PROBLEM:
We have some "standard" reports that accept some parameters (e.g. date range). We don't expect these reports to meet all customers' needs but they may meet some, and for novice users they are easier to use than InfoAssist (because the latter requires proper understanding of the data table structure).

To bridge the gap, we would like to enable a user to select a standard report and then open InfoAssist configured so that it produces the same results as the standard report itself (given the selected parameters).

Why is this useful? Well, if the standard report is somewhat close to the actual report the user wants (e.g. a column is missing, or some records need to be filtered out) it would be great if we helped the user by setting up InfoAssist for them, so that they can have a "running start" - they can create their variant without the need to start from scratch.

QUESTION:
Can InfoAssist be started with configuration parameters so that one can immediately Run the configured report, preferably using the QueryString? (Not just open a file with InfoAssist so that a needed report can be run, but open InfoAssist for ANY report that might be needed, with ANY set of parameters.)

By the way, the number of standard reports is of course finite (and even small), so a solution that requires us to create an additional file (using InfoAssist) for each standard report is fine. We just need to be able to configure the report parameters.

Have you looked into Reporting Objects?

Or InfoMini. InfoMini is a report you build in InfoAssist that packages the features of InfoAssist that you choose with the report. The report runs first (by default, depending on release you can configure this) and you can use Slicers to setup default prompt values and let the user even change them, add/remove columns, etc.

Check out the documentation: InfoMini Doc

Do "Reporting Objects" and "InfoMini" support localization? (We need our standard reports to be localized.)
I guess this is asking whether infoAssist supports localization, i.e. whether we can create a report with infoAssist that can be used by users all over the globe. We have access to http://infocenter.ibi.com/wf80...st/source/opener.htm and as far as I can see (in the Glossary) it does not mention localization.

Marc,
First, InfoAssist is localized in the same languages as WebFOCUS.

Chinese (Traditional Big-5 and Simplified GB)
English
French (Standard and Canadian)
German
Japanese
Portuguese (Brazilian)
Russian
Spanish

This means the UI's of WebFOCUS appear in those languages.

I believe you are really asking about the report itself. Our metadata supports column titles in multiple languages. So based on the language you use in WebFOCUS as defined above the user will see column titles in a particular language. There is currently no support for localized Headings/Footings. As for formatting of dates and whether to use commas or decimal (Continental decimal notation or CDN) you can apply settings in a Master File Profile. To properly advise you we would need to know exactly what you are trying to localize.

Regards,
Matthew