bipublisher Wiki & Documentation Rss Feed

Updated Wiki: Feature Roadmap

kevinidzi — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:10:20 GMT

I will leave it up to the community to determine the direction of this tool. There are some areas which would be interesting to move towards, as there are many scenarios that are rather tedious / manual for publishing reports currently.

PerformancePoint Target Location Redirection

Status: Feature in Tracker - on Radar

Currently, this tool moves PerformancePoint (PPS) Elements from the source to target retaining the same naming and structure as it came from. For some people, it might be useful to have the PPS elements moved with a suffix (or prefix) attached for side-by-side testing. And it might be helpful to have the linked reports be retargeted to point to different Libraries / folders within Sharepoint/PAS

This does not apply to Proclarity since the tool works directly on the reports. And it does not apply to the Excel Serivce direct updates since the target URL is included.

PPS Sql Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Support

Status: Feature in Tracker - on Radar

I have not worked with SSRS reports in my current work. If someone has and would like to work with me, we might be able to find a way to integrate support to allow redirecting the PPS Report's target server.

Deploying PPS Dashboard

Status: Method is known, time needed to code up solution

Currently, all of the elements are update, but if the dashboard itself is modified or components added/removed, it will need to be manually deployed. There are a string of Sharepoint Webservice calls when this happens to put the files at the target location and make it available. I'm thinking if instead of deploying, focusing on "Publishing" from PPS and then just make some more general elements in the config to copy files, or a folderful of files to SharePoint as-is, which would then work.

Updating Post-Deployed PPS Webparts

Status: Idea Percolating... needs a bit more research to link webpart with PPS element

Ever want to remove chrome on a webpart, or adjust the template externally (sharepoint site is secured from template modifications)? Then being able to adjust the webpart that PPS generates would be very helpful. Currently we are actually doing this as manual steps after we deploy (when we need to). It would be nice to use the Webpart ASMX to make adjustments as needed and remove the manual step.

Deploying PAS Reports

Status: Stalled - Would be nice, not sure how to continue

It might be helpful to have the tool actually take PAS reports from a source and deploy them on a target. In looking at this briefly, I have no idea how the Books are generated when sent to the server for an update, so any help would be appreciated.

Updated Wiki: Feature Roadmap

kevinidzi — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:09:47 GMT

PerformancePoint Target Location Redirection

Status: Feature in Tracker - on Radar

PPS Sql Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Support

Status: Feature in Tracker - on Radar

Deploying PPS Dashboard

Status: Method is known, time needed to code up solution

Updating Post-Deployed PPS Webparts

Status: Idea Percolating... needs a bit more research to link webpart with PPS element

Deploying PAS Reports (Would be nice, not sure how to continue)

Updated Wiki: Feature Roadmap

kevinidzi — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 22:32:24 GMT

PPS Sql Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Support - Where is it??!

Updating Post-Deployed PPS Webparts

Updated Wiki: Feature Roadmap

kevinidzi — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 09:35:13 GMT

PPS Sql Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Support - Where is it??!

PerformancePoint Input from BWSX Files

The tool currently reads from the source PPS Server. It may be helpful to specify a BWSX file in which the elements are read, and serialized into the needed objects to be used for updating and publishing.

Updating Post-Deployed PPS Webparts

Updated Wiki: How to Get Started

kevinidzi — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:40:23 GMT

Console Application

The releases will include a ZIP of the console application and supporting DLL. You will need to update the application config file.

There is a Word Document which highlights all of the syntax accepted and what the configuration options are. Use that to help craft what you want to do. There are also some sample configurations I've used when creating this tool which can be used to help guide you when you make your settings.

In the configuration, find the root node:

	<deploymentSettings>
		<deployment type="demo">
		</deployment>
	</deploymentSettings>

Open a CMD window.

Open the window as Administrator if using Server 2008 or Vista (option on right-click menu)

Start application from CMD window and enter the deployment type attribute as the parameter to the app. Ex: BIRAP demo

Use the messaging reported from the app to see how it is going. Any access issues or bad paths will be identifiable in the output.

.Net DLL Integration - BIPublish.DLL

The DLL packaged with the application provides different classes where you can work with the different targets and pass in strict values, if you do not want to use the configuration file.

BIPublish.DLL API Overview

Updated Wiki: How to Get Started

kevinidzi — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:39:35 GMT

Console Application

	<deploymentSettings>
		<deployment type="demo">
		</deployment>
	</deploymentSettings>

Open a CMD window.

Open the window as Administrator if using Server 2008 or Vista (option on right-click menu)

Start application from CMD window and enter the deployment type attribute as the parameter to the app.

Use the messaging reported from the app to see how it is going. Any access issues or bad paths will be identifiable in the output.

.Net DLL Integration - BIPublish.DLL

The DLL packaged with the application provides different classes where you can work with the different targets and pass in strict values, if you do not want to use the configuration file.

BIPublish.DLL API Overview

UPDATED WIKI: Sample Configuration Scenarios

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:17:58 GMT

NOTE: Currently, there is full documentation of all of the XML configuraiton accepted in the Word Documentation, and there is a config file provided with the project which uses all of the features. Use those for samples until they are migrated to Wiki pages.

Publishing Scenarios

Proclarity Analytic Services (PAS) Updates

Update Data Connections on PAS Reports

PerformancePoint (PPS) Updates

Add/Remove Users and Groups
Update data sources
Point to a different Sharpeoint site for Excel Service Reports
Point to a different PAS server for Proclarity reports
Make updates for specific PPS elements using PPS Properties

Excel Reporting Updates

Change an olap datasource to use a different Data Connection Library (DCL)
Update IDs for Proclarity Reports on a worksheet - Useful if IDs are exposed as Hyperlinks in a named range for PPS display.

UPDATED WIKI: BIPublish.DLL API Overview

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:10:14 GMT

API Overview of Public Classes

Actual parameters and values are all discussed in the word documentation file. There is a 1:1 with the xml declarative configuration, and the values below.

DeploymentManager

DeployConfiguration(DeploymentElement deployConfig)

If you want to not use a configuration file, you can use the configuration objects to serialize the configuration data into xml (maybe store in a database?) and then call this method to do all of the work. This might be interesting if someone wanted to make a GUI for setting the configuration :)

DeployUtility Classes

As new external touchpoints are used, a deployutility is created to manage the interactions for them. They all work in a similar way -

You instantiate one
Set the source and target servers/locations
Load from the source
Make transformations
Save to the target

OfficeFileDeployUtility

UpdateDataConnection(connectionName, newOdcLocation)
UpdatePasLookups(pasServerName, sheetName, columnPasPath, columnPasLibraryId, columnPasBookId, columnPasPageId, columnPasServer)

PerformancePointDeployUtility

UpdateSecurity(credential, role, action)
UpdateDataSource(sourceName, sourceServer)
UpdateExcelReportLocation(originalSharepointSite, newSharepointSite)
UpdateExcelReportParameters(paramName, newParamValue)
UpdatePasReportSites(originalPasSite, newPasSite)

ProclarityAnalyticServerDeployUtility

FindReport(pagePath, out loadedReportDetails)
UpdateDataSource(originalServer, newServer)

SharepointDeployUtility

GetDocumentLibraryId(listName)

UPDATED WIKI: BIPublish.DLL API Overview

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:09:47 GMT

API Overview of Public Classes

Actual parameters and values are all discussed in the word documentation file. There is a 1:1 with the xml declarative configuration, and the values below.

DeploymentManager

DeployConfiguration(DeploymentElement deployConfig)

DeployUtility Classes

As new external touchpoints are used, a deployutility is created to manage the interactions for them. They all work in a similar way -

You instantiate one
Set the source and target servers/locations
Load from the source
Make transformations
Save to the target

OfficeFileDeployUtility

UpdateDataConnection(connectionName, newOdcLocation)
UpdatePasLookups(pasServerName, sheetName, columnPasPath, columnPasLibraryId, columnPasBookId, columnPasPageId, columnPasServer)

PerformancePointDeployUtility

UpdateSecurity(credential, role, action)
UpdateDataSource(sourceName, sourceServer)
UpdateExcelReportLocation(originalSharepointSite, newSharepointSite)
UpdateExcelReportParameters(paramName, newParamValue)
UpdatePasReportSites(originalPasSite, newPasSite)

ProclarityAnalyticServerDeployUtility

FindReport(pagePath, out loadedReportDetails)
UpdateDataSource(originalServer, newServer)

SharepointDeployUtility

GetDocumentLibraryId(listName)

UPDATED WIKI: BIPublish.DLL API Overview

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:09:26 GMT

API Overview of Public Classes

Actual parameters and values are all discussed in the word documentation file. There is a 1:1 with the xml declarative configuration, and the values below.

DeploymentManager

DeployConfiguration(DeploymentElement deployConfig)

DeployUtility Classes

As new external touchpoints are used, a deployutility is created to manage the interactions for them. They all work in a similar way -

You instantiate one
Set the source and target servers/locations
Load from the source
Make transformations
Save to the target

OfficeFileDeployUtility

UpdateDataConnection(connectionName, newOdcLocation)
UpdatePasLookups(pasServerName, sheetName, columnPasPath, columnPasLibraryId, columnPasBookId, columnPasPageId, columnPasServer)

PerformancePointDeployUtility

UpdateSecurity(credential, role, action)
UpdateDataSource(sourceName, sourceServer)
UpdateExcelReportLocation(originalSharepointSite, newSharepointSite)
UpdateExcelReportParameters(paramName, newParamValue)
UpdatePasReportSites(originalPasSite, newPasSite)

ProclarityAnalyticServerDeployUtility

FindReport(pagePath, out loadedReportDetails)
UpdateDataSource(originalServer, newServer)

SharepointDeployUtility

GetDocumentLibraryId(listName)

UPDATED WIKI: BIPublish.DLL API Overview

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 22:08:56 GMT

API Overview of Public Classes

Actual parameters and values are all discussed in the word documentation file. There is a 1:1 with the xml declarative configuration, and the values below.

DeploymentManager

DeployConfiguration(DeploymentElement deployConfig)

DeployUtility Classes

As new external touchpoints are used, a deployutility is created to manage the interactions for them. They all work in a similar way -

You instantiate one
Set the source and target servers/locations
Load from the source
Make transformations
Save to the target

OfficeFileDeployUtility

UpdateDataConnection(connectionName, newOdcLocation)
UpdatePasLookups(pasServerName, sheetName, columnPasPath, columnPasLibraryId, columnPasBookId, columnPasPageId, columnPasServer)

PerformancePointDeployUtility

UpdateSecurity(credential, role, action)
UpdateDataSource(sourceName, sourceServer)
UpdateExcelReportLocation(originalSharepointSite, newSharepointSite)
UpdateExcelReportParameters(paramName, newParamValue)
UpdatePasReportSites(originalPasSite, newPasSite)

ProclarityAnalyticServerDeployUtility

FindReport(pagePath, out loadedReportDetails)
UpdateDataSource(originalServer, newServer)

SharepointDeployUtility

GetDocumentLibraryId(listName)

UPDATED WIKI: How to Get Started

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:58:36 GMT

Console Application

	<deploymentSettings>
		<deployment type="demo">
		</deployment>
	</deploymentSettings>

Use the value in the 'type' attribute as the parameter to the console application. When you do that, the app will run and perform the operations you specified in the configuration.

.Net DLL Integration - BIPublish.DLL

The DLL packaged with the application provides different classes where you can work with the different targets and pass in strict values, if you do not want to use the configuration file.

BIPublish.DLL API Overview

UPDATED WIKI: How to Get Started

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:55:03 GMT

	<deploymentSettings>
		<deployment type="demo">
		</deployment>
	</deploymentSettings>

UPDATED WIKI: How to Get Started

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:54:23 GMT

UPDATED WIKI: Home

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:50:17 GMT

Project Description
The BI Report Automation Publisher is a command line tool + .net library which provides a more automated way to move reports between servers/environments. Useful when using PerformacnePoint (PPS), Proclarity Analytic Server (PAS) or MOSS/Sharepoint

Background

This was made with publishing elements in PerformancePoint in mind, however, the following publishing scenarios are currently supported:

PerformancePoint
Proclarity Analytic Server
Excel 2007 file used for Excel Services

If you use Proclarity Analytic Server (PAS) and want to integrate reports with PPS (PerformancePoint), you will find there has been a focus in this tool to make it very seamless when switching servers. Including the ability to have a list of links on PPS that point to the PAS reports automatically updated.

About the BI Publsiher

UPDATED WIKI: Feature Roadmap

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:49:49 GMT

PerformancePoint Target Location Redirection

PPS Sql Server Reporting Services (SSRS) Report Support - Where is it??!

PerformancePoint Input from BWSX Files

Deploying PAS Reports

Deploying PPS Dashboard

Updating Post-Deployed PPS Webparts

UPDATED WIKI: Current Features

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:33:46 GMT

Current Features

PerformancePoint (PPS) Publishing

Moves elements from one server to another, adjusting server specific settings for related elements automatically including:

PPS Data Connections
Proclarity Analytic Server Report Links
Excel Service SharePoint Links
Excel Service Parameters
Add/Remove Credentials

Proclarity Analytic Server (PAS)

Update report page connection properties to redirect to a different SSAS server.

Excel Services

Dynamically change link to Office Data Connection file.
Provide a seamless way to create a list of Links to Proclarity Analytic Server reports

Configurability

Net configuration API is used, allowing flexible XML Configuration and validation.
Command Line tool execution, Output sent to tracelistener and is configurable.
Use MSBuild or WIX to inject properties into the Config file before execution, to truly integrate this in the build/deploy environment.

UPDATED WIKI: Current Features

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:33:17 GMT

!!Current Features
!!!PerformancePoint (PPS) Publishing
Moves elements from one server to another, adjusting server specific settings for related elements automatically including:

PPS Data Connections
Proclarity Analytic Server Report Links
Excel Service SharePoint Links
Excel Service Parameters
Add/Remove Credentials

Proclarity Analytic Server (PAS)

Update report page connection properties to redirect to a different SSAS server.

Excel Services

Dynamically change link to Office Data Connection file.
Provide a seamless way to create a list of Links to Proclarity Analytic Server reports

Configurability

Net configuration API is used, allowing flexible XML Configuration and validation.
Command Line tool execution, Output sent to tracelistener and is configurable.
Use MSBuild or WIX to inject properties into the Config file before execution, to truly integrate this in the build/deploy environment.

UPDATED WIKI: Current Features

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:33:02 GMT

!Current Features
!!PerformancePoint (PPS) Publishing
Moves elements from one server to another, adjusting server specific settings for related elements automatically including:

PPS Data Connections
Proclarity Analytic Server Report Links
Excel Service SharePoint Links
Excel Service Parameters
Add/Remove Credentials

Proclarity Analytic Server (PAS)

Update report page connection properties to redirect to a different SSAS server.

Excel Services

Dynamically change link to Office Data Connection file.
Provide a seamless way to create a list of Links to Proclarity Analytic Server reports

Configurability

Net configuration API is used, allowing flexible XML Configuration and validation.
Command Line tool execution, Output sent to tracelistener and is configurable.
Use MSBuild or WIX to inject properties into the Config file before execution, to truly integrate this in the build/deploy environment.

UPDATED WIKI: Home

kevinidzi — Fri, 02 May 2008 21:19:20 GMT

Background

This was made with publishing elements in PerformancePoint in mind, however, the following publishing scenarios are currently supported:

PerformancePoint
Proclarity Analytic Server
Excel 2007 file used for Excel Services