Nesting reports in the Metrics user interface

You can nest reports in the Metrics reports listing by nesting the corresponding entries in the reports-config.xml file. For example, if you create several custom reports related to a particular theme, you can nest them in the reports listing so that users can easily see that the indented reports are related.

Before you begin

When you nest reports, the additional reports are indented under another, more general report to which they are related. If you want to group related reports without creating a general report to collect them, you should create a report category instead of nesting the reports.

About this task

When a user views the Metrics user interface, each report’s name is displayed as a link; the user clicks a link to view the corresponding report. If you create a set of related reports, you may want to nest their names in the Metrics user interface so that users can easily see which reports are related. Nested reports display as indented under the main report. You can nest reports by editing the reports-config.xml file and adding an entry tag for each nested report within the entry tag for the main report.

Procedure

On the computer where Cognos® BI Server is installed, open the reports-config.xml file for editing.

The file is typically located in the following directory:

IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\Profile_Name\config\cells\Cell_Name\LotusConnections-config\metrics

for example:

IBM\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\AppSrv01\config\cells\cognos01\LotusConnections-config\metrics

In the reports-config.xml file, locate the section that represents the main report where you want to nest the additional reports.
The description for each report begins with an entry tag that specifies the report ID and label.
```
<entry id="snow_sports_products" type="report" label="PRODUCTS.SNOW.SPORTS">
```

Add an entry tag for each nested report between the beginning of the main report’s <entry tag and its closing </entry> tag.

The example that follows nests two specific product reports under the snow_sports_products report; in the Metrics user interface the links for the sleds and skis reports will display as indented under the more general snow sports products report.

<entry id="snow_sports_products" type="report" label="PRODUCTS.SNOW.SPORTS">
   <link>
   <!<CDATA</servlet/dispatch/ext?b_action=cognosViewer&ui.action=run&ui.name=main&run.outputFormat=&run.prompt=false&cv.header=false&cv.toolbar=false&ui.object=%2fcontent%2fpackage%5b%40name%3d%27metrics%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27global%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27customized%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d%27main%27%5d]]&#62;
   </link>

   <!-- SLEDS report -->
   <entry id="snow_sports_products_sleds" type="report" label="PRODUCTS.SNOW.SPORTS.SLEDS">
      <link>
      <!<CDATA</servlet/dispatch/ext?b_action=cognosViewer&ui.action=run&ui.name=main&run.outputFormat=&run.prompt=false&cv.header=false&cv.toolbar=false&ui.object=%2fcontent%2fpackage%5b%40name%3d%27metrics%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27global%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27customized%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d%27main%27%5d]]&gt;
      </link>
   </entry>

   <!-- SKIS report -->
   <entry id="snow_sports_products_skis" type="report" label="PRODUCTS.SNOW.SPORTS.SKIS">
       <link>
       <!<CDATA</servlet/dispatch/ext?b_action=cognosViewer&ui.action=run&ui.name=main&run.outputFormat=&run.prompt=false&cv.header=false&cv.toolbar=false&ui.object=%2fcontent%2fpackage%5b%40name%3d%27metrics%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27global%27%5d%2ffolder%5b%40name%3d%27customized%27%5d%2freport%5b%40name%3d%27main%27%5d]]&gt;
       </link>
    </entry>

</entry>

Save and close the file.
Refresh the browser before viewing the Metrics user interface to verify the nested reports.
There is no need to restart the Cognos BI Server.