To create reports in Report Studio, you must become familiar with the Report Studio environment.
 | Familiarize yourself with the user interface. |
| | Learn about basic report structure, which includes the layout and queries. |
| | Learn how to work with report objects. |
| | Set the options you want. |
| | Verify Web browser settings. |
| | Learn about the different authoring modes. |
The Report Studio user interface has two panes, an explorer bar, and a work area to help you create reports.
The Insertable Objects pane contains objects that you can add to a report. You add objects to a report by dragging them to the work area.
The Insertable Objects pane contains these tabs:
The Source tab contains items from the package selected for the report, such as data items and calculations.
The Data Items tab describes the queries created in the report.
The Toolbox tab contains a variety of objects that you can add to the report, such as text and graphics.
The Properties pane lists the properties that you can set for an object in a report.
You can obtain additional information about a property by selecting it and clicking F1. For example, you can view the list of objects that uses each property.
When you specify a value for a property, press Enter, click another property, or save the report to ensure that the value is saved.
Tip: View a description of the currently selected property at the bottom of the pane. From the View menu, click Property Descriptions.
Use the following buttons on the Explorer bar to work with different parts of a report:
Pause the pointer over the page explorer
button 
to go to a specific report page or prompt page.
Tip: You
can also add a new report page or add a prompt page 
, as well
as create and modify classes .
Pause the pointer over the query explorer button 
to work with queries .
You use Query Explorer to create or modify queries and to perform complex tasks, such as defining union joins and writing SQL statements.
Pause the pointer over the condition explorer button 
to work with variables.
You use variables
to define conditions in a report.
Use the Page layers area to create sections, or page breaks, in a report to show values for each member on a separate page. For example, you can drag Northern Europe sales territory from the Insertable Objects pane to the Page layers area. The report is broken into a separate page for each territory within northern Europe. Each page’s context appears in the report header.
For more information, see .
When working with dimensional data, use the Context filter area to filter your report to show values, or context, only for a specific data item. This technique is also known as a slicer filter. For example, you can drag Sales Territory from the Insertable Objects pane to the Context filter area. When you click a specific territory from the list, the values in the crosstab change to represent data for that territory.
For more information, see Filter Values Using Context.
The work area is where you design reports.
The visual aids button 
provides
the following options to help you when you are designing reports
in the layout.
Option | Description |
Show Boundary Lines | Shows all boundary lines. |
Force Boundary Lines | Overrides all boundary line settings by replacing them with default (dotted line) lines. For example, if you specified a value in the Border property for an object, the border lines are replaced with dotted lines. |
Show Repeating | Repeats objects when you insert them. For example, when you insert a data item in a crosstab, the data item appears in each row or in each column of the crosstab. |
Show Page Header And Footer | Shows the page header and page footer. |
Show Drag & Drop Padding | Shows drag-and-drop zone when the Padding property for an object is set to 0. If the Padding property is set to a value that is greater than the minimum padding that Report Studio uses to show drag-and-drop zones, only the minimum padding is shown. |
Show Hidden Objects | Shows objects for which the Box Type property was set to None or for which the Visible property was set to No. |
Show Sorting | Shows the sorting icon for data items for
which a sort order |
Show Grouping | Shows the grouping icon for grouped data
items |
Show Source Type | Shows the icon for the source type of objects, such as layout calculation. |
Show Data Item Type | Shows the icon for the type of data item,
such as query item, member, or measure |
Show Drill-through Definitions | Shows data items for which a drill-through
definition |
Show Table of Contents Entries | Shows table of contents entries |
Show Bookmarks | Shows bookmarks |
Show Master Detail Relationships | Shows master detail relationships Tip: Pausing the pointer over the master detail relationship icon shows the relationship. |
Show No Data Contents Tab Control | Shows tabs if the data container's No
Data Contents property is set to Yes |
Show Repeater and Singleton Containers | Shows repeater and singleton containers inserted in the report. |
All reports have two components, a layout component that defines the report appearance, and a query component that defines report data. Understanding these components will help you design effective reports.
A layout is a set of pages that defines the appearance and formatting of a report. When you design the layout of a report, you
present the data in a meaningful way by using lists, crosstabs, charts, and maps
give the report the appearance you want by adding formatting, such as borders, color, images, and page numbers
specify how the data flows from one page to the next
Pages are containers for the layout objects that you use to build a report. A page is made up of the following mandatory and optional components:
page header (optional)
page body (mandatory)
page footer (optional)
When you run a report, the amount of data queried often exceeds one page. As a result, a page will repeat until all the data is shown. You have control over how data flows from one page to the next. For example, here are alternative representations of a report that contains a chart and a lengthy list.
The chart appears on its own page. The list begins on the next page and fills subsequent pages until all rows appear.
The chart and the first few rows of the list appear on the first page. The rest of the data in the list appears on the subsequent pages.
You add layout objects to a page when you create a report. Below are objects that you will use often when building reports in Report Studio:
list
Add a list to show data in rows and columns.
crosstab
Add a crosstab to show data in a grid, with dimensions along the rows and columns, and measures in the cells or intersection points.
chart
map
repeater
Add a repeater to show each instance of a certain column or data item in a separate frame.
text
block
Add a block to hold text or other information. Blocks are often used to lay out horizontal bands of information.
table
For information about other layout objects you can add to a report, see Insert Other Objects.
Queries determine what data items appear in the report. Sometimes you want detail rows of data, which you obtain by using a simple SELECT statement. Other times you must calculate totals or averages using aggregate functions and grouped columns, or must apply filters to show only the data you want.
Report Studio automatically creates the queries you need as you build reports. However, you can modify these queries or create your own custom queries to get the results you want.
For more information about queries, see Working with Queries.
You build reports by adding objects and manipulating them to obtain the results you want. To understand how to work with objects in Report Studio, you must be familiar with the following concepts:
For information about Report Studio objects, see Report Studio Object and Property Reference.
In Report Studio, layout objects are either inline or block. You can insert other objects on the same line as an inline object, but not on the same line as a block object. When you insert an object to the left or to the right of a block object, the object appears on the line above or below the block object respectively. Examples of inline objects include graphics and text items. Examples of block objects include any report type (list, crosstab, chart, map, or repeater) and tables.
Note: You can also use an object’s floating property
to define how other objects flow around the object. For example,
you can specify how text flows around an image.
Objects, such as tables , blocks , and any report frame ,
are containers in which you can insert other objects. For example,
you can insert a list in one cell of a table and a chart in another.
Tip: You can also nest objects to create a sophisticated layout. For example, you can insert a table in a cell of another table.
To manipulate the contents of some objects, you must first unlock the object. For example, you have a list that contains the column Product Name. You want to insert a graphic inside the Product Name column to show an image of each product. Unlocking the list allows you to insert the image object inside a list column.
Tip: From the Structure menu, click Lock
Page Objects 
.
Toggling this menu item locks and unlocks all layout objects in
a report. However, this setting is not saved with the report.
In Report Studio, objects are organized hierarchically. For example, a list contains list columns, and each list column contains a text item, which is the name of the inserted data item.
The hierarchy of objects is useful to remember when you apply formatting because formatting is applied to the child objects of the object. For example, you can specify that all list column titles in a list have red as the background color. The formatting is automatically applied to any new columns you add to the list, because the formatting is applied to the list and is therefore applied to the objects in the list. If you apply formatting to a specific object, it will override the same formatting specified for the parent object.
You can quickly locate specific objects in a report by using Find.
From the Edit menu, click Find.
Click Find what and choose the type of object that you want to find.
In the Options box, specify the search criteria that you want.
For example, if you want to find the objects that reference a specific data item, you must specify the query that contains the data item and the data item name.
Click Find Next.
The first object that meets the search criteria is selected in the report. Continue clicking Find Next to show all other objects that meet the search criteria.
Note: In some cases, such as searching for a data item that is used to define a conditional style, Report Studio cannot directly select the object in the report. Instead, Report Studio selects the object that uses the object that you are searching for.
Set the options you want when working in Report Studio.
Option | Description |
Use Windows skin | Replaces the current appearance of the interface with the display scheme specified by the Windows settings. |
Show startup dialog | Shows the Welcome dialog box at startup. |
Reuse Cognos Viewer window | Reuses the same Cognos Viewer window when you rerun a report without first closing the window. |
Resize Cognos Viewer window | Maximizes the Cognos Viewer window when you run a report. |
Animate explorers | Animates the appearance of the Page
Explorer, Query Explorer, and Condition Explorer |
Window startup size | Specifies the size of the Report Studio window at startup. |
Option | Description |
Wrap text in editors | Automatically wraps text in all editors where you can define expressions. |
Automatically populate values list | When building expressions in the expression
editor, automatically shows values when browsing the data of a data
item |
Automatically validate expressions | Automatically validates expressions, such
as filters, created in the expression editor |
In-place edit | Enables the editing of text in place when double-clicking. |
Allow drop replace in crosstab | When dropping an item from the Insertable Objects pane over an existing item in a crosstab, replaces the original item. |
Double click insertion location | When working with dimensional data, specifies where the child members are inserted when you double-click the member data item. |
Layout dimensions | Specifies the width and height of the area where you will create reports. |
Option | Description |
Alias member unique names | When working with a dimensional data source, creates
an alias when you add a member to the report or to an expression |
Delete unreferenced query objects | Automatically deletes query objects linked to another object. For example, if you delete a list, the query linked to the list is deleted as well. |
Delete unreferenced conditional styles | Automatically deletes conditional styles |
Always create extended data items for new reports | Determines whether Report Studio creates extended data items or expression-based data items. Expression-based data items allow you to view or edit the expression by double-clicking the Expression property for the item. If you are working with a dimensional data source and this option is not selected, the appropriate dimensional data item is added when you insert items such as members, levels, or calculated members. For example, if you insert a level, a level set is created. This makes it easier to work with dimensional data items because Report Studio knows the data item type of the items that are in the report. |
Limit on inserted members | When working with a dimensional data source,
limits the number of child members that are inserted. For example,
you specify 3 for this option and in the toolbar you specify the
option to insert children when you drag a member to a data container |
Aggregation mode | When working with a dimensional data source, specifies the aggregation type you want Report Studio to use when aggregating values in crosstabs and charts. Within detail aggregates the visible details. Within aggregate aggregates the visible aggregates at the next lower level of detail. Within set aggregates the member sets. For more information about aggregating values in crosstabs and charts, see Aggregating Values in Crosstabs and Charts. |
Option | Description |
Use operating system clipboard | If Report Studio is running in Internet Explorer, uses the Windows clipboard instead of the internal application clipboard. Tip: If Report Studio is running in Firefox, the internal application clipboard is always used. |
Allow local file access | Enables the opening and saving of reports
on your computer |
Map feature display limit | When working with maps, specifies the maximum number of features that can appear in a map. |
Member display count limit (in source tree) | When working with dimensional data, specifies
the maximum number of members that can appear in the Insertable
Objects pane when performing a search |
From the Tools menu, click Options.
On the View, Edit, Report, and Advanced tabs, set the options you want.
Click OK.
Cognos 8 uses the default browser configurations provided by Microsoft, Netscape, and Firefox. For all browsers, you must ensure that settings are enabled for cookies and Java scripts. Additional required settings are specific to the browser.
Browser | Setting |
Internet Explorer | Allow Cookies Active Scripting Allow META REFRESH Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins Script ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting Binary and Script Behaviours Allow programmatic clipboard access |
Note: Report Studio uses the native Microsoft Internet Explorer XML support, which is a component of the browser. ActiveX support must be enabled because Microsoft implements XML using ActiveX. Cognos 8 does not provide or download ActiveX controls. Only the ActiveX controls that are installed as part of Internet Explorer are enabled through this configuration.
For more information about browser configuration and cookies used by Cognos 8, see the Installation and Configuration Guide.
To meet the needs of both regular report authors and financial report authors, Report Studio provides distinct custom user interfaces that contain reporting features relevant to these roles.
Access to each authoring mode is determined by the permissions you have to secured functions and features. For more information, see the Administration and Security Guide.
The Professional authoring mode gives users access to the full range of Report Studio functionality. In this mode, you can create any report type, including charts, maps, lists, and repeaters, using any data source (relational or multi-dimensional). It contains a superset of the features available in the Express authoring mode. However, you cannot view live data.
The Express authoring mode provides a simplified and focused Report Studio interface. It is designed for non-technical users to create traditional financial and management statement reports. It only allows access to dimensionally-modeled data and uses a member-oriented data tree.
This authoring mode allows you to see live data and supports only crosstab reports. It contains a subset of the features available in the Professional authoring mode.
When you are in the Express authoring mode, if you open a report that was authored in the Professional authoring mode, you can see but cannot modify objects that can be inserted only in the Professional authoring mode, such as charts, maps, and lists.
If you have access to both the Professional and Express authoring modes, you can switch between the two from within Report Studio.
You may want to start authoring your report in the Express authoring mode to see live data and easily create your report layout. Then, you can switch to the Professional authoring mode to add more information, such as charts and multiple pages.
From the View menu, click Authoring Mode and select the one you want.
