Working with supported file types
Information Console provides access to several types of files stored in folders in a volume. A user who has the Write privilege can add a file to a folder. Contact your administrator for information about any file type in the volume that is not described in this document. A typical user works with the following types of files:
*BIRT design and document files
A developer creates a BIRT design file using BIRT Designer Professional or Report Studio, and publishes or saves the file to the volume. When you run a BIRT design, Information Console retrieves data and generates a final document in a specified format, such as an Adobe PDF, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, or BIRT document file.
Users interact with the data in BIRT document files using browser-based tools such as Actuate Interactive Viewer. Users schedule BIRT document files for conversion to a final document in various supported formats. BIRT documents embed their data in the file avoiding repeated database queries.
*BIRT data object files
Data object files can contain one or more individual data sets, one or more linked data sets called data models, and data cubes. There are two types of data object files, a data object design file or a data object store file. Data object design files run on-demand queries to their data sources. Information Console enables you to cache this data as data object store files to avoid on‑demand queries to external databases and ensure that multiple dashboards or designs use the same data. Data object store files support multiple versions. A developer creates data object files using BIRT Designer Professional, and publishes the file to the volume.
When a user runs a BIRT data object store file containing a cube or a data model in Information Console, the file launches in Interactive Crosstabs, if the user has access to this licensed option. The user can then create a cross tab from the data model or cube.
*BIRT dashboard files
Dashboard files contain one or more dashboards containing various gadgets. Dashboards present data from BIRT documents, BIRT data objects, and external web-based sources for user analysis and interaction. Dashboards appear as a file or as a subscribed web page in Information Console.
Users can interact with dashboard data using charts, cross tab gadgets and tables. Data selection gadgets enable users to simultaneously filter multiple displays of data.
*BIRT information object files
A BIRT information object is a predefined SQL query that retrieves data from external databases. A developer creates an information object using BIRT Designer Professional, and publishes the object to the volume. The information object functions as a data source for BIRT designs.
Table 2‑3 lists the types of files Information Console supports.
Table 2‑3 File types supported by Information Console
Icon
File type
Actuate file description
Available operations
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
datadesign
BIRT data object design
file
Schedule, Delete, 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
iob
Information object
Create Design, Delete, Share
pdf
Adobe PDF file
Delete, Open, Share
ppt
Microsoft PowerPoint file
Delete, Open, Share
pptx
Microsoft PowerPoint
2007 and 2010 file
Delete, Open, Share
ps
PostScript document
Delete, Open, Share
psv
Pipe-separated values
file
Delete, Open, Share
rov
Report parameter values
Run, Run and Save, Schedule, Delete, Share
rptdesign
BIRT report design
Run, Run and Save, Schedule, Edit, Delete, 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
sma
Data source map
Create Design, Delete, 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
Viewing file properties
File properties include general information about the file such as file creator, type, location, version, author, access rights, and archiving policy for the selected file. The access rights show the file privileges for the current user. Access rights for other users are visible using the file’s share operation.
How to view file properties
1 Navigate to a file.
2 In the File menu, choose Details.
The display pane shows the properties for the file, as shown in Figure 2‑5. For more information about access rights, see Working with file privileges.
Figure 2‑6 Viewing detailed information about a file in a user’s home folder
3 To return to the file listing pane, in the navigation pane, select the folder containing the file you viewed.