4
Using a URL to start Oracle Discoverer 4i Automatically

End users normally start Discoverer by logging in, choosing a workbook, and selecting parameter values. To speed up this process, you can create a URL to start Discoverer 4i with specific settings (e.g. which workbook to open, which parameter values to use). Using a URL to automatically start Discoverer not only saves your end users time but also gives you control over the workbooks they can use.

Having created the URL, you can:

• give the URL to end users to type into their Web browser

• add the URL as a link on your company's Intranet site so that end users can start Discoverer with a single click

The topics in this chapter are:

• What is the format of the URL to start Discoverer 4i?

• Discoverer 4i Plus URL arguments

• Discoverer 4i Plus URL arguments

4.1 What is the format of the URL to start Discoverer 4i?

The URL you create must adhere to the standard URL command line syntax as follows:

http://hostname.domain/prog_name?arg1=value1&arg2=value2&...&argN=valueN

where:

• hostname.domain is the fully qualified name of the Additional Discoverer Server machine

• prog_name is one or other of the following (depending on whether you want to start Discoverer Plus or Discoverer Viewer):
  • the location and name of the Discoverer Plus Start page where end users click the Start button to launch the Discoverer Plus applet (e.g. discwb4/html/english/welcome.htm )

  • the location and name of the Discoverer Viewer servlet (e.g. servlets/disco4iv )

• arg1=value1 is the first argument and the value specified for it

Note that the order of the arguments in the URL is not important.

If the following required arguments are not specified on the URL, end users are prompted for them:

• username

• password

• database

• workbook name

• worksheet name

• parameters

To include some special characters in a URL you must replace those characters with the equivalent ASCII (or in some cases UNICODE) codes. This process is known as URL encoding. For example, you must replace any spaces in the URL with a plus (+) symbol. Any characters not in the following list must be URL encoded:

• capital letters (i.e. A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z)

• lower case letters (i.e. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z)

• numerals (i.e. 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0)

• certain special characters (i.e. - _ . ! ~ ( ) * ' )

4.2 Discoverer 4i Plus URL arguments

Table 4-1 Discoverer 4i Plus URL arguments and values

Argument and Values	Purpose	Example
BrandImage=<image>	Specifies the URL of a GIF file that replaces the Discoverer logo. For example, you can replace the Discoverer logo with your corporate logo.	BrandImage=http://.../logo.gif where logo.gif is your corporate logo
connect=[APPS_SECURE] <hostname_instancename>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can specify that they connect in secure mode. hostname_instancename refers to the database host name and the instance of the Applications server.	connect=[APPS_SECURE]genledger_ payables
connect=<connection string>	Instructs Discoverer to connect to the database using the connection information supplied by connection string. This argument completely bypasses the Connection Information dialog for end users.	connect=username/password@ demodb or connect=username/password@ ODBC:demodb for ODBC connections.
ConnectImage=<image>	Specifies the URL of a GIF file that replaces the "magnifying glass" image on the Connect to Oracle Discoverer dialog.	ConnectImage=http://.../logo.gif where logo.gif is your corporate logo
DefaultConnect=<database name or alias>	When Discoverer starts, the end user sees the Connection Information dialog. If you use this argument, the Database field is automatically filled in. The user can overwrite this database name or alias.	DefaultConnect=demodb or DefaultConnect=ODBC:demodb for ODBC connections.
DefaultPassword=<string>	When Discoverer starts, the end user sees the Connection Information dialog. If you use this argument, the Password field is automatically filled in. The user can overwrite this password.	DefaultPassword=secret_code
DefaultUsername=<database username>	When Discoverer starts, the end user sees the Connection Information dialog. If you use this argument, the Username field is automatically filled in. The user can overwrite this username.	DefaultUsername=video_user
eul=<schema name>	Specifies the name of the database schema which contains the EUL that you want your end users to connect to by default. If you do not use this argument, Discoverer uses other methods to detect the default EUL (for example, from the end user's preference settings.)	eul=VIDEOEUL Discoverer uses the EUL metadata that is found in the VIDEOEUL schema.
FrameDisplayStyle= <launched or separate>	Specifies they way in which the Discoverer application frame is displayed. The value "launched" embeds the applet Start button into the calling HTML. The end user must click the Start button. The value "separate" automatically starts the Discoverer applet for the end user. The end user does not have to click the Start button.	FrameDisplayStyle=separate The Discoverer frame opens immediately in a separate window without requiring that the end user click the Start button.
Locale=<language[_country][_variant]>	Specifies the language (and optionally the country and variant) that end users see when they use Discoverer. This argument overrides the locale setting of the end user's client machine. Use Java naming conventions to specify language, country, and variant.	Locale=es_ES The language is Spanish, the country is Spain.
NLSDateFormat=<date format>	Formats dates for a specific region. For its value, type a SQL date format mask, such as DD-Mon-YY.	NLSDateFormat=DD-Mon-YY
NLSDateLanguage=<date language>	Selects the language for day and month names that end users see when they use Discoverer.	NLSDateLanguage=Spanish
NLSLang=<language>	Selects the language, territory, and character set end users see when they use Discoverer. Use Oracle naming conventions to specify language, territory, and character set.	NLSLang=Spanish
NLSNumeric_Characters= <separator characters>	Selects decimal character and group separator for numbers.	NLSNumericCharacters=.,
NLSSort=<sort type>	Sets the character sort sequence.	NLSSort=XSpanish
opendb=<workbook name>	Gives Discoverer the name of the workbook you want to open and assumes that it is stored in the database (instead of scheduled). If you use the opendb argument more than once in the URL, Discoverer uses the last one.	opendb=Video Sales Workbook Discoverer assumes the workbook is stored in the database and automatically opens it.
param_<parameter_name>= <parameter_value>	For workbooks that contain parameters, use this argument to select values. If the workbook does not contain a parameter by that name, Discoverer ignores the argument. Note that param_ must precede the parameter's name.	param_regionparam=East Tells Discoverer to set the parameter named regionparam to the value East.
Responsiblity= <responsibility name>	For Oracle Applications endusers (e.g. Oracle General Ledger), you can specify their responsibility.	Responsiblity=Manager Discoverer bypasses the Responsibility dialog and assigns the end user an Oracle Applications responsibility of Manager.
Sheet=<worksheetname>	Gives Discoverer the name of the worksheet you want to open by default. If you use the Sheet argument more than once in the URL, Discoverer opens the last one.	Sheet=Sales Detail Sheet Discoverer runs the query for the worksheet named Sales Detail Sheet and displays the results to the end user.
WindowHeight=<pixel width>	Specifies the height in pixels of the Discoverer application frame. If you do not use this argument, Discoverer uses its own default value.	WindowHeight=600 The Discoverer frame is 600 pixels high.
WindowWidth=<pixel width>	Specifies the width in pixels of the Discoverer application frame. If you do not use this argument, Discoverer uses its own default value.	WindowWidth=800 The Discoverer frame is 800 pixels wide.
WorkbookName= <workbookname>	Gives Discoverer the name of the workbook you want users to open by default.	WorkbookName=Video Sales Workbook Discoverer searches the database for the stored workbook called Video Sales Workbook.
WorkbookSource=<database or scheduled>	Gives Discoverer the location of the workbook to open: The value "database" specifies the workbook is saved in the database. The value "scheduled" specifies the workbook is updated periodically.	WorkbookSource=database Discoverer searches the database for the stored workbook.

4.3 Discoverer 4i Viewer URL arguments

Table 4-2 Discoverer 4i Viewer URL arguments and values

Argument and Values	Purpose	Example
anlsdf=<date format>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can override the default date format for the session.	anlsdf='MM/DD/YY'
anlsdl=<date language>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can override the language to use for the spelling of day and month names and date abbreviations (AM, PM, AD, BC).	anlsdl=fr
anlsl=<language>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can override the session language	anlsl=en-gb
anlsnc=<separator characters>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can override the default characters to use as the group separator and decimal. You must specify the decimal separator first, followed by the group separator.	anlsnc=',.'
anlss=<sortname or binary>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can override the session collating sequence for ORDER BY queries and string comparisons. Values are: the name of a linguistic sort sequence binary to specify a binary sort	anlss=binary
cs=[APPS_SECURE] <hostname_instancename>	For Oracle Applications end users, you can specify that they connect in secure mode. hostname_instancename refers to the database host name and the instance of the Applications server.	cs=[APPS_SECURE]genledger_ payables
db=<databasename>	Specifies the database to connect to	db=video
eul=<eulname>	Specifies the name of the EUL to connect as. You only need to specify this parameter if you want to override the default EUL.	eul=myEUL
fm=<exportformat>	Specifies one of the following export formats: xml xls (Microsoft Excel) htm (HTML) txt (Text) csv (Comma Separated Values) prn (Formatted Text) dcs (Express) dif (Data Interchange Format) slk (Symbolic Link) wks (Lotus 1-2-3) sql (Structured Query Language) Note: You must run a query before you can use this parameter to export the data.	fm=xls
lm=<applications or discoverer>	Specifies the login method: Set to "applications" to login in as an Oracle Applications user. Set to "discoverer" to login in as an Oracle Discoverer user. If this parameter is not present, the default login method (as specified in the viewer_config.xml configuration file) is used.	lm=applications
nlsl=<language>	Specifies the language code for the language you want.	nlsl=en-gb
pg=<page_number>	Specifies the page of the worksheet to view.	pg=4
pi_<pageitemname>=<pageitemvalue>	Specifies the name of a page item and the value to set it to.	pi_Region=West The above sets the "Region" page item to "West":
pw=<password>	Specifies the password corresponding to the specified user name for connecting to the specified database	pw=tiger
qp_<parameter_name>= <parameter_value>	Specifies the name of a query parameter and the value you want to set it to.	qp_City=Denver
rs=<responsibility>	Specifies the Oracle Applications Responsibility you want to connect with.	Rs=Manager
sg=<securitygroup>	Specifies the Oracle Applications Security Group you want to connect with.	Sg=securityGroup
us=<username>	Specifies the user name you want to use.	us=video4
us=<connectString>	Specifies the username and database plus further optional connection information. The connect string uses the following syntax: <username>[:<responsibility> [:<securityGroup>]][/<password>] @<database>	us=scott/tiger@disco
wb=<workbookname>	Specifies the name (or ID) of the workbook you want to open.	wb=My+Workbook
wbd=<workbookdate>	For opening a scheduled workbook. Specifies the date the scheduled workbook was run.	wbd=31-OCT-00
wbt=<workbooktime>	For opening a scheduled workbook. Specifies the time the scheduled workbook was run. If you specified the Scheduled Workbook's ID using the wb parameter, you don't need to use this parameter	wbt=4%3a00+PM The above specifies a time of 4:00 PM.
ws=<worksheetname>	Specifies the worksheet you want to open.	ws=My+Worksheet