We are on UNIX and try to use variables whenever possible. A ReportCaster schedule is burst using a distribution file on UNIX. I would like to use a variable for the path to the distribution so we don't need to hard-code the path in each schedule. I tried setting a global WF variable &&WF_ITNAS and I tried setting a UNIX variable with 'export WF_ITNAS=. Neither one worked. It does not look like RC resolves the variables. Does anyone have an idea how to use a variable for the path to find the distribution file?

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

My signature file was old. We are one WF/RC 7.6.6. Thanks.

You can use a DYNAMIC distribution list(read up on that), rather than a fixed one. a Dyn list is a fex, makes an xml output.
but you're going to have to pass something to the list fex to determine the path, right?... and that distribution fex doesn't take a parameter from the schedule ... at least i've never thought of just concatenating an &var to the end of the pth/fexname in the distribution page.
hmmm.
what's 'Control-M' ?

You can also use UNIX FTP commands in your fex. You will get a "No Report to Distribute" from ReportCaster if you do this.

The variable I want is not the name but the environment. For instance, the path to where the output is written on our Prod server is /dwh/prd/app/tcs. On our Test server it is /dwh/tst/app/tcs. I would like the environment (prd, tst, dev) to be a variable so that I could set the value in 1 place on each server and not have to change it for each schedule. The output filename is static. We are not allowed to FTP to internal servers.

That sounds like a good idea for a new feature request. Bad news is that the product doesn't currently allow for that. The dynamic distribution list that Susannah mentions allows you to specify different servers, but the destination directory does not take a variable, nor is it acessible by a dynamic distribution list. It is either hard coded, or takes the default directory of the user name being used in the FTP process. Probably your only hope is to have duplicate jobs for Test and Prod, and either using different user id's (which have their default directory set to the desired location) or hard-coding the desired location (which seems like it would be harder to manage.)

Manually performing the FTP process, as Pat suggests, is probably the only other option, for now.

Bob
do you have 3 environments?... 3 servers, with 3 separate reportcasters running?
if so, do this:
1) in the edasprof, create a variable
-SET &&basefilepath = '/dwh/prd/apps/tcs';
where the prd bit changes for each server.
2) in your caster job, use a fex to create the distribution list (so, in setting upthe job, select dynamic distributionlist, and point to the fex)
and the fex looks like this:
FILEDEF MYLIST DISK &&basefilepath|/mylist.txt
TABLE FILE MYLIST
PRINT emailaddress AS VALUE
-* BY userid AS DEST
ON TABLE PCHOLD FORMAT XML
END
... the BY userid AS DEST is only if you're bursting
.... and for extra credit, see if you can figure out how you would create carbon copies for a burst list...

Thanks Susannah. I'll investigate that. If successful, I'll add a posting.