Links can reference static or dynamic content. Static links reference a static destination, such as a web site address or file path. System variables or link tags that access contextual Metrics Management information modify the destination of a dynamic link. Examples of system variables are the logged-in database or selected measure owner. The system specialist or the object’s owner creates link tag values for specific measures, locations, databases, and users. The link destination can also include named paths.
A link destination has one of the following types:
A path to a file
For example, a Word or Excel file on a network drive.
A path to an external application
Metrics Management categorizes links by the application type defined by each link’s creator. Users can search for links by application type.
Metrics Management supports passing command-line parameters to modify the opening state of the application.
An e‑mail address in a mailto link
A URL to a web site
For example, to an intranet site, or to an external web site or search engine.
A URL containing values from a Metrics Management object
A link having a destination of this type is a dynamic link.
How to create a link
This procedure provides the information to create a simple, static link. This type of link opens a web page or uses the Windows default application to open a file. To create other link types, see the following sections:
1 In the Navigation Pane, choose Setup➛Links➛Create.
2 In Name:
1 In Name, type a name for the link.
2 In Description, type a description.
3 For Categories, choose Edit. In Categories, select or create categories. Then, choose OK.
3 In File or URL, in Filename or URL, type a web site address or a file name.
To create a link to a web site, in Filename or URL, type a URL.
To create a link to a file, in Filename or URL, type the path to the file or choose Browse to navigate to the file.
4 To assign an application type, in Application type, select an existing application type, or choose Edit to create a new application type.
5 To assign access rights to groups and users, use the Security tab.
6 Choose Save.
Using a link to open an application
To use a link to open a specific application, use the link’s Application path property. Metrics Management uses this property in conjunction with the Filename or URL property. If a link has a file name as the value for the Filename or URL property and no value for the Application path property, Metrics Management opens the file using Windows’ default application for the file type. If there is no Windows’ default application for the file type, an error message appears when the user opens the link. To avoid this error for a custom file type or to open a different application from the Windows default, specify the application in Application path.
To modify how an application opens when launched by Metrics Management, use the link’s Options property. Type the options exactly as you would to open the application using a Windows command line. A link to a custom report opens the report in the user’s default browser. Specifying the browser type makes the link unavailable in the Web Client. Metrics Management supports Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
To launch an application without opening a specific file, leave the link’s Filename or URL property empty.
The Application path and Options properties do not have access to Metrics Management information such as the name of the currently selected measure. Using dynamic link syntax in these properties results in an error when a user opens the link.
How to specify a link that opens an application
1 Open an existing link or create a new link.
2 In File or URL, in Filename or URL, provide the following information:
In Application path, provide the path to the application. Type the path to the application, choose Browse to navigate to the application, or choose the arrow to select a named path.
In Options, type command-line parameters to modify how the application opens. Include any spaces in the original command line argument. For example, to open a new Microsoft Outlook 2003 task, use the following values:
3 To assign an application type, in Application type, select an existing application type, or choose Edit to create a new application type.
4 Choose Save.
Using a link to send an e-mail message
The Filename or URL property of a link supports sending an e-mail message. In this property, type mailto: before the name of the e-mail recipient. Place any additional parameters that the e-mail program specified for the Metrics Management system uses after the name of the e-mail recipient. For example, most e-mail programs accept the ?subject parameter to specify the message’s subject. The e-mail recipient can be Metrics Management information such as the owner of the currently selected measure. Similarly, the subject can use values such as the name of the logged-in user or the currently selected location.
How to specify a link that sends an e-mail message
1 Open an existing link or create a new link.
2 In File or URL, in Filename or URL, type an e‑mail address preceded by mailto:, for example, mailto:vpsales@company.com.
3 To enable a user to find the e-mail link using Share, in Application type, select E‑mail.
A path to a file
