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Overview

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Learn how to access Amlib OpenReports and change connection settings.

This manual provides a basic overview of the OpenReports.

  • It is possible to design and run your own reports by using the Entities which are logical groupings of the Amlib tables and database areas and Data Elements which are the individual pieces of data used to create and define the reports content and display
  • Reports to the screen or exports as a pdf, word or excel document
  • They can be scheduled and sent as an email to recipient in several formats
  • Charts can also be produced for some reports
  • This new Reporting tool is Web based and connects directly to the database
  • It enables you to quickly create and run numerous reports with ease

The Report designer presents the Amlib User with another option of presenting information from the Amlib database. It is not a replacement for the Report module or RepWin but an extra program to give you more options, in how you create and run your reports with Amlib.

There is a separate Installation Guide to assist in setting up OpenReports and is available from the OCLC Website/Amlib Documentation

Access OpenReports

1. Open a browser and enter the following URL. Use you Server name or Localhost and replace the xx as indicated with the port number you have assigned to OpenReports earlier:

http://localhost:xx/Login.aspx OR http://servername:XX/Login.aspx

Change Connection Settings

This is required the first time you open OpenReports after it’s been installed to select the database you wish to connect to. It is possible to view and alter the connections settings if required by selecting the Change Connection option at the top of the screen. For example change from the LIVE database to the TEST Database to run your reports from. To view these settings for SQL Server:

  1. Select the Change connection settings and the database connection screen will display:
  2. To the far right of the Connection string there is the INITIAL CATALOG which needs to be set when the program is first installed. Scroll to the right of each one, so that appropriate Database on each Database is changed – for example change the 1st line to be AMCAT, the second line to be AMLIB, the third line will be AMLOCAL and the fourth line will be AMSTATS
  3. It can be tested to ensure its connecting correctly, by selecting the Test button
  4. The Database type is selected from the Drop-down box , for example SqlServer:

  5. Each Database connection string line reflects the database setup as required to connect:

Connection Strings for SQL SERVER:

  1. Id: Leave as default
  2. Database Name:

    Type in Database name e.g. AMCAT, AMLIB, AMLOCAL, AMSTATS (A line will be needed for each Database)
  3. Schema Name Leave as default (dbo)
  4. Connection String:
    Data Source=x1;uid=x2;pwd=x3;initial catalog=x4;
             X1: Enter the host name e.g. library.yourinstitution.com (could be localhost)
             X2: uid: Enter the Database user id – for example SYSADM
             X3: Password: Enter the Database Password – for example SYSADM
             X4    : Initial Catalogue: Enter the Database Name for each line



    Hint: Use the Amlib\Sql.ini for the SERVER= information as this will be the Server it finds. If there is an instance associated with the Servername then this should be included e.g. libserver\sqlexpress
  5. To ensure the database connection string have been entered correctly select the Test button.
    1. On entering the database connection correctly, the following message will appear:
    2. On entering the database connection in-correctly error messages will appear:

Connection Strings for ORACLE:

  1. Id: Leave as default
  2. Database Name:

    Type in Database name e.g. SYSADM (Only 1 line will be needed for the Databases)
  3. Schema Name Leave as default (dbo)

Data Source=(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=TCP)(HOST=x1)(PORT=x2))(CONNECT_DATA=(SERVICE_NAME=x3)));Integrated Security=x4;User ID=x5;Password=x6;

X1 = enter the hostname of the server where Oracle is running e.g. oracleserver.yourlibrary.com

X2 = enter the database port of your Oracle instance (default=1521)

X3 = enter your Oracle service name (see tnsname.ora or listener.ora)

X4 = true if you want to use the operating systems (Windows) security, false if you want to use a supplied username and password

X5 = if x4 is set to false, you must supply a valid database username

X6 = if x4 is set to false, you must supply a valid database password

To ensure the database connection string have been entered correctly select the Test button.

  1. On entering the database connection correctly, the following message will appear:
  2. On entering the database connection in-correctly the following message will appear: