

training timePlaying to your developer’s strengthsSavings

What Types of Users Should be Using a Command Center?Quickview Users – Full functionality with

little to no training neededFreeview Users – Serves as a menu for

preprocessed reports or can be modified for real-time data via a Broadcast Server

Insight Users – Launching point, news & updates

What is in a Command Center Parent Document? Main EIS screen – An EIS containing a list of

reports, actions, etc. Empty section(s) – Empty report and/or

results sections for export communication, file deletions, etc.

Queries – Queries used to retrieve possible limit values or repository information

Secondary EIS sections – EIS sections for setting limits, company news and updates, etc.

How are Child Documents Opened and Closed?Remember that the browser is the

controlling application for pluginsBeware of browser security features

when closing documents or opening documents that will need to be closed

Don’t be afraid to reload the command center

Example:Normally:

Open: OpenURL(myURL, “_new”)

Close: OpenURL(“javascript:self.close”, “_self”)

Problem:

Solution:

Open: OpenURL("javascript:window.open(\"" + base + "\");window.back();", “_self”)

Close: OpenURL(“javascript:self.close”, “_self”)

Helpful tip:

Open: OpenURL("javascript:window.open(\"" + base + "\", \"\", \"left=1300\");window.back();", “_self”)

How do the Documents Communicate?Session variables – Information is

passed via the URL from the parent document to the child document

File communication – Information is passed into and read from text files (or other files) by any document used in the deployment

What are Session Variables and Why Use Them?Variable names and values appended

to a URLAble to be read by BQY files opened

with an appended URLQuick and easy communication from a

parent document to a child documentAlready being used in Brio URL’s

Example:Base URL:

http://brio01/ods-cgi/odscgi.exe?Method=getDocument&Docname=%40%24%40%24290&JScript=Enable

Format:http://base_url/executable?Parameter1=value&Parameter2=value…

Append Parameters:…?Method=getDocument&Docname=%40%24%40%24290&JScript=Enable&Name=Joe&Wife=Jane&Kids=true

Read Parameters:var msg = “Hello “ + Session.URL.Item(“Name”) + “!\r\n”

msg += “I hope “ + Session.URL.Item(“Wife”)

if(eval(Session.URL.Item(“Kids”))){

msg += “ and the kids are”

}

else{

msg += “ is”

}

msg += “ well.”

Alert(msg, “Welcome”)

Results

Dynamic name Dynamic wife’s

name Dynamic inclusion of

kids message

Business Implications

Values can be passed for:Limits – Limit values to be used to filter

data in a child documentActions – Actions such as print, export,

save, etc.User information – Temp directory

location, temp file names, username, scripting support status, etc.

What is File Communication and Why Use It? Information written to and read from text

(or other format) filesAllows for numerous ways to write and

read information depending on client machine configuration

Allows for communication back to the parent document from the child document

Example 1 - Text Stream:Note: Text Streams are accessible via the FileSystemObject. This

object is only available if scripting support has not been disabled.

Write values to a text file:var fso = new JOOLEObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)

var txt = fso.CreateTextFile(“C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.TXT”)

txt.WriteLine(“Joe”)

txt.WriteLine(“Jane”)

txt.Close()

File BQCOMM.TXT then reads:Joe

Jane

Add more information:var fso = new JOOLEObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)

var file = fso.GetFile(“C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.TXT”)

var txt = file.OpenAsTextStream(8) // 8 is used to specify the iomode “ForAppending”

txt.WriteLine(“true”)

txt.Close()

File BQCOMM.TXT then reads:Joe

Jane

true

Example 1 - Text Stream (cont.):

Read values from the text file:var fso = new JOOLEObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

var file = fso.GetFile("C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.TXT")

var txt = file.OpenAsTextStream(1)

var msg = "Hello " + txt.ReadLine() + "!\r\n"

msg += "I hope " + txt.ReadLine()

if(eval(txt.ReadLine())){

msg += " and the kids are "

}

else{

" is "

}

msg += "well."

txt.Close()

Alert(msg, “Welcome”)

Result:

Example 2 – Import / Export:Creating the Export Section

Create a data file:

Import the data file:

Hide the single column:

Example 2 – Import / Export (cont.):Write computed columns:

var sec = ActiveDocument.Sections["CommExport"]

var cols = sec.Columns

cols.AddComputed("Name", "\"Joe\"")

cols.AddComputed("Wife", "\"Jane\"")

sec.Export("C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.CSV", 6, true, false)

File BQCOMM.CSV now reads:Name,Wife

Joe,Jane

Append file with additional value:ActiveDocument.Sections.ImportDataFile("C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.CSV", 2)

var sec = ActiveDocument.Sections[“BQCOMM.CSV”]

sec.Columns.AddComputed(“Kids”, “\”Yes\”)

sec.Export("C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.CSV", 6, true, false)

File BQCOMM.CSV now reads:Name,Wife,Kids

Joe,Jane,Yes

Example 2 – Import / Export (cont.):

Read values from the file:

ActiveDocument.Sections.ImportDataFile("C:\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\BQCOMM.CSV", 2)

var cols = ActiveDocument.Sections["BQCOMM.CSV"].Columns

var msg = "Hello " + cols["Name"].GetCell(1) + "!\r\n"

msg += "I hope " + cols["Wife"].GetCell(1)

if(cols["Kids"].GetCell(1) == "Yes"){

msg += " and the kids are "

}

else{

msg += " is "

}

msg += "well."

Alert(msg, "Welcome")

Result:

How Can Temp Files be Used in the Command Center?

Seamless display in non-BQY formats like Excel or PDF

Automatic attachments for e-mailingError loggingFile communication

Where are Temp Files Stored?

Finding the Temp Directory

From the FileSystemObject:

function findTempDirectory(){

var fso = new JOOLEObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

var temp = fso.GetSpecialFolder(2)

return temp

}

From the Windows Scripting Host:

function findTempDirectory(){

var ws = new JOOLEObject("Wscript.Shell")

var temp = ws.Environment.Item(“TMP”)

return temp

}

Where are Temp Files Stored (cont.)?Trial & error:

function findTempDirectory(driveLetter){var directory = null

var possible = new Array(6)possible[0] = ":\\TEMP\\"

possible[1] = ":\\WINNT\\TEMP\\"possible[2] = ":\\WINDOWS\\TEMP\\"

possible[3] = ":\\WINDOWS\\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\\"possible[4] = ":\\WINNT\\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\\"

possible[5] = ":\\"var x = 0

do{try{

var fullPth = driveLetter + possible[x] + "TEST.TMP"ActiveDocument.Sections["Empty"].Export(fullPth, 8, true, false)

directory = driveLetter + possible[x]x = 6

} catch(er){

x++}}

while(x < 6)return directory

}

Where are Temp Files Stored (cont.)?

Ask the user:function getTempDirectory(){

var xl = new JOOLEObject("Excel.Application")

var valid = false

do{

var inputVal = xl.InputBox("", "Specify Temp Directory", "Please specify a temp directory (Format as C:\TEMP):")

try{

ActiveDocument.Sections["Empty"].Export(inputVal + "\\TEST.TMP", 4, true, false)

valid = true

}

catch(er){

}

}

while(valid == false)

return inputVal

}

How are Temp Files Named?Naming conventions:

BQCC1.TMPBQCC2.TMPBQCC3.CSV

From the FileSystemObject:

function getTempFileName(){var fso = new JOOLEObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)

var filename = fso.GetTempName()return filename

}

Generated randomly:

function getTempFileName(){var fileName = “”

for(var a = 1; a <= 8; a++){var num = Math.ceil(Math.random() * 26) + 64

fileName += String.fromCharCode(num)}

return fileName}

How are Temp Files Removed?Deletion through the FileSystemObject:

function removeTempFiles(tempFileArray, tempDirectory){

var fso = new JOOLEObject(“Scripting.FileSystemObject”)

for(var a = tempFileArray; a.length > 0;){

var fileSpec = tempDirectory + tempFileArray[0]

var file = fso.GetFile(fileSpec)

try{

file.Delete()

tempFileArray.splice(0, 1)

}

catch(er){

var msg = “The command center cannot delete “

msg += tempFileArray[0]

msg += “ because the file is in use. Please close this file.”

Alert(msg, “Error”)

removeTempFiles(tempFileArray, tempDirectory)

}

}

}

How are Temp Files Removed (cont.)?

Overlaid with empty section exports:

function removeTempFiles(tempFileArray, tempDirectory){

for(var a = tempFileArray; a.length > 0;){

var fileSpec = tempDirectory + tempFileArray[0]

try{

ActiveDocuments.Sections[“Empty”].Export(fileSpec, 4, false, false)

tempFileArray.splice(0, 1)

}

catch(er){

var msg = “The command center cannot delete “

msg += tempFileArray[0]

msg += “ because the file is in use. Please close this file.”

Alert(msg, “Error”)

removeTempFiles(tempFileArray, tempDirectory)

}

}

}

What Else Can a Command Center do?

Launch and manage existing fully-functional documents

Launch pregenerated PDF, XLS and other files exported from a BCS

Generate BCS jobs by writing to the repository tables

Generate and use self-deleting temp files

What are the Limitations?

Your Own Imagination

The command center is what you make it. So make it efficient, functional, and

something you can be proud of!

Is This the End?

Only for now…

This presentation is based on the first in a series of white papers describing command center deployment, configuration and

techniques. There is more to come. For the latest updates on the command center series and what’s next contact:

Adam FranzIndependent Consultant

Phone: 603-661-6194Fax: 775-796-4665

E-mail: afranz@junglemate.comFan Site: http://www.adamfranz.com

“CODITO ERGO SUM”