True thin
client solution: report design and execution are performed using a web browser, does not require installation or download of any components
to client computer
Server-side components run on Windows Servers
Database-based
central repository (report definitions), implemented using Microsoft
SQLServer or SQLServer Express
Multi-platform design and
use: reports may be designed and executed using major web browsers from
various operating systems
Reports may be optimized for running
on mobile devices
Side-by-side deployment of multiple instances of Arnica WebReport modules on the
same server
Scalability by distributing workload against multiple Arnica WebReport modules
deployed on multiple servers in a web farm environment
Database
access account name and password may be pre-configured in design
environment and used by multiple reports
No
deployment required for reports
Compatibility
with portals, both prompted parameters page and report output may be
presented in a portlet on a portal container page
Data Sources
Request types:
Connect
string
ODBC data source
Adhoc queries
Queries against tables and views
Queries against stored procedures
Data from file
Data
generated by script
Data posted to report as XML
Data
retrieved via web request (GET)
Data retrieved via web request with posted XML (POST)
Data retrieved via web request with posted HTML form data (POST)
Supported
databases:
Microsoft SQLServer
Oracle
MySQL
Microsoft
Access
IBM DB2
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Access
DBF
files
XML files (element based)
XML files (attribute based)
ODBC data source
Activity Logging, Debugging and Tracing
Activity
logging - successful report execution events, access denied events,
failed authentication events, report meta data update events, system
failure events and others, with additional data captured per event, such
as date and time, user identity, report identity, time taken, browser
signature, etc. Activity data is captured in a database repository from
multiple report modules and servers for central analysis and monitoring
Report
module tracing with various levels of detail: SQL query
execution, web request results, internal expression evaluation results,
call stack information, time taken per trace event, etc.
Error
logging with configurable output: to error log file, to browser
window or to database repository. Error events captured in database
repository from multiple report
modules and servers may be centrally analyzed, monitored and further
distributed via email to support staff.
Filters
Intelligent
filter implementation: send with the query to data tier, or apply
locally in middle-tier against retrieved result set, based on the
query type
Various filter operator options: =, >, <,
=>, <=, <>, NOT, IN, LIKE
Filter operator
presets for character data: Starts With, Includes
Filters in
adhoc queries using evaluatable expressions
Record condition
script-based filter
Meta Data Repository Multiple Reports Actions
Meta data search
Mass-updates
Multiple report import
Multiple report export
Database
API to access meta data in read and update mode
Templates
Separate
templates for various atomic parts of the report:
Report
output page template
Report prompt page template
Report
dialog page template
Report help page template
Report
header and footer content template
Data table caption template
Column
caption template
Data group header and footer template
Report
total footer template
Report template, which accumulates
templates for all atomic report parts in one entity, may be
shared between multiple reports
Save report as report template
to instantly create reusable entity
Access Control
Zero-programming
effort access control via integration with Arnica UnifiedLogon:
Identification
Authentication
Authorization
Single
sign-on
Access to individual users
Access to user groups
Access to individual reports
Access to report
groups
Access control events in activity log (for example to
monitor access violation events)
Programmatic access control by using any .NET authentication and authorization techniques on report initiator ASP.NET page
Data Management
Adhoc
single column sorting: ascending, descending, by click on column
Adhoc
single column data grouping: ascending, descending, by click on column
Composite
sorting by inclusion of multiple columns in sort definition
Composite
data grouping by inclusion of multiple columns in group
definition
Present report with no grouping
Present
report with grouping headers and footers and detailed records within each
group
Present report with grouping headers and footers only,
hiding detailed records
Wizards
Create completely functional
reports from adhoc query
Create report filters and prompted
parameters based on existing columns
Aggregate Calculations
Aggregate
calculation per data group, per column
Aggregate calculation
for entire report, per column
Aggregate calculation types:
Maximum
Minimum
Average
Sum
Serialization
Prompted Parameter Features
Automatic
or mandatory prompt page
Different styles for prompt and report output pages
Custom header and footer content on prompt
page
Custom labels for prompt page parameters
Adjustable
sequence of prompted parameters
Expression-based initial values
for prompted parameters
Prompted parameters with mandatory and
optional user input
Prompted parameter values may be presented as
drop-down list of predefined values or set of values retrieved
dynamically from real-time SQL query
Conditional display for
selected prompted parameters
Styles
Report uses customizable templates to
present its pages; templates may incorporate style solutions as in
any other HTML page: using CSS, inline style, attribute-based styles
General-purpose
default CSS is included with Arnica WebReport; the CSS may be further
customized to incorporate any style requirements
Shared CSS is
referenced by configuration.ini file and is used by all reports
Private
CSS may be specified per individual report
All style
descriptions use standard CSS and HTML language techniques
WebReport
supports conditional column cell formatting (color, font, background, etc.) based on current data
record values
HTML printing,
with intelligent page breaks, and specification of page range
Column Hyperlink Feature (Drill Down or Drill Up)
Column hyperlink may be enabled by checking property "Hyperlink" at design time
Click
on hyperlink engages server-side logic, which may be one of following:
Execute
web request and display content
HTTP redirect
Display
content saved with hyperlink definition
Display content from
file
Execute script and display result or redirect to specified
location
Toolbars
Arnica WebReport provides standard toolbars
and ability to create custom toolbars
Toolbars may be displayed
above or below report data table, both
Custom toolbars may be created and displayed separately on output page and prompt page
Custom
toolbars may include multiple rows with multiple toolbar items
Each
toolbar item may be presented as a hyperlink or a button
Click
on a toolbar item engages server-side logic, which may be one of
following:
Execute web request and display content
HTTP
redirect
Display content saved with toolbar item definition
Display
content from file
Execute script and display result or redirect
to specified location
Batch Actions
Batch action execution against selected records
Batch action is executed server-side in the data context of each selected
record
Batch action may be one of following:
Web request
Script, including database queries
Report provides users with client-side tools to select one or many records in the
report, including from multiple pages, then select one of the predefined batch
actions for execution
Report designer may implement multiple batch actions per report
Business Rules
Business rule is a set of actions pre-defined by report designer, which may be executed at different stages of report instance life cycle:
Before data load
After data load
Before batch actions
After batch actions
Business rule may analyze existing data, acquire additional data, and change
report execution workflow, including canceling current execution and redirecting
to another report
Business rules are server-side actions and may be implemented as:
Web request
Script, including database queries
Report Customization by End Users
Report includes optional features to allow end users to customize report
presentation from what was predefined by report designer
Possible customization options are:
Hide or display columns
Change columns position
Hide or display prompted parameters (filters)
Export Types
By default, report is rendered as HTML output; report data may be exported to following formats:
Microsoft Excel (binary legacy format)
Microsoft Excel (SpreadsheetML format)
PDF (requires additional components)
XML (element based)
XML (attribute based)
Text (CSV format)
Application Programming Interface (API)
Arnica WebReport provides a rich set of web services APIs (REST services, GET requests), as well as database APIs to access meta data
Web services APIs provide broad compatibility with most of contemporary development tools, platforms and portals
In most cases, a link to report is all that is needed to execute and reuse report
Use of APIs is needed for advanced functionality to gain access to more granular report functionality
Integrated Help Page
Report designer may create help content per report, which describes specific features per report to help users maximize productivity
Report-specific help content is merged with help page template, which is part of general report template and may be re-used by different reports
End users access help page via dedicated toolbar icon, consistently positioned on different reports