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Managing Settings for the Siebel Analytics Web Chart Image Server


Siebel Analytics Web uses a third-party charting engine to render charts (PopChart Image Server from CORDA Technologies, Inc.). You can override the default image type and browser client connection type by modifying the Siebel Analytics Web configuration file instanceconfig.xml to add the following entries:

You need to create the tags <Charts> and </Charts> after the <ServerInstance> tag, and place your entries between the <Charts> and </Charts> tags.

For information about working in the configuration file instanceconfig.xml, read Making Siebel Analytics Web Configuration Changes.

Specifying the Siebel Analytics Chart Image Type

You can override the image type generated by the PopChart Image Server. The internal default is Flash.

The other choices are SVG (W3C Scalable Vector Graphics), PNG (W3C Portable Network Graphics), and JPEG. Flash and SVG images provide the greatest degree of interaction because they support mouseover behaviors (such as pop-up data labels), navigation, and drilling.

The following entry is an example:

<Charts>
   <DefaultImageType>PNG</DefaultImageType>
</Charts>

About Downloading and Using Flash as the Default Image Type in Siebel Analytics

In some organizations, users are instructed to download the latest Flash software from a corporate location instead of the vendor's Web site. The default download source for Siebel Analytics Web is the vendor's Web site. You can modify the default download source to point to another location. Then, when users view a chart in Siebel Analytics and a newer version of the Flash software is available on the corporate server, they can be prompted to download the newer version. This section contains the following topics:

Modifying the Default Flash Download Source

The default download source for the Flash plug-in is the vendor's Web site. You can change this to another location by modifying the Siebel Analytics Web configuration file instanceconfig.xml to point to the location that holds the Flash code base.

NOTE:  You need to create the tags <FlashCodeBase> and </FlashCodeBase> after the <Charts> tag, and place your entries between the <FlashCodeBase> and </FlashCodeBase> tags.

The following entry is an example:

<Charts>
   <FlashCodeBase>\\CORPORATE\Download\Flash</FlashCodeBase>
</Charts>

Enabling a Download Prompt for New Flash Versions

After modifying the default Flash download source, you can enable a download prompt by creating a new classID for the Flash ActiveX control to add a custom global identifier (clsid) property. You can obtain the current global identifier property from any machine where Siebel Analytics Web charting is being used. (For version 7.7.1, the global identifier property used by Siebel Analytics is D27CDB6E-AE6D-11CF-96B8-444553540000.) The custom global identifier property must contain the same number of characters and dashes as the global identifier used in the default Flash ActiveX control.

The following entry is an example:

<Charts>
   <FlashCLSID>E38CDB6E-BA6D-21CF-96B8-432553540000</FlashCLSID>
</Charts>

You should test flash charts independent of Siebel Analytics to make sure that they function with the custom global identifier property.

Specifying How the Siebel Analytics Web Server Connects to the PopChart Image Server

You can override how the Siebel Analytics Web server connects to the PopChart Image Server. The default is http://AnalyticsWeb_machine:2001/?, where AnalyticsWeb_machine is the machine name where Siebel Analytics Web is running, and 2001 is the port number.

This setting must be fully qualified with the port number (if other than 80) using the notation as shown.

The following entry is an example:

<Charts>
   <ServerPrefix>http://AnalyticsWeb_machine:85/?</ServerPrefix>
</Charts>

Siebel Analytics Web Administration Guide