Hi,

We have reports with parameters for example start_date, end_date. The user may or may not enter values. In 7703 the report works without any issue both from Adhoc and ReportCaster without any changes by leaving the prompts blank.

Recently we migrated to 8008 and the report works fine on ad-hoc with blank values. In Report Caster when no value is entered it is failing with an error 'A Value is missing for &START_DATE etc. To avoid this either I have to add a - DEFAULT &START_DATE = ''; in the FEX or in the Report Caster I have to manually enter space for the parameter in the parameters prompt.

Did anyone face such problems after migration? Any suggestions to avoid editing schedules or FEX files.

Thanks,

Rao.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: <Kathryn Henning>,

Hi Rao,

I see that you have an open case for this issue. Please let us know the outcome.

Thanks and regards,

Kathryn

Kathryn,

Here is the code that I sent to Tech Support for testing the issue. Followed by the response from Tech Support. The outcome is they suggest to update the reports to have a -DEFAULT.

------------Code sent----------------
Create a report with the below code and run it adhoc
either from the DevStudio or
from BI Portal ( report can be either on the server or on the client). Now
create a schedule for the same and
test it

Note: Not to enter any values for the prompt not even a space both as adhoc and
in reportcaster.

-*newfex.fex
-SET &CNT = IF &COUNTRY EQ '' OR &COUNTRY EQ ' ' OR &COUNTRY EQ 'FOC_NONE' THEN
'FOC_NONE' ELSE &COUNTRY;
TABLE FILE CAR
PRINT *
WHERE COUNTRY EQ &CNT ;
END

When no values entered i get report when ran adhoc but with no values the
schedule is failing with an error

"A VALUE IS MISSING FOR: &COUNTRY"

If I enter atleast space in the parameters tab in the schedule or add -DEFAULT
&COUNTRY = ' ' ; in the FEX
file only then the schedule is working .

In 7 the schedule is working without space or without -DEFAULT.

That is the issue I was talking about.
---------------Tech Support Reply-------------
Thank you for the code. As a rule ReportCaster is stricter with the code than
when creating the report interactively. While a -Set does allow the reports to
run, the proper way is to first declare the variable with -default (setting it
to an initial value). This can even be left blank. Subsequently -set can be
used to set a variable to a literal value or to one computed in an expression.
With the increase in functionality in 8.x ReportCaster and webfocus in general
has become stricter in its interpretation.

So while the 7.x code allowed it, technically the correct usage is as required
by 8.x and the code will have to be changed.