Is there any way to paramartize the IBFS: reference for includes (et al)... The IBFS reference seems to be the requirement for referencing an object in the contents area (vs on the data server)

When I try to parametrize it, like this:
-SET &LOC = 'TEST';
-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/&LOC/fs_properties.fex

I get this error:
Names cannot contain any of the following characteres: Space&*()|:;",?/"

The challenge is that as we promote code from one diretory to another (in the contents area)..we have to remember to go in and physically change that all the directory reference (in this case TEST) for the -INCLUDES/HTMLFORMS etc.

I know I would then have to figure out a way to set the &LOC so it knows from where the code is running..but I believe the SE said that is possible in the profile execution..so I would have a value knowing the relative run area.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance
Wm

This message has been edited. Last edited by: W Kassebaum,

Does this work?

-SET &LOC = 'TEST';
-SET &IBFS='-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/' | &LOC.EVAL | '/fs_properties.fex';
&IBFS.EVAL

I tried to run this...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-SET &LOC = 'TEST';
-SET &IBFS='-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/' | &LOC.EVAL | '/fs_properties.fex';
&IBFS.EVAL

-TYPE &DATA_LOCATION.EVAL
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(&DATA_LOCATION is in fs_properties.fex)

a. it stopped throwing the error (goood)
b. it did not do the include for fs_properties.fex (bad) so, at run time, it prompted for DATA_LOCATION.

I don't think that technique (which was a very good idea and something I had not thought of) does not appear to work in the contents area. I'm sure the equivalent would work on the reporting server.

thanks for the thoughs.

wm

Just to make sure I understand, what happens if you hard code the value in the -INCLUDE? Does it run if you say:

-INCLUDE IBFS:/WFC/Repository/TEST/fs_properties.fex
-TYPE &DATA_LOCATION.EVAL

I have found absolutely ZERO documentation on how to use -INCLUDE in fexes in the Repository.

I assumed that if the fexes are in the same folder, you would not have to specify the path, but I am wrong.

But where is the documentation? The "Managed Reporting 8.0.08" (wfmr_intro.pdf) doc is an example of minimalism.

Amazingly, a search result provides this v7.6.1 link:

http://documentation.informati...v/source/topic27.htm

You can't parameterise the INCLUDEs in v8x.

As I understand it, with the fex's stored in a DB, there is a preprocessor that collects all the fex's and passes them to the reporting server for execution. This process does not support variables.

This does not work. I think when V8 came there where couple of posts regarding this.

But this does not work because of the execution order. Variables are assigned values after the initial parse where includes are gathered.

Thanks everyone.. Waz's and SSander's insights were what I was expecting..but I wanted to be sure.

Maybe/Hopefully they enhance this preprocessor to handle variables..but we'll see. I dont know if a NFR has been submitted for this functionality.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughtful responses.

Wm

Wm, you should put in the NFR, can't hurt, and you should find out if someone else has asked as well.

Als0, please edit your first post in this thread and add [SOLVED] or [CLOSED], etc to indicate the answer you got.