Specifying the output file location

This topic describes how to set up the output file location on the local computer or a network share, and how to save a report to that location. Use the instructions based on the applicable operating system type.

To specify the output file location on Windows systems

1. From the Start menu, select Programs > BMC > Reports > IBM Cognos Configuration.

   Note

   If you want to save reports to a network share, ensure that you do not have "localhost" for the server name in the configuration. To check configuration settings, click Environment in the left pane. Change the configuration settings to either the host name of the server or the fully qualified domain name. Leaving the server name as localhost causes errors when you attempt to save files to a network share.
2. Click Actions > Edit Global Configuration to open the Global Configuration dialog box.
3. Select the General tab.
4. Locate the Archive Location File System Root field.
   
5. In the Value column, specify the absolute URI location used as the root for all archive locations using the file URI scheme. The URI must be in the following format: 
   • On the local computer: file://fileSystemPath
     The fileSystemPath variable indicates an existing file system location. For example, file://d:/Output

   • On a network shared location: file://\\share\folderName
     For example: file://\\IM-201\Share

     Note

     You must have read and write permission on the network share where you want to save your reports.

      

6. Click Test to test the archive location.
7. When testing is complete, click Close.
8. Click OK.
9. In the Explorer window, under Data Access, click Content Manager.
10. In the Save report outputs to a file system box, click True.
11. Save your changes in Cognos Configuration.
    Cognos Configuration validates several tasks.
    
12. When the tasks are complete, click Close.
13. Restart the Cognos service, as follows:
    1. If the archive location exists on the local computer, start the service from the Cognos Configuration.
    2. If the archive location exists on a network share, start the service with a service account instead of local system account, as follows. This service account should have at least read and write permission to the network shared location. 
       1. Click All Programs >  Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.
       2. Stop the Cognos service. 
       3. Right-click the Cognos service, and select Properties.
       4. In the Properties dialog box, click the Log On tab. 
       5. Select the This account option and specify the local account name in the following format: userName@domainName.
       6. Enter password for the account name.
       7. Click OK.
       8. Start the Cognos service.
14. Specify the location details for the file system in BMC Decision Support for Server Automation as follows:
    1. Access the BMC Decision Support for Server Automation portal.
    2. From the Launch menu, select IBM Cognos Administration.
    3. Select the Status tab.
    4. Click the System link in the left pane.
    5. From the All Servers list, select Services > Content Manager.
    6. From the ContentManagerService list, select Set properties.
    7. Select the Settings tab.
    8. Locate the Environment, Advanced Settings row and click Edit.
    9. Select the Override the settings acquired from the parent entry check box.

    10. Add the following parameter settings:

        
        

        The outputLocation variable specifies the path at which you want to save the report (for example, d:/output).

        
        

    11. (Optional) To specify a script, such as a .bat or .sh file, that runs after the report output is saved to the target directory, add the following parameter settings:
        
        

        
        

        The scriptName variable specifies the script name with the location of the script.

        
        

    12. Click OK.
    13. Select the Configuration tab.
    14. Click the Dispatchers and Services link in the left pane.
    15. Click Define File System Locations.
    16. From the bottom right corner of the Define file systems locations display panel, click New.
    17. In the New File System Location page, specify a name for the file and a folder in the file system root location (you can also provide optional information, such as description and screen tip).
        
        
        In the previous example, the name is Archive and the folder location is Sample. Note that the file system root location that you specified earlier in this procedure appears under File system root location. In this example, it is file://d:/Output.
    18. Click Finish.
    19. Restart the Cognos service from the reports server.

To specify the output file location on UNIX systems

1. Create a directory for your file system.
   
   

   Note

   Ensure that the directory is accessible and separate from the installation directory.

2. On the reports server, at the command prompt, type the following command:

   cd $BLREPORTS_HOME/portal/configuration

3. Edit the coglocale.xml file and search for the archiveLocationFileSchemeRoot parameter.
   The parameter entry looks similar to the following sample:

   <crn:parameter xmlns:crn="http://developer.cognos.com/schemas/crconfig/1/" name="archiveLocationFileSchemeRoot">

4. Edit the parameter to set the root for all archive locations in the following format:

   • On the local computer: file://fileSystemPath
     The fileSystemPath variable indicates an existing file system location. For example, if you want to save to /opt/home/bdssa_report, the parameter should be: file:///opt/home/bdssa_report 
     
   • On a network shared location: file://\\share\folderName
     For example: file://\\IM-201\Share

   <crn:value xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:type="cfg:fileURI">file://\\IM-201\Share</crn:value>

5. Save and close the file.

6. Edit the cogstartup.xml file and search for the outputCMReportToFile parameter.
   The parameter entry looks similar to the following sample:

   {{<crn:parameter name="outputCMReportToFile">}} {{<crbLvalue xsl:type="xsd:boolean">false</crn:value>}} {{</crn:parameter>}}

7. Edit the parameter to change the false value to true so that the parameter entry is modified, as shown in the following sample:

   {{<crn:parameter name="outputCMReportToFile">}} {{<crbLvalue xsl:type="xsd:boolean">true</crn:value>}} {{</crn:parameter>}}

8. Save and close the file.
9. Restart the Cognos service as follows:
   1. Navigate to the appropriate directory for your installation type:
      • (32-bit installations) BDSSAInstallationDirectory/Portal/bin
      • (64-bit installations) BDSSAInstallationDirectory/Portal/bin64
   2. Type the following command: ./cogconfig.sh -s
10. Perform step 14 as described in the previous procedure.

Where to go from here

Scheduling the report to save the output to the file location