Configuration

Scheduled Data Updates

In a production environment where the source data changes continuously, an ADVIZOR project should be updated regularly, usually nightly, so ordinary users can quickly and efficiently open the visual analysis dashboard with the latest data in ADVM format from a standard network location. The update process can be controlled by a batch script invoked by the Windows Task Scheduler.

Directory Organization

In the recommended procedure, Adv2Advm loads the master ADV project file from a protected directory and the data from the database server using an administrative account and saves the resulting ADVM file in a shared network location. Prior versions of the ADVM can be preserved for future reference by renaming them to include a date stamp, using batch script syntax like "%date:~4,2%-%date:~7,2%".

Basic Script

The same batch script can update a project that has been published to ADVIZOR Server AE, simply by copying the ADVM file created by Adv2Advm to the appropriate Projects sub-directory. Note, though, that all project files in ADVIZOR Server AE Projects directories are named with an ADV extension, so the script should rename the ADVM file with the ADV extension to replace the previous ADV file. As a generic example, your nightly update batch script might look like this:

Scheduled Task Configuration

PLEASE NOTE: When configuring a scheduled task, please ensure that the “Do not store password” check box in the General Properties tab is NOT checked if any projects use “Integrated Security” (Windows Authentication) to access Microsoft SQL Server data sources.

Enabling Data Export

The Project Directory listing (http://server/adv) identifies projects with embedded data as "Static" type and others as "Dynamic", but in general it's not recommended to publish projects without embedded data. The exception to this recommendation is a process that should be followed when changes are made to a project and the Export Data or Export Project functionality is desired: when changes are made to the project, it should first be published to ADVIZOR Server AE with the Embed Data option UNchecked, but with the Export Data or Export Project options set; then the ADV file should be moved from the Server AE Projects directory to the protected directory where it should replace the master project file. This will allow the export options to be preserved in the nightly update process.

Configuring Adv2Advm to Send Email Notification

If you will be using the Adv2Advm utility, errors that occur during unattended operation are easily missed. To avoid this, Adv2Advm can optionally be configured to send an email notification when errors occur. This is done by modifying the configuration file, Adv2Advm.exe.config, with a text editor. The configuration file is in XML format, and some knowledge of XML is helpful, but not required:

1. Load Adv2Advm.exe.config into a text editor.
2. Locate the configuration\system.net\mailSettings\smtp\network element.
3. Modify the following attributes to configure Adv2Advm to use your Simple Mail Transport Protocol (SMTP) server:
   1. host: Specifies the hostname of the SMTP mail server to use for SMTP transactions.
   2. port: Specifies the port number to use to connect to the SMTP mail server (normally 25, or 465 if SSL/TLS is supported).
   3. enableSsl: Specifies whether SSL is used to access an SMTP mail server.
   4. userName: Specifies the user name to use for authentication to the SMTP mail server.
   5. password: Specifies the password to use for authentication to the SMTP mail server.
4. Locate the configuration\loggingConfiguration\listeners element.
5. The listeners element contains multiple add elements. Locate the one with the name attribute of “AsiCustomEmailTraceListener”.
6. In this add element, modify the following attributes to configure the email sender and recipient(s):
   1. senderAddress: Specifies the email sender. Typically, but not necessarily, the same as the userName in 3d above.
   2. recipientAddresses: Specifies the email recipient(s). Separate multiple recipients, if any, with commas.
   3. subject: Specifies the email subject.
7. Locate the configuration\loggingConfiguration\categorySources element.
8. The categorySources element contains multiple add elements. Locate the one with the name attribute of “Error”.
9. This add element contains a listeners element. The listeners element contains an add element.
10. After the existing add element, insert a new line and write the following new add element: &ltadd name="AsiCustomEmailTraceListener" /&gt
11. Within the configuration\loggingConfiguration\categorySources element, locate the add element with the name attribute of “Warning”.
12. This add element contains a listeners element. The listeners element contains an add element.
13. After the existing add element, insert an new line and write the following new add element: &ltadd name="AsiCustomEmailTraceListener" /&gt
14. Save the Adv2Advm.exe.config file, and exit the text editor.
15. Verify the configuration. Execute the following command from a DOS command prompt to send a test email: Adv2Advm.exe -emailtest