[SOLVED] bursting to ftp distribution list with wildcards

February 28, 2014, 01:41 AM

Martin vK

I have problems getting a FTP distribution list with wildcards in ReportCaster working.
I have a report I would like to burst to several pdf reports and distribute through ftp.
As the burst values are somewhat dynamic and several reports need to go to the same destination I try to use a ftp distribution list with wildcards, but it is not working.

This is what I tried and what works and does not work.
If I switch off bursting and distribute to a single ftp file it works fine, so the ftp connection is working.
If I switch on bursting and distribute to email with a distribution list with wildcards it also works fine. I get emails with one or more attached pdf's just according to the wildcards.
If I try to burst and distribute to a ftp distribution list with wildcards, it only creates the index file on the specified ftp location (which is empty, only

 <HTML><BODY></BODY></HTML>

).
The ReportCaster log also only indicates "Index file distributed to index.htm", does not mention anything about the specific bursted reports and why they are not distributed.

It almost seems like wildcards in a ftp distribution list are not working.
I use following distribution list:

 Burst value         File
 [wildcard]:01*      Region01.pdf
 [wildcard]:02*      Region02.pdf
 [elsesend]:         unknown.pdf

If I use identical email distribution list it works fine. All bursted reports with burst value matching wildcard 01* are distributed to the indicated email address as multiple attachments to the email.
As attachment name in the email the burst value is used in combination with the file name indicated in the scheduled task.

Is it not possible to use wildcards with a ftp distribution list? It makes me also wonder what the filename would be. I would expect a combination of the burst value and the indicated filename in the distribution list, just like with email distribution.

If I do not use the wildcards and add a line to the ftp distribution list with a fixed burst value, then this is indeed distributed to the indicated ftp location/file.

Am I doing something wrong with the wildcarded ftp distribution list, or is it simply not possible?
I do want to use the wildcards as the burst values are somewhat flexible, and I want to use at least the [elsesend]: to handle the missing values in the distribution list not to miss out on any bursted report, especially as ReportCaster is not giving any error if you forget to specify a value.

Thanks for any help.
Martin.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Martin vK,

March 01, 2014, 05:45 AM

Martin vK

Hi Gerry,

Thanks for the confirmation. It is indeed better to update the documentation on this.
Somehow it is also logical that wildcards work with email and not with ftp distribution, as the wildcards give you with email the possibility to distribute one of the bursted reports to several email addresses if the burst value matches more wildcards. With ftp this multiple distribution is not possible.

In the meantime I have worked with dynamic ditribution lists and with the help of the documentation and some excellent past posts on this issue I got it working pretty fast. And this is also giving me plenty of flexibility as I do not have to work with fixed distribution lists, but can create them with the actual burst values in the report.

Martin.