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[SHARING] What are the advantages of moving to WF 8 ?
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Master
posted
I just had a discussion with the boss who has been holding on to the cheque to IBI for maintenance - because it pains him to death that all we (a small company) get from WF are about 20 ReportCaster jobs daily and have roughly 150 other reports.

We currently use WF 7705 and are thinking about upgrading to the latest version of WF 8.

He wants our salespeople to be able to create their own reports, although I have cautioned that if they don't understand the data (and they don't) they will get misleading results.

Our 7705 licence as I understand it, covers reporting, reportcaster and maintain (although we haven't used the latter at this point).

All of this is a long-winded explanation leading up to: Has IBI thrown in any additional features in WF 8 that come at no additional cost?

I think what we need is InfoAssist and probably Active Reports, but the cost last time I looked at Active Reports, is daunting.

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


WebFOCUS 7.7.05 Windows, Linux, DB2, IBM Lotus Notes, Firebird, Lotus Symphony/OpenOffice. Outputs PDF, Excel 2007 (for OpenOffice integration), WP
 
Posts: 674 | Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada ... In Focus since 1985 | Registered: September 28, 2010Report This Post
Expert
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you should be able to use InfoASsist now, and build your own Reporting Objects, and turn your sales force lose.
IA works nicely on windows, (not so hot on unix)
8 is a whole n'other ball o' wax, and only sales people are going to be able to spin 'advantages'. keeping your maintenance up tho is a good idea even if you don't go 8 , b/c you'll want to stay current with 7.n.
if you don't have a license for InfoAssist, by all means get one.
you might benefit from becoming friends with Francis Mariani, he's up in Toronto, and a genius.




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Expert
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I would bargain the Info Assist licence for the maintain licence.


Francis


Give me code, or give me retirement. In FOCUS since 1991

Production: WF 7.7.05M, Dev Studio, BID, MRE, WebSphere, DB2 / Test: WF 8.1.05M, App Studio, BI Portal, Report Caster, jQuery, HighCharts, Apache Tomcat, MS SQL Server
 
Posts: 10577 | Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Registered: April 27, 2005Report This Post
Expert
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see? genius!




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Expert
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My experience is that people don't want to build there own reports but get the data they want, and this is usually via parameterised reports.

The difficult part is to find out what they actually want/need.

Good luck


Waz...

Prod:WebFOCUS 7.6.10/8.1.04Upgrade:WebFOCUS 8.2.07OS:LinuxOutputs:HTML, PDF, Excel, PPT
In Focus since 1984
Pity the lost knowledge of an old programmer!

 
Posts: 6347 | Location: 33°49'23.0"S, 151°11'41.0"E | Registered: October 31, 2006Report This Post
Virtuoso
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What they really want is not to have to depend on some dusty guy in the basement (that's where we're located) to make their reports when they get around to it. After all, they need it now and how hard can it be? It's just a few numbers added up.

What they don't realize is that those same guys get them what they need (information) instead of what they think they want (data) and that they don't get around to making their own reports either.


WebFOCUS 8.1.03, Windows 7-64/2008-64, IBM DB2/400, Oracle 11g & RDB, MS SQL-Server 2005, SAP, PostgreSQL 11, Output: HTML, PDF, Excel 2010
: Member of User Group Benelux :
 
Posts: 1669 | Location: Enschede, Netherlands | Registered: August 12, 2010Report This Post
Master
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I'm very humbly aware that all of you - Susannah, Francis and Waz and Wep - are geniuses, and your suggestions are more than helpful.

I'd already thought about bargaining away the maintain licence, 'cause I build my datamart with MODIFY anyway.

I am a "I hate everything Microsoft" kind of guy, partly out of sheer bullheadedness, so we use Linux servers only, so the "not so hot on unix" gives me pause.

And Waz's and Wep's comments are EXACTLY what I think. Parameterized reports are the only certain way to make sure they don't do dumb things like adding pounds, kilos and units, or creating an average of percentages.

So what happens now is that they ask for a report and I churn it out in a couple of hours. I don't put every report on the menu, because in my experience they never want exactly the same report again. And when I do put reports on the menu with parameters, they either never use them, or still call me up because everything is a special case.

And WF is only part of my job (meaning I never get to become truly expert), because I am the entire IT department for our 50-person company - which nonetheless spans 5 countries and 2 continents.

The maintenance is a really difficult issue, because the boss was persuaded to go from Focus for Windows to WebFocus only because he thought it would magically do everything, without actually paying for expert programmers. And I don't have time (or the inclination, on my salary) to become tuly expert.

That's my rant for today ... I'll let you know how it goes...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: George Patton,


WebFOCUS 7.7.05 Windows, Linux, DB2, IBM Lotus Notes, Firebird, Lotus Symphony/OpenOffice. Outputs PDF, Excel 2007 (for OpenOffice integration), WP
 
Posts: 674 | Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada ... In Focus since 1985 | Registered: September 28, 2010Report This Post
Platinum Member
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I am curious what issues one has regarding infoassist on linux. we recently moved to linux and i need to plan accordingly as we intend tto roll out infoassit for limited usage with people who have appropriate technical ability.

I have other questions to regarding IA but ill save that for another thread.


809 DevStudio, MRE, Report Caster , Report Library
Output: Excel PDF, HTML
 
Posts: 171 | Registered: April 28, 2008Report This Post
Guru
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Hi George,
Well, we just moved to 803M in a controlled release. The benefit (I was told) is the added security and HTML 5. What we have found thou is a mess. Parameters are not getting passed from launch pages, so none of our existing reports work on 8. We have an open case on it right now. So I'm still developing in 7 and not using the 8 until this is fixed. I will let you know if this ever gets resolved and if my opinion of 8 changes.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MAdams1,


WebFOCUS Server 8.1.05
Windows 2008 Server
WebFOCUS AppStudio 8.1.05
Windows 7 Professional
IE 11 and Chrome Version 43.0.2357.124 m.
Mostly HTML, PDF, Excel, and AHTML
 
Posts: 272 | Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan | Registered: September 30, 2010Report This Post
Virtuoso
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quote:
Parameters are not getting passed from launch pages, so none of our existing reports work on 8.


That's rather... essential!

That's specific to the combination of InfoAssist on a Linux server as I understand it?


WebFOCUS 8.1.03, Windows 7-64/2008-64, IBM DB2/400, Oracle 11g & RDB, MS SQL-Server 2005, SAP, PostgreSQL 11, Output: HTML, PDF, Excel 2010
: Member of User Group Benelux :
 
Posts: 1669 | Location: Enschede, Netherlands | Registered: August 12, 2010Report This Post
Guru
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No, we are not Linux and not using Info Assist. Just plain html launch pages and fex's.


WebFOCUS Server 8.1.05
Windows 2008 Server
WebFOCUS AppStudio 8.1.05
Windows 7 Professional
IE 11 and Chrome Version 43.0.2357.124 m.
Mostly HTML, PDF, Excel, and AHTML
 
Posts: 272 | Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan | Registered: September 30, 2010Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
george, the issue with Unix was slowness. and i don't mean just a little slow...i mean deal-breakingly slow




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Virtuoso
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MAdams1

We are testing V8 and what we have found is you have to open the existing HTML in the V8 HTML tool and save it...then your HTML will work. If you are like us who have hundreds of reports this is not very practical. There should be another way.
 
Posts: 1903 | Location: San Antonio | Registered: February 28, 2005Report This Post
Guru
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Thank you Prarie. I will give it a try and yes I agree not practical and this should be easier.


WebFOCUS Server 8.1.05
Windows 2008 Server
WebFOCUS AppStudio 8.1.05
Windows 7 Professional
IE 11 and Chrome Version 43.0.2357.124 m.
Mostly HTML, PDF, Excel, and AHTML
 
Posts: 272 | Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan | Registered: September 30, 2010Report This Post
Guru
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The integration of LDAP is a huge advantage for us. We were able to allow users access to WF portals without having to add users to Webfocus itself.

It all is being managed by LDAP groups which our users already have assigned.


WebFOCUS 8.1.05
 
Posts: 496 | Registered: January 04, 2008Report This Post
Master
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Thanks Michelle, Susannah, and others... As a result, we won't be moving to V8 anytime soon !

Susannah - We are looking at Personal InfoAssist, not the full version that requires MRE. Do you have any experience with that? (I spoke yesterday with our IBI regional manager, and she says that in all of her years with IBI no-one has ever asked her about Personal InfoAssist, so she would have to look it up ! )


WebFOCUS 7.7.05 Windows, Linux, DB2, IBM Lotus Notes, Firebird, Lotus Symphony/OpenOffice. Outputs PDF, Excel 2007 (for OpenOffice integration), WP
 
Posts: 674 | Location: Guelph, Ontario, Canada ... In Focus since 1985 | Registered: September 28, 2010Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
Really?
quote:
the issue with Unix was slowness. and i don't mean just a little slow...i mean deal-breakingly slow
What can be done about this? More Power To The Box, Unix box that is?
 
Posts: 3132 | Location: Tennessee, Nashville area | Registered: February 23, 2005Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
There's a lot of infomation in the WebFOCUS 8 Migration Testing? post which explains most of the issues with WebFOCUS 8 Migration and Testing?
 
Posts: 3132 | Location: Tennessee, Nashville area | Registered: February 23, 2005Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
never heard of it




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
what we did about it here was go to BO




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Virtuoso
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Frowner

BO - What a distressing product.

Distressing - Adjective
Causing anxiety, sorrow or pain; upsetting.
 
Posts: 1903 | Location: San Antonio | Registered: February 28, 2005Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
Good One




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Virtuoso
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BO? We're nearly rid of that and our users are super happy with the reports we created for them to replace their many versions of their former BO reports.

They get their information a LOT faster now that they no longer have to wait for BO to start up and run its slow reports - our WF reports are more informative, better structured and a LOT faster. Admittedly, that's largely due to the fact that we use more efficient SQL than what was in those BO reports.

No way we'd be able to convince them to go back there :P


WebFOCUS 8.1.03, Windows 7-64/2008-64, IBM DB2/400, Oracle 11g & RDB, MS SQL-Server 2005, SAP, PostgreSQL 11, Output: HTML, PDF, Excel 2010
: Member of User Group Benelux :
 
Posts: 1669 | Location: Enschede, Netherlands | Registered: August 12, 2010Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
of course. you're on WINDOWS!




In Focus since 1979///7706m/5 ;wintel 2008/64;OAM security; Oracle db, ///MRE/BID
 
Posts: 3811 | Location: Manhattan | Registered: October 28, 2003Report This Post
Guru
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MAdams1:

Existing HTML Composer pages are expected to run from release 8. If they are in Managed Reporting, an MR Migration of all content is required of course. If you open a page in HTML Composer, the pathing and paradigm is converted to the release 8 structure and can be tested by running from the open UI. If you then save, the new pathing and paradigm are written out to disk. If a page has custom JavaScript or manual modifications, those pages may not run.

Since you have a case open, please provide the case number so that I may take a look at it.

Thanks.


David Glick
Director WebFOCUS App Studio
and WebFOCUS Developer Studio
WebFOCUS Division
Information Builders, Inc.
Direct (917) 339-5560
Voice Mail (212) 736-6250 x3560
Fax (212) 947-5168
Email david_glick@ibi.com
 
Posts: 315 | Registered: April 13, 2004Report This Post
Guru
posted Hide Post
Case number: 91992526 opened by my supervisor, Gwen. Thanks David


WebFOCUS Server 8.1.05
Windows 2008 Server
WebFOCUS AppStudio 8.1.05
Windows 7 Professional
IE 11 and Chrome Version 43.0.2357.124 m.
Mostly HTML, PDF, Excel, and AHTML
 
Posts: 272 | Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan | Registered: September 30, 2010Report This Post
Guru
posted Hide Post
MAdams1:

According to that case, CSS explained that it works for them in release 8003 and that "Gwen" is working on upgrading to 8002 and was going to test it there and get back to CSS. CSS reached out on August 21 and left a message since there was no answer.


David Glick
Director WebFOCUS App Studio
and WebFOCUS Developer Studio
WebFOCUS Division
Information Builders, Inc.
Direct (917) 339-5560
Voice Mail (212) 736-6250 x3560
Fax (212) 947-5168
Email david_glick@ibi.com
 
Posts: 315 | Registered: April 13, 2004Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
David, Can this be automated for those (of us) who may have hundreds+ html pages?
quote:
If you open a page in HTML Composer, the pathing and paradigm is converted to the release 8 structure and can be tested by running from the open UI. If you then save, the new pathing and paradigm are written out to disk. If a page has custom JavaScript or manual modifications, those pages may not run.
 
Posts: 3132 | Location: Tennessee, Nashville area | Registered: February 23, 2005Report This Post
Expert
posted Hide Post
According to David Glick,
quote:
Existing HTML Composer pages are expected to run from release 8. If they are in Managed Reporting, an MR Migration of all content is required of course.
So, in theory, all you need to do is migrate the programs. They don't need to be opened and converted. Only when they're opened, are they converted.


Francis


Give me code, or give me retirement. In FOCUS since 1991

Production: WF 7.7.05M, Dev Studio, BID, MRE, WebSphere, DB2 / Test: WF 8.1.05M, App Studio, BI Portal, Report Caster, jQuery, HighCharts, Apache Tomcat, MS SQL Server
 
Posts: 10577 | Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Registered: April 27, 2005Report This Post
Guru
posted Hide Post
We didnt have any issues with any HTML that was either migrated from WF 7 in MRE or on the server itself. Initial testing was fine.

Of course we identified "code tightening" but that is expected with each release.

I did how-ever, run into issues after the migration where I wanted to modernize the folder stucture. I had copied content from one folder to the other which caused html,programs to no longer work. IBI has now documented the process on how to cleanly modernize your structure.


WebFOCUS 8.1.05
 
Posts: 496 | Registered: January 04, 2008Report This Post
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