Globally change RPD changes to catalog file - I

Many a times we face the situation where any changes on RPD presentation layer, causing lots of rework on web catalog side by manaully changing references of the column/table/subject area.

Instead of maunally changing the references in all the reports, we can use Catalog manager's option of XML Search and Replace for small changes. If there are significant changes, we can explore XML file option to write all the changes in one file and make changes in ONE Go.

Option 1 :- XML Search and Replace

This option is straight forward and easy to use. You should know what is the change required in catalog files. To give you an example, I have changed subject area folder column from Revenue to Actual Revenue.  Shown the change below.

Now I need to change all the references in the catalog files to replicate this change. (I know keeping Alias on the Presentation later will also work, but dont want to keep aliases in my first build).

• Open Catalog Manager. Open catalog file in offline mode (preferred).
• Make sure you have already taken a backup of the code.
• Select the Folder from the catalog tree. (My case, I wanted to change it globally, so selected "Shared"
• Now Navigate to Tools -> XML Search/Replace Option (Ctrl +H)
• New window opens up with options like Old Text/New Text.
• Provide the change as needed. I have changed from "Revenue" to "Actual Revenue"
• ( Import File Option will be covered in next blog.

 

•  Click OK to start search/Replace operation.
• Once completed, results will be shown with the changed on the reports/analysis in catalog.

Once these changes are completed, deploy the new files and start the services. If this is done online, server restart is not required.

Assuming, server is restarted, I will now login to portal to do sanity check on the changed dashboards.
Here you go. I can see the changes reflected in catalog files and existing dashboards remain intact. :-)

Please note that, this option is not receommended as it might change other part of the code if same name is used for report name, subject area, conditions,etc. Always prefer to go by "Import From File" option.

Now, I will explain how to use "Import from File" in next blog.

Cheers...