BusinessObjects Enterprise Administrator's Guide

Configuring executable programs

When you publish an executable program object to the CMC, you can:

• Configure the object to have access to external or auxiliary files. See Providing Java programs with access to other files.
• Customize environment variables for the shell in which BusinessObjects Enterprise runs the program. See Specifying environment variables.

Providing executable programs with access to other files

Some binary files, batch files, and shell scripts require access to external or auxiliary files to run. Aside from setting a working directory for the program object, there are two ways to provide access to these files:

• If a required file is on the same machine as the Program Job Server, you can specify the full path to the file.
• Alternatively, if the file is not located on the Program Job Server, you can upload the file to the File Repository Server, which will pass the files to the Program Job Server as necessary.

To specify paths to required files

1. In the Objects management area of the CMC, select the executable program object by clicking its link.
2. Click the Process tab, then click the Parameters link.

The Parameters page appears.

3. In the External Dependencies field, type the full path to the required file and click Add.
4. Repeat step 3 for each file required.
5. Click Update.

Tip:    To edit or remove external dependencies that you have specified, select the file path (in the list of external dependencies on the Parameters page) and click the appropriate button, either Edit or Remove.

To upload required files

1. In the Objects management area of the CMC, select the executable program object by clicking its link.
2. Click the Process tab, then click the Auxiliary Files link.

The Auxiliary Files page appears.

3. Click Browse to navigate to the required file, then click Add File.
4. Repeat step 3 for each required file.
5. Click Update.

Tip:    To remove auxiliary files that you have specified, select the file(s) (in the list of external dependencies on the Parameters page) and click Remove File(s).

Specifying environment variables

In the CMC, you can configure your program by adding or modifying environment variables. Modifications to an existing environment variable override this variable, rather than append to it. Any changes you make to environment variables exist only in the temporary shell in which BusinessObjects Enterprise runs the program. Thus, when the program exits, the environment variables are destroyed.

To add an environment variable

1. In the Objects management area of the CMC, click the link for the program object.
2. Click the Process tab, then click the Parameters link.

The Parameters page appears.

3. In the Environment Variables field, type the environment variables you want to set.

Use the form name=value, where name is the environment variable name and value is the value for the environment variable. For example, you can set the path variable to append a user's bin directory to the existing path:

• On Windows, you might type: path=%path%;c:\usr\bin
• On UNIX, you might type:PATH=$PATH:/usr/bin

  Note:    BusinessObjects Enterprise sets your environment variables using the syntax that is appropriate for your operating system. However, on UNIX you must follow convention, and use the appropriate case. For example, all name values on UNIX must be typed in upper-case.

4. Click Update.

Tip:    To edit or remove environment variables that you have specified, select the variable (in the list of environment variables on the Parameters page), and click the appropriate button, either Edit or Remove.