Using Shortcut Files

Description

Shortcut files are files that have a certain structure and the *.pp extension. These files are created and stored in the workstation file system. They enable the user to open platform objects directly from the file system without preliminary platform startup.

Structure of Shortcut Files

Shortcut files are created in the XML language and have the following structure:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<AutoOpen>
   <Metabases>
       <TESTUSER>
           <LogonData/>
           <Credentials/>
           <Object></Object>
       </TESTUSER>
   </Metabases>
</AutoOpen>

Description of sections:

• AutoOpen. It describes startup parameters of Foresight Analytics Platform. A set of section attributes matches the keys used for Foresight Analytics Platform startup.

• Metabases. It is used to describe parameters of connection to platform repository. The section does not contain attributes.

• TESTUSER. It describes parameters of connection to a specific platform repository. Section name may be random and must be in the upper case. A set of section attributes matches the attributes of repository settings section for task scheduler.

• LogonData. It describes the repository containing the required object. A set of attributes matches the attributes of the <LogonData> section in the configuration file of task scheduler.

• Credentials. It describes credentials of the repository containing the required object. A set of attributes matches the attributes of the <Credentials> section in the configuration file of task scheduler.

• Object. It contains identifier of opened object.

Example of shortcut file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<AutoOpen SingleInstance = "1" Silent="1">

    <Metabases>

        <WAREHOUSE Name="Test" Driver="MSSQL2008" Package="STANDARDSECURITYPACKAGE" Authentication="1" DebugMode="0" CurrentLocale="1033">

            <LogonData SERVER="8:MSSERVER" DATABASE="8:WAREHOUSE" FILEGROUP="8:PRIMARY"/>

            <Credentials USER="user" PASSWORD="password"/>

            <Object>OBJ_TEST</Object>

        </WAREHOUSE>

    </Metabases>

</AutoOpen>

When this file is opened, an object with the OBJ_TEST identifier opens. This object is contained in the WAREHOUSE repository located on the MSSERVER server. The server uses Microsoft SQL Server 2008 DBMS. To connect to the repository, use the "user" login and the "password" password.

Opening Shortcut Files

Shortcut files can be opened in the following ways:

• Open from file system. To open a shortcut file from file system, double-click it. The platform repository object specified in the file opens. If a shortcut file is opened for the first time, a dialog box prompting to search a program to open this file opens. Specify that the program is selected from the list of installed programs. Then select Foresight Analytics Platform and specify that this program is used for all files of this type.

• Open from command line. To open a shortcut file from command line, use the cfg.exe application in the AutoUpdate folder in the folder with installed Foresight Analytics Platform. For example: C:\ProgramFiles\Foresight\AutoUpdate.
  Command format: cfg.exe <full path to shortcut file>. For example:

cfg.exe C:\Shortcuts\Report.pp