There are quite a few articles out there detailing how to use the CM.OUTPUTLOCATION parameter to save report outputs to the file system. However, this saves all reports to the location specified in the parameter. What happens if you want to save reports to different locations on a report by report basis?
I recently had to save reports to separate sub-directories based on the report output type e.g. PDF, CSV etc. The instructions below show how this can be achieved.
1. Modify IBM Cognos Configuration
Open Cognos Configuration on the Content Manager Server and expand Data Access>Content Manager. Click Content Manager and then ensure that Save report outputs to a file system? is set to True
From the Actions menu, click Edit Global Configuration, and then click the General tab. Set Archive Location File System Root to the required location. This must be set to either a local path on the server (e.g. file://d:/archive) or a UNC path (e.g. file://\\share\folder) and the location must already exist.
Save the configuration and then restart the Cognos services
2. Modify Cognos Connection
These steps must be performed by an Administrator.
- From IBM Cognos Connection, click on Launch (top right)
- Click IBM Cognos Administration
- Click on Configuration tab
- Click Dispatchers and Services (left side)
- Click the Define File System Locations button ( top right)
When the Define File System Locations window appears click New
Enter a Name, Description and File System Location. The File System Location specified will be the name of the sub directory created the first time that you select RunWithOptions and save report to new Location.
Although we only added one file system location in this demo, it’s possible to create any number of file system locations. Each new location will relate to a sub directory in the archive location specified in Cognos Configuration
3. Save report to the file system
All of the configuration changes have now been made. Now we can run a report and specify that it is output to the above file system location using the advanced run options:
- From Cognos Connection, go into the Run with options of a report
- Click Advanced options. Under Delivery check Save to the file System and click on Edit the options…
- Select the output location from the drop down menu
Run the report. When this has successfully completed you will notice that the report has been saved to a new sub directory called CSV Files.
