Can't Save Report Parameters

I have looked at the SOAP method of integration as well as the URL method,
and it is just not possible to save report parameters as selected by the
user! The only way you can save them is if you re-invent your own parameter
inputs! And keep in mind that a complete integration solution should be able
to accept any possible combination of report parameters!
I think this is another oversight in the design of this product from
microsoft. They have specially designed ways to cache report data, saving
history, etc... But what about the more common case of wanting fresh data
for the same parameters? I am amazed that they did not think of this...
Is there anything like this in the works for version 2... Yes?
Please tell me yes :-]
MalikLet me also clarify that the difficulty here is getting the parameter input
from the user.
If I already know what parameters I want to run the report for, there is no
problem.
The problem is, the user can change them and then re-run the report, and I
have no idea
what parameters are currently in the report being displayed!
Malik
"Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
news:uL2wf3OiEHA.536@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> I have looked at the SOAP method of integration as well as the URL method,
> and it is just not possible to save report parameters as selected by the
> user! The only way you can save them is if you re-invent your own
parameter
> inputs! And keep in mind that a complete integration solution should be
able
> to accept any possible combination of report parameters!
> I think this is another oversight in the design of this product from
> microsoft. They have specially designed ways to cache report data, saving
> history, etc... But what about the more common case of wanting fresh data
> for the same parameters? I am amazed that they did not think of this...
> Is there anything like this in the works for version 2... Yes?
> Please tell me yes :-]
> Malik
>
>|||Donovan,
Thanks very much for your report. This is exactly the kind of solution I
need, although there are still a few problems.
I thought of doing it this way, but I am trying to fully integrate SQL RS
with our Web Application. I don't want to have to explain to our customers
that in order to design reports for use with our application you have to
always have those extra data sources present along with code to retrieve the
parameters. This puts the onus on the report developer to be a coder rather
than me taking care of the whole solution myself.
I suppose I could come up with some kind of template report that our
customers can start with, and that would make this a workable solution for
us. I am going over your report in more detail to see what I can learn from
it.
Your help has been quite valuable for my project, and I really appreciate
you sending the report!
Thank you very much indeed,
Malik
"Donovan R. Smith [MSFT]" <donovans@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:u8UcIjjiEHA.348@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> Take a look at the attached report for help. It goes against the pubs
sample database and requires
> a SQL script to be run on the db prior to use.
> --
> Thanks.
> Donovan R. Smith
> Software Test Lead
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
> "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> news:ekCjdEPiEHA.2848@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > Let me also clarify that the difficulty here is getting the parameter
input
> > from the user.
> >
> > If I already know what parameters I want to run the report for, there is
no
> > problem.
> >
> > The problem is, the user can change them and then re-run the report, and
I
> > have no idea
> > what parameters are currently in the report being displayed!
> >
> > Malik
> >
> > "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> > news:uL2wf3OiEHA.536@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > I have looked at the SOAP method of integration as well as the URL
method,
> > > and it is just not possible to save report parameters as selected by
the
> > > user! The only way you can save them is if you re-invent your own
> > parameter
> > > inputs! And keep in mind that a complete integration solution should
be
> > able
> > > to accept any possible combination of report parameters!
> > >
> > > I think this is another oversight in the design of this product from
> > > microsoft. They have specially designed ways to cache report data,
saving
> > > history, etc... But what about the more common case of wanting fresh
data
> > > for the same parameters? I am amazed that they did not think of
this...
> > >
> > > Is there anything like this in the works for version 2... Yes?
> > >
> > > Please tell me yes :-]
> > >
> > > Malik
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>|||If the web application provided it's own parameter prompting area and passed along that data to our
Report Viewer then you could build this logic into your web application instead of relying on RS to
do it.
--
Thanks.
Donovan R. Smith
Software Test Lead
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
"Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
news:OBI3I2piEHA.3320@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> Donovan,
> Thanks very much for your report. This is exactly the kind of solution I
> need, although there are still a few problems.
> I thought of doing it this way, but I am trying to fully integrate SQL RS
> with our Web Application. I don't want to have to explain to our customers
> that in order to design reports for use with our application you have to
> always have those extra data sources present along with code to retrieve the
> parameters. This puts the onus on the report developer to be a coder rather
> than me taking care of the whole solution myself.
> I suppose I could come up with some kind of template report that our
> customers can start with, and that would make this a workable solution for
> us. I am going over your report in more detail to see what I can learn from
> it.
> Your help has been quite valuable for my project, and I really appreciate
> you sending the report!
> Thank you very much indeed,
> Malik
> "Donovan R. Smith [MSFT]" <donovans@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:u8UcIjjiEHA.348@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > Take a look at the attached report for help. It goes against the pubs
> sample database and requires
> > a SQL script to be run on the db prior to use.
> >
> > --
> > Thanks.
> >
> > Donovan R. Smith
> > Software Test Lead
> >
> > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> rights.
> >
> > "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> > news:ekCjdEPiEHA.2848@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > Let me also clarify that the difficulty here is getting the parameter
> input
> > > from the user.
> > >
> > > If I already know what parameters I want to run the report for, there is
> no
> > > problem.
> > >
> > > The problem is, the user can change them and then re-run the report, and
> I
> > > have no idea
> > > what parameters are currently in the report being displayed!
> > >
> > > Malik
> > >
> > > "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:uL2wf3OiEHA.536@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > > I have looked at the SOAP method of integration as well as the URL
> method,
> > > > and it is just not possible to save report parameters as selected by
> the
> > > > user! The only way you can save them is if you re-invent your own
> > > parameter
> > > > inputs! And keep in mind that a complete integration solution should
> be
> > > able
> > > > to accept any possible combination of report parameters!
> > > >
> > > > I think this is another oversight in the design of this product from
> > > > microsoft. They have specially designed ways to cache report data,
> saving
> > > > history, etc... But what about the more common case of wanting fresh
> data
> > > > for the same parameters? I am amazed that they did not think of
> this...
> > > >
> > > > Is there anything like this in the works for version 2... Yes?
> > > >
> > > > Please tell me yes :-]
> > > >
> > > > Malik
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> >
>|||Yes, I could write my own code to take care of parameter input, which would
have to do the following:
- prompt for any combination of parameters
- include default values and available values, with queried available
values in a drop-down list
- validate all parameter data types entered, null and blank values
- correctly take hidden parameters from the URL when they are passed
This would have to be robust enough for any report that my customers can
design to work with my web app.
I don't want to be lazy, but since RS already does all of this, I don't want
to re-invent the wheel.
I think it would be much easier for someone who already knows what
parameters are in the reports. In my scenario, our customers will expect to
just open a SQL RS report from our web app. They may design their own, or
get reports from elsewhere. It is a full integration.
I am still very much in design mode (although I should have finished long
ago :-) so I am quite open to suggestions.
Thanks again for your help.
Malik
"Donovan R. Smith [MSFT]" <donovans@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:eCLqPftiEHA.3896@.TK2MSFTNGP15.phx.gbl...
> If the web application provided it's own parameter prompting area and
passed along that data to our
> Report Viewer then you could build this logic into your web application
instead of relying on RS to
> do it.
> --
> Thanks.
> Donovan R. Smith
> Software Test Lead
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights.
> "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> news:OBI3I2piEHA.3320@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > Donovan,
> >
> > Thanks very much for your report. This is exactly the kind of solution I
> > need, although there are still a few problems.
> >
> > I thought of doing it this way, but I am trying to fully integrate SQL
RS
> > with our Web Application. I don't want to have to explain to our
customers
> > that in order to design reports for use with our application you have to
> > always have those extra data sources present along with code to retrieve
the
> > parameters. This puts the onus on the report developer to be a coder
rather
> > than me taking care of the whole solution myself.
> >
> > I suppose I could come up with some kind of template report that our
> > customers can start with, and that would make this a workable solution
for
> > us. I am going over your report in more detail to see what I can learn
from
> > it.
> >
> > Your help has been quite valuable for my project, and I really
appreciate
> > you sending the report!
> >
> > Thank you very much indeed,
> > Malik
> >
> > "Donovan R. Smith [MSFT]" <donovans@.online.microsoft.com> wrote in
message
> > news:u8UcIjjiEHA.348@.tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> > > Take a look at the attached report for help. It goes against the pubs
> > sample database and requires
> > > a SQL script to be run on the db prior to use.
> > >
> > > --
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > > Donovan R. Smith
> > > Software Test Lead
> > >
> > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
> > rights.
> > >
> > > "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:ekCjdEPiEHA.2848@.TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > > > Let me also clarify that the difficulty here is getting the
parameter
> > input
> > > > from the user.
> > > >
> > > > If I already know what parameters I want to run the report for,
there is
> > no
> > > > problem.
> > > >
> > > > The problem is, the user can change them and then re-run the report,
and
> > I
> > > > have no idea
> > > > what parameters are currently in the report being displayed!
> > > >
> > > > Malik
> > > >
> > > > "Abdul Malik Said" <diplacusis@.hotmNOSPAMail.com> wrote in message
> > > > news:uL2wf3OiEHA.536@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > > > > I have looked at the SOAP method of integration as well as the URL
> > method,
> > > > > and it is just not possible to save report parameters as selected
by
> > the
> > > > > user! The only way you can save them is if you re-invent your own
> > > > parameter
> > > > > inputs! And keep in mind that a complete integration solution
should
> > be
> > > > able
> > > > > to accept any possible combination of report parameters!
> > > > >
> > > > > I think this is another oversight in the design of this product
from
> > > > > microsoft. They have specially designed ways to cache report data,
> > saving
> > > > > history, etc... But what about the more common case of wanting
fresh
> > data
> > > > > for the same parameters? I am amazed that they did not think of
> > this...
> > > > >
> > > > > Is there anything like this in the works for version 2... Yes?
> > > > >
> > > > > Please tell me yes :-]
> > > > >
> > > > > Malik
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>