Actuate Programming Journal

File Types

BAS: BASic; (bass) – this intermediate file is the text form of your ROD. While this file appears to be code, it is not itself editable, compilable, or able to reconstitute a ROD–except by hand… painfully. It may also be a globally available library file containing external functions used in a ROD.

ROD: Report Object Design; (rod) – this is the editable file you the developer work with directly, it’s the one you ‘look’ at when building a report. This and libraries are generally the only files worth placing under version control.

ROI: Report Object Instance; (are-oh-eye or maybe roy) – this is a report. The report server translates this Actuate file type into DHTML for the customer to view in a web browser.

ROL: Report Object Library; (are-oh-elle) – this resource file catalogues reusable controls. The entire contents of a library file are included in the ROX at compile time, not linked to dynamically at run time.

ROX: Report Object eXecutable; (rocks) – this executable object–along with the information on the report server–produces a viewable report when a customer or schedule kicks it off.

Commonly Overridden

ObtainSelectStatement( ) – used for constructing the SQL query

BindDataRow( ) – links the columns selected in the OSS( ) to the proper variables in the datarow

Fetch( ) – filters data as the record is being returned to the report

OnRead( ) – can manufacture data based on values in the fetched datarow

OnRow( ) – extracts requested data from the datarow object; normally just used to obtain a value for the ValExp but may access all values in a datarow

Finish( ) – the catch-all last method any control calls; excellent dumping ground for dynamically modifying the display of a control: value, appearance, format, etc

SuggestROIName( ) – constructs the report name and thus the link text on the server