Load and Unload Reports

The Load/Unload feature of CDD allows you to move reports from database to database. This means that a report created by one user can be "ported" to another location, applied to the same database in that location and executed by a second user.

First, CDD reports are unloaded, meaning that the report along with its Information Category are stored in a data file.

Unloaded reports can then be loaded in the new location. Typically, this new location will either be a different database connection at the same site, or a different database connection at a different site.

The Load/Unload feature is useful when one report is to be run from more than one location. For example, many clients have opted to have custom reports developed by BusinessPlus. CDD Developers will typically create these reports using a database internally accessible until the report is ready to be tested by the Client. When "unloaded," these reports can be sent to the end user who can in turn "load" them onto the database at their site.

To access the Load/Unload feature, select Tools > Load/Unload from the main CDD menu. You will be given the option to either Load or Unload a report. Also, it is important to remember that access to the Load/Unload feature can be granted or denied based on the user's Security Roles. (See the System Administrator Guide for more information on Security Roles.)

Unloading CDD Reports

When the Unload menu option is selected, the Unload Wizard is activated.

Select the report(s) to unload. Checking the box to the left of a Report ID will add that report to the list of reports to be unloaded. A range of reports can be checked at once by left-clicking the first report in a desired group, holding down the shift key, selecting the last report in the group and clicking the checkbox of any item in the selected group. Similar steps can be used with the control key to select different reports throughout the list or to un-select reports in the group prior to using the checkbox. (It is not required to select a report. If the intent is to create an unload file with data other than Report designs, the Next button can be selected to move on to the next step of the process.)
Click Next.
Select scriptlet(s) to unload. By default, the Unload Wizard will select Scriptlets associated with reports selected in the previous page. Any additional Scriptlets can be checked and included in the process as well. If the user does not wish to unload the selected scriptlets, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the scriptlets and un-checking anyone in the group.
Select categories to unload. By default, the Unload Wizard will select categories associated with reports selected in the Report page. Any additional categories can be checked and included here. If the user does not wish to unload the selected sategories, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the categories and un-checking anyone in the group.
Select tables to unload. By default, the Unload Wizard will select tables associated with categories selected in the previous page. Any additional tables can be checked and included here. If the user does not wish to unload the selected tables, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the tables and un-checking anyone in the group.
Select the file and location to use in the unload process. The button to the right of the Load File edit box will open the File Dialog and allow the user to select the directory and file name of their choice. If a file name is entered that does not already exist in that directory, the file will be created by the process and the desired items loaded into it. If an existing load file is selected, the contents of that file is increased to include the items selected by this process. It is important to remember that items unloaded with the same name (Report ID, etc.) will replace the version already in the file.
Click Finish to start the unload process. A status bar indicated the progress
When the process is complete, the Unload Wizard will close and return control of CDD to the user.

Loading CDD Reports

When the Load menu option is selected, the Load Wizard is activated:

Select the load file. The button to the right of the Load File edit box will open the File Dialog and allow the user to select the directory and file name the desired load file. The native file format for the Load Wizard are files with the ".czf" (CDD Zip Format) file extension. Note that the Load Wizard will only prompt for items that are actually found in the file.
If the Load File contains report designs the next step in the process allows the user to select the CDD Report Designs desired. By clicking the checkbox to the left of any Report ID will add that report to the list of reports to be loaded. A range of reports can be checked at once by left-clicking the first report in a desired group, holding down the shift key, selecting the last report in the group and clicking the checkbox of any item in the selected group. Similar steps can be used with the control key to select different reports throughout the list or to un-select reports in the group prior to using the checkbox. (The user is not required to select any reports at all. If the intent is to not load any of the reports in the load file, the Next button can be selected to move on to the next step of the process.)
Click Next.
If the user selected one or more reports from the previous step, they will be prompted for the desired location of the reports. This will assign all selected reports in the file to the selected folder.
Select scriptlets to load. By default, the Load Wizard will select scriptlets associated with reports selected in the report page. Any additional scriptlets desired can be checked and included here. If the user does not wish to load the selected scriptlets, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the scriptlets and un-checking anyone in the group.
Select categories to load. By default, the Load Wizard will select categories associated with reports selected in the Report page. Any additional categories desired can be checked and included here. If the user does not wish to load the selected categories, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the categories and un-checking anyone in the group.
Select destination folder for categories selected in the previous step. This will assign all selected reports in the file to the selected folder.
Select tables to load. By default, the Load Wizard will select tables associated with categories selected in the category page. Any additional tables desired can be checked and included here. If the user does not wish to load the selected tables, they can either be un-selected individually or grouped and unselected by holding down the control key, selecting the tables and un-checking anyone in the group.
Click Finish to start the load process.
When the process is complete the Load Wizard will close and return control of CDD to the user.

Load Conflicts

When the Load Wizard attempts to load a Report, Scriptlet, Category or Table from the file into the database it first checks to see if that item already exists. If it does, the user must make a decision on how to resolve the conflict. For each conflict, the user has the option to either apply the decision to just that Item or apply that decision to all items of the same type. Once the "Apply to All" is selected, the decision selected will be used for all other conflicts for that type of item without prompting the user.

Report Conflict

If the report being loaded has the same Report ID as one already in the database, the user will be prompted with one of three options.

Keep — Skips that Report from the Load File and continue on to the next item in the list.
Replace — Replaces the version in the system catalog with the one in the Load File. Note: requires Delete and Write permission on "CDD Reports" in Functional Security. (See System Administrator for more information on Security Roles.)
Rename — Allows the user to select a Report ID not already in use in the system catalog and change the Load File's version to use a new Report ID. After the load process the new Report ID can be opened and saved. The user will also be informed that they have opened a renamed report the next time the report designed is opened. Note: requires Write permission on "CDD Reports" in Functional Security.

Scriptlet Conflict

If the Scriptlet being loaded has the same ID as one in the system catalog, the user will be prompted for one of two options:

Keep — Skips the Scriptlet from the Load File and continue on to the next item in the list.
Replace - Replaces the version in the system catalog with the one in the Load File.

Category Conflict

If the Category being loaded has the same ID as one in the system catalog, the user will be prompted for one of two options:

Keep — Skips the Category from the Load File and continue on to the next item in the list.
Replace — Replaces the version in the system catalog with the one in the Load File. Note: requires Delete and Write permission on "Information Categories" in Functional Security.

Table Conflict

If the Table Definition being loaded has the same name as one in the catalog and differs significantly, the user will be prompted for one of three options.

Keep — Skips the table in the Load File and continue on to the next item in the list.
Replace — Replaces the version in the system catalog with the one in the Load File. Note: requires Delete and Write permission on "Table Definitions" in Functional Security.
Merge — Compares the version in the system catalog and the one in the Load File and add any columns found in the new version that are not already in the system catalog. The "Details" button can be clicked to view the difference between the two versions. Note: requires Update permission on "Table Definitions" in Functional Security.