Book Image

IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook

By : Abhishek Sanghani
Book Image

IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook

By: Abhishek Sanghani

Overview of this book

Cognos Report Studio is widely used for creating and managing business reports in medium to large companies. It is simple enough for any business analyst, power user, or developer to pick up and start developing basic reports. However, when it comes to developing more sophisticated, fully functional business reports for wider audiences, report authors will need guidance. This book helps you understand and use all the features provided by Report Studio to generate impressive deliverables. It will take you from being a beginner to a professional report author. It bridges the gap between basic training provided by manuals or trainers and the practical techniques learned over years of practice. This book covers all the basic and advanced features of Report Authoring. It begins by bringing readers on the same platform and introducing the fundamental features useful across any level of reporting. Then it ascends to advanced techniques and tricks to overcome Studio limitations.Develop excellent reports using dimensional data sources by following best practices that development work requires in Report Studio. You will also learn about editing the report outside the Studio by directly editing the XML specifications. Provide richness to the user interface by adding JavaScript and HTML tags. The main focus is on the practical use of various powerful features that Report Studio has to offer to suit your business requirements.

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IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook
Abhishek Sanghani
Jun, 2010 | 272 pages
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Table of Contents (18 chapters)
IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook
IBM Cognos 8 Report Studio Cookbook
Credits
Credits
About the Author
About the Author
About the Reviewers
About the Reviewers
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Report Authoring Basic Concepts
Report Authoring Basic Concepts
Introduction
Summary filter and detail filter
Sorting grouped values
Aggregation and rollup aggregation
Implementing IF THEN ELSE in filters
Data formatting options: Dates, numbers, and percentages
Creating sections
Hiding column in crosstab
Prompts: Display value versus use value
2
Advanced Report Authoring
Advanced Report Authoring
Introduction
Adding a cascaded prompt
Creating nested report: Defining master detail relationship
Writing back to the database
Adding conditional formatting
Running difference: Negative values in brackets and red
New conditional styling with v8.3 onwards
Conditional block: Many reports in one
Drill-through from crosstab intersection
Overriding crosstab intersection drill-through definition
3
Tips and Tricks: JavaScripts
Tips and Tricks: JavaScripts
Introduction
Dynamic default value for prompt
Changing title of the dropdown box
Listbox: Applying Deselect All on rerun
Validating textbox prompts
Show/Hide prompt controls at runtime
Automatic selection and submission of values
Manipulating Date Time control
Variable width bar chart using JavaScript
4
Tips and Tricks: Report Page
Tips and Tricks: Report Page
Introduction
Showing images dynamically (Traffic Light report)
Handling missing image issue
Dynamic links to external website (Google Map example)
Alternating drill link
Showing tool tip on reports
Achieving minimum column width
Merged cells in Excel output
Worksheet name in Excel output
Conditional column titles
5
XML Editing
XML Editing
Introduction
Quickly changing drill targets
Copy-pasting drill link
Removing references to old package and namespaces
A hidden gem in XML—row level formatting
6
Writing Printable Reports
Writing Printable Reports
Introduction
Container size and rows per page
Eliminating orphan rows
Defining page orientation and size (also override for one page)
Avoiding page title repetition
Horizontal pagination
Choosing output format from prompt
Choosing right colors
Defining page set
Caution about HTML items and JavaScript
7
Working with Dimensional Models
Working with Dimensional Models
Introduction
List report or crosstab report
Filtering rows or columns
Filtering whole report
Adding prompt into slicer and its limitation
New feature for zero suppression
Level independent MUN for parent child hierarchy
Aggregation versus pre-aggregated values
RoleValue() function
Swapping dimensions using string manipulation
8
Macros
Macros
Introduction
Add data level security using CSVIdentityMap macro
Using prompt macro in native SQL
Making prompt optional
Adding token using macro
Using prompt and promptmany macros in query subject
Showing the prompt values in report based on security
String operations to get it right
Showing user name in footer
9
Using Report Studio Better
Using Report Studio Better
Introduction
Report Studio environmental options
Copy-pasting partial or full report
Copy-pasting whole reports—8.2 to 8.4 possible
Setting execution time out
Setting maximum rows limit
Handle slow report validation
Capturing query
Browsing values from data expression window
Page structure view
Pick-up and apply style
Grab them all practice
10
Some More Useful Recipes
Some More Useful Recipes
Introduction
Timing report execution
Missing value versus zero value
Over-riding data formatting defined in database
Conditional drill-through
Dynamically switching reports using iFrame
11
Best Practices
Best Practices
Introduction
Reducing number of query items
Highlighting hidden items
Relative path for images
Taming the JavaScripts
Customize classes for report-wide effect
Creating templates
Regression testing
Code comments
Recommendations and References
Recommendations and References
Introduction
Version controlling
Recommendation for prompt types
Cognos Mashup Service
Third-party tools for Cognos
Express Authoring Mode
CAFE
Cognos Go Office
Index
Index

Pick-up and apply style

We will see a very useful utility within Cognos Report Studio newly introduced from version 8.3 onwards.

Getting ready

We will use the same list report that we used in the last recipe for this.

How to do it...

  1. In this recipe, we will apply certain formatting to the list columns. Start by applying the following to the Product line column.

    Font: 12 pt

    Background Color: #FFFF99

    Border: 1pt solid lines on left and right. None for Top and Bottom.

  2. Select the Product line column. Hit the Pick-up Style button from toolbar.

  3. Now select Product type, Product name, and Product number columns from the list (by holding Ctrl key).

  4. Click the Apply Style button.

  5. You will see that all the formatting, font, background color, and borders are applied to the selected columns.

  6. Now again select the Product line column.

  7. This time click on the little dropdown (arrow) beside the Pickup Style button. Choose the Edit Dropper Style option.

  8. This will open up a dialog box with the style already filled in...

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