Managing Folders and Resources

Only administrators and users with the applicable roles associated to their user IDs may manage folders and resources in the repository. Various permissions may apply to particular folders and resources. The specific roles and permissions of the user determine if they can do the following:

• Manage Folders
• Manage Resources
• Copy or Move Folders or Resources
• Delete Folders or Resources

Administrators can create a folder structure if they have a Write permission. They can add and define resources before users start working on reports and dashboards. To learn more about setting permissions, see Setting Folder and Resource Permissions.

Manage Folders

Folders are organized into a hierarchical file system. As in a file system, the IDs of nested folders containing a resource define the path to the object. For example, the path to a report might be: /reports/samples/Freight. The path of every resource is shown under its name in the repository listing or search results.

Folders act as a virtual container, in which resources and other folders can be kept and organized. You can drag-and-drop items in folders, or you can use an item's pop-up menu to copy-and-paste or cut-and-paste. Folders must be moved one at a time, but multiple resources from the same folder can be copied or moved together. All folders, have an ID, a name, and an optional description. The following permissions are required:

• Read permission to copy a source
• Delete permission to move a source
• Write permission on the destination folder

Add Folders

Only administrators or users with a Write permission on a folder can create subfolders.

1.

On the XRA menu bar, click View > Repository.

2.

In the Folders pane, right-click a folder. Note: You must have write permission for the folder.

3.

Select Add Folder.

4.

In the Add Folder dialog, enter the folder name and an optional description. Note: An error message (SQL Exception) appears when a folder name or a combined nested-folder name (parent folder, subfolders, and files saved in them) exceeds the 250-character limit for a long file name (LFN). This can even occur if the LFN is close to the character limit, for example, 235 characters, and you then attempt to save a file with a long name (i.e. 35 characters) in the folder. The LFN (270) will now exceed the character limit (250). To avoid this, reduce the number of characters in the LFN to below 250.

5.

Click Add. The folder appears in the directory hierarchy. Sub-folders and their contents automatically have the same permissions as the parent folder. However, administrators can change the permissions. See Setting Folder and Resource Permissions.

Edit Folder Properties

Administrators or users with folder Write permissions can change its name and description.

1.

On the XRA menu bar, click View > Repository.

2.

In the repository Folders pane, right-click a folder, and then select Properties.

Note: You must have Write permission for the folder.

3.

In the Properties dialog, change the folder' name and description.

4.

Click Submit to save the changes.

Note: XRA copies the name of the top-level folder from the name of the organization. To change the name of the top-level folder, you must change the name of the organization.

Manage Resources

Resources are virtual components used to create reports, i.e. input control, data type, list of values. Resources are stored in folders. All resources, have an ID, a name, and an optional description:

Add Resource

When you add a resource, you use the resource's dialog to enter its name and resource ID as well additional values for the specific resource. Resources have different setup requirements, with some created from uploaded files and others defined by entering values in fields.

You add most resources in folders through the Add Resource menu item on the folder's pop-up menu in the repository. New resources automatically adopt the same permissions as the folder you add them to. However, administrators can change the permissions. See Setting Folder and Resource Permissions.

1.

On the XRA menu bar, click View > Repository.

2.

In the repository Folders pane, right-click a folder.

.Note: You must have write permission for the folder or resource.

3.

Move the cursor to Add Resource, and select a resource from the sub menu.

• Datatype. Define the format of a single-value input control, such as text or a number, that a user can enter in a field, see Add Datatype.
• File. Select a file type from the sub menu: Content Resource, Font, Image, JRXML, see Add File.
• Input Control. Define values users may enter for a report and how the input field displays (check box or radio button) see Add Input Control.
• JasperReport: When you run a report, it displays the report's columns and values in the interactive report viewer. see Add Jasper Report.
• Content Resources. Generated objects created by report generating services, which produce PDF and XLS output, see Add File.
• List of values. Define a list of values for single-select or multi-select input labels. Each label links to a value that filters the report when it runs, see Add List of Values.
• Query. Configure a database query string, see Add Query.

Edit or View Resource Properties

1.

Click a folder; resources are listed in the Repository pane to the right.

2.

Right-click a resource in the repository or from search results.

3.

Either:

Click Edit or right-click and select Edit. An Edit <name of resource> dialog opens similar to the same dialog that was used to define the resource.

OR

From the context menu, select Properties... .

4.

(Optional) Edit the name and description of the resource.

5.

Update values that define the resource.

6.

(Optional) Copy the resource path repository URI for export.

7.

Click Submit.

Notes:

• You can modify the name or description of the resource, but not its ID. If you must remove an ID, you need to create a new, similar resource and delete the old one.
• You cannot change the location of the resource. Some dialogs for editing a resource include the saved location, but the field is for information only. To change the location of the resource, see Copy or Move Folders or Resources.
• For file resources, you cannot see the name of the file that was uploaded, nor in most cases download and view the contents of the file. Your only option is to upload a new file to replace the old one.

Copy or Move Folders or Resources

1.

On the XRA menu bar, click View > Repository.

2.

In the repository Folders pane, click a folder to expand it.

Note: Look to the right in the Repository pane for a list of resources.

3.

Select an item to be copied or moved. You cannot create a copy of an item in the same folder.

4.

Right-click the item and select Copy. If the Cut command does not appear in the menu, it means you do not have the delete permission required to move the object.

Note: To select multiple items, use Control+click or Shift+click.

5.

Right-click the destination folder, and then select Paste.

Note: If the Paste command does not appear in the menu, you do not have the required Write permission.

Notes:

• Alternatively, you can move the selected resource or folder by dragging it to the destination folder. To copy an item, press the Control key before clicking and dragging an item. Again, you must have the correct permission to copy and move items.
• Moved or copied folders and resources inherit the permissions from the destination folder in which they are placed. They do not retain their original permissions unless you reset the permissions again.
• See Setting Folder and Resource Permissions.

Delete Folders or Resources

1.

On the XRA menu bar, click View > Repository.

2.

In the repository Folders pane, browse or search for the relevant folder or resource. Note: To select multiple items, use Control+click or Shift+click.

3.

Right-click the folder or resource and select Delete.

Notes:

• If you have a Delete permission on a folder or resource, you can delete items from the repository.
• To delete a folder, you must have a Delete permission on all the resources and folders in that folder.
• You can delete multiple resources at the same time, but you can only delete a single folder and its subfolders.
• You cannot undo a deletion of folders or resources. If a resource is referenced by another resource, you cannot delete a resource; for example, a report may reference an input type. You must either remove the reference from the resource or delete the resource that references the item you want to delete.