Nintex Reporting – Import/Export Report
This is one place to start, if you want to modify an existing report, or create a new report. The first thing to get is the Nintex Reporting SDK : Nintex Reporting 2008 SDK The second thing, is to go to Site Actions->Site Settings, where you’ll see that there is a Nintex Reporting section there. Depending on what type of site you are on, you may only see a subset of the screenshot you see below.
You can then click on the Import / export base report. This will let you pick a report you want to export, which will download a NRR file. On this page, you can also import a new report that you are working on. If you export a report, you’ll notice that the report file itself can look a little confusing. Leave the worries behind. The Nintex Reporting SDK, on page 192 of the SDK, describes the structure of the report file.
In a simplified explanation:
1. Report information (name, ID etc)
2. CREATE PROC sql script to create the runner stored procedure
3. CREATE PROC sql script to create the cleanup stored procedure
4. CREATE TABLE sql script to create the cache table
5. The Report Definition XML (describes the visual aspect of the report)
6. Report Parameters that are required for the report
7. VERY IMPORTANT – also includes the drill down reports (in the same format as above).
When you want Export or Import a report, click on the Import / export base report link in Site Settings. All your reports will be visible to you, and to the right of each report, you can click the Export button to download the report (NRR) file. When you have created or updated your report (NRR) file, this is also the page where you want to import it to Nintex Reporting. Click on the Import Report link at the top left.
You will be presented with a page where you can then browse to your NRR file. There is a warning on this page, so please take not of it. The NRR file import, will modify details in your database.
When you find your NRR file, and click on Import, there will be some validation performed on the file. If there is something wrong with the file, you’ll see the following :
A future blog will be about the issues that I have come across, which are mostly human error. But it might be helpful for those of you creating custom reports. Watch this space…. no… wait… this space… or… trust me… there’ll be a new blog about issues soon. Just not sure when. Maybe when I’ll have time.
