OBIEE 11g Release 11.1.1.7 – Creating Custom Print Layouts for High-Fidelity Printing of Dashboard Pages

The dashboard page print layout and actual print out is always a matter of concern. Print layout which supports high-fidelity printing of dashboard pages is always in wish list of many customers.  OBIEE 11g Release 11.1.1.7 offers an option to create custom print layouts for high fidelity printing of dashboard pages. This is offered with the help of BI Publisher ability to produce a layout for perfect pixel reports.

This blog is an attempt to explain the overall method for creating custom print layouts for high fidelity printing of dashboard pages.

Overview of Creating Custom Print Layouts Process

Dashboard builder can be used to create custom print layouts for high-fidelity printing of dashboard pages. Custom print layouts allow end users to produce high-quality printed dashboard content.

The creation of custom print layout involved followings

• The dashboard page is exported to BI Publisher and generates BI Publisher report and Data Model

1. BI Publisher Report with a layout based on the exported dashboard layout
2. Data model to retrieve data for the dashboard page components

• BI Publisher Report Editor opens in a new browser window with the auto-generated layout displayed as a thumbnail. The report editor allows user to edit or delete the layout, or add a new layout.

Once users have saved the custom print layouts in BI Publisher, these layouts are available for the dashboard page and appear in the Custom Print Layouts area of the ‘Print Options dialog’.

Limitations - Custom Print Layouts

Custom print layouts creation does not supports some customizations and some views such as hierarchical columns, performance tiles, map views, trellis views, and dashboard prompts. In case if item from the dashboard is not supported, it will be removed from the layout and a message will be displayed with reason that it is not been supported by custom print layout creation process.

Step to Create Custom Print Layouts for High Fidelity Printing of Dashboard Pages

Report Builder can create custom print layouts which allow end users to produce high-quality printed dashboard content.  The steps for creating one or more custom print layouts for dashboard page are as follows.

Create Custom Print Layouts

Edit dashboard >> Navigate to Dashboard Page >> Click on Tools >> Select Print Properties – which opens Print Options dialog >> Click Custom Print Layout button >> Create Layouts  - This step would export the dashboard page in BI Publisher and generate BI Publisher report and Data Model from dashboard page contents

BI Publisher Report Editor would open in new browser window >> Edit the auto-generated layout and Save / Create additional layout if desired >> Exit BI Publisher

Publishing Custom Print Layouts to End Users

Dashboard Page >>Print menu – Print Option dialog >> Tools Button > Select Print Properties> Select the custom layouts to publish > > Click OK >> Save Dashboard

Edit, Replace or Remove Custom Print layouts

Edit dashboard >> Navigate to Dashboard Page >>Click Tools Button>> Select Print Options – Print Options dialog opens >> Click Custom Print Layouts button

Choose one of the options – Create and Edit Layouts, Replace Layouts or Remove Layouts >> Save Dashboard

Note: - Custom Print Layouts won’t work if data model or the layout from the Oracle BI Presentation Catalog is been deleted manually.