Understanding file categories
Using the default Categories view, you see the files in a volume to which you have View privilege. Categories view arranges items in the following categories:
Information Objects
Documents You Can View
Items You Can Run
The example in
Figure 2‑16 shows items available to view in the home folder assigned to a typical Information Console user.
Figure 2‑16 Viewing files organized by categories
The following sections describe each file category and provide a list that shows and describes the file types that appear in each category. The list also contains file operations available for each file type. All file types support viewing file details.
Using Information Objects
The Information Objects category contains files types that specify how to connect to or how to cache data from external databases.
Table 2‑1 summarizes types of information object files that Information Console supports.
Table 2‑1 Supported information object file types
Icon | File type | Actuate file description | Available operations |
| iob | Information object | Create Report Design, Delete, Share |
| sma | Data source map | New Query, Create Report Design, Delete, Share |
The available file operations are:
Delete
Removes the selected file.
Share
Assigns file access privileges on the selected item.
Create Report Design
Opens the browser-based BIRT Studio tool to create a new BIRT design file using the selected information object.
Using Documents You Can View
The Documents You Can View category includes file types such as HTML, PDF, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint files. Text files containing text information or data output are in this category, for example, TXT files and CSV data files. Files in this category are typically the output of report designs or executable files.
Table 2‑2 summarizes the types of document files Information Console supports.
Table 2‑2 Document types supported by Information Console
Icon | File type | Actuate file description | Available operations |
| afp | IBM Advanced Function Printing document | Delete, Open, Share |
| csv | Comma separated values file | Delete, Open, Share |
| cubeview | BIRT cube view file | Delete, Open, Share |
| dashboard | BIRT dashboard file | Edit, Delete, Open, Share |
| data | BIRT data object store | Delete, Open, Share |
| doc | Microsoft Word document | Delete, Open, Share |
| docx | Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 document | Delete, Open, Share |
| epr | External procedure object | Delete, Open, Share |
| gadget | Dashboard gadget file | Delete, Open, Share |
| htm or html | HTML document | Delete, Open, Share |
| pdf | Adobe PDF file | Delete, Open, Share |
| ps | PostScript document | Delete, Open, Share |
| psv | Pipe-separated values file | Delete, Open, Share |
| ppt | Microsoft PowerPoint file | Delete, Open, Share |
| pptx | Microsoft PowerPoint 2007 and 2010 file | Delete, Open, Share |
| rptdocument | BIRT report document | Delete, Schedule, Open, Share |
| rptlibrary | BIRT report design library | Delete, Open, Share |
| rpttemplate | BIRT report design template | Delete, Open, Share |
| rtf | Rich text format | Delete, Open, Share |
| tsv | Tab-separated values file | Delete, Open, Share |
| txt | Text file | Delete, Open, Share |
| xls | Microsoft Excel spreadsheet | Delete, Open, Share |
| xlsx | Microsoft Excel 2007 and 2010 spreadsheet | Delete, Open, Share |
The available file operations are:
Delete
Removes the selected file.
Edit
Edits the selected dashboard file.
Open
Opens the selected file in the default viewer for that file. For example, a report document opens in BIRT Viewer and a PDF document opens in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Dashboard and gadget files open in a temporary web page of the user’s web browser unless the user subscribes to the dashboard file or adds the gadget file to an existing dashboard. If no default viewer is available for the selected file format, the option to download the file appears.
Share
Assigns file access privileges on the selected file.
Schedule
Schedules a time to run the selected file as a job, saves its output, and optionally, sets the job to recur over a fixed period.
View in PDF
Views the query output file as a PDF file.
Using Items You Can Run
The Items You Can Run category includes report designs and executable files. When an Information Console user runs a job, the generated output appears as a document in Documents You Can View.
Table 2‑3 summarizes the file types that run in Information Console.
Table 2‑3 Actuate design and executable files supported by Information Console
Icon | File type | Actuate file descriptions | Available operations |
| datadesign | BIRT data object design file | Schedule, Delete, Share |
| rov | Report parameter values | Run, Run and Save, Schedule, Delete, Share |
| rptdesign | BIRT report design | Run, Run and Save, Schedule, Edit, Delete, Share |
The available file operations are:
Delete
Removes the selected file
Edit
Edits the selected BIRT report design file in BIRT Studio if that option is installed
Run
Immediately runs the selected file as a job, saves its output as a temporary document, and opens it in the default file viewer
Run and Save
Immediately runs the selected file as a job, and saves its output
Schedule
Schedules a time to run the selected file as a job, saves its output, and optionally sets the job to recur over a fixed period
Share
Assigns file access privileges on the selected file
