The Repository offers several different access methods depending on the scenario.

The Remote Interface, which comes with the server installation, has an embedded graphical Repository Browser. The browser can be used for all management purposes.

The i-net Designer offers the file chooser, a convenient way for report designers to access reports from within the program using a version of the Repository Browser which is less powerful in terms of managing the repository. The main purpose is to open, modify and save report files from the repository and render them directly on the server. The report can use the report servers embeddable fonts for local modifications.

In addition i-net Clear Reports runs a WebDAV interface that allows file system access to the repository. This enables users to interact with the repository like they do with network shares. (See below for detailed information on how to connect to a repository from your operating system.)

For direct access to the renderer of i-net Clear Reports you can use the newly created "repo" URL protocol. It is an addition to the current report URL parameter "report" that allows a shorter way to call the report renderer:

• Current Format:

  http://reportserver.com/reporting?report=file:C:/repository_files/path/to/report_name.rpt

• Repo URL Format:

  http://reportserver.com/reporting?report=repo:/path/to/report_name.rpt

• Access URL:

  http://<yourserver:port>/<context>/remote/repositorybrowser

The Remote Interface offers a fully featured GUI for the Report Repository. It is file browser like, having a directory tree and a list of the report files. Using the interface you can manage every aspect of the repository, which includes:

• adding and removing files or directories
• tagging of reports
• setting file permissions
• and of course rendering and exporting report files

• Access URL:

  http://<yourserver>:<port>/<context>/repository

The i-net Designer comes with a file chooser that has a built-in browser for the Repository. It is almost as feature rich as the Repository Browser GUI in the Remote Interface - but you can directly open, edit, save and render the reports from the designer program. Additionally the opened reports will be added to your recent document list to make them available for quick starts.

You can distinguish reports that have been opened locally or from the report repository by their render tab which has an additional "Remote" flag for Repository reports.

To connect to your repository you have to insert the access URL in the configuration dialog that you can access with the menu item: "Options | Repository Server". Specify the login credentials if necessary.

Figure 1: Repository Configuration in i-net Designer

• i-net Clear Reports as local standalone server

  http://localhost:9000/repository

• i-net Clear Reports in Tomcat in local intranet

  http://tomcat-server:8080/reporting/repository

• i-net software sample repository

  http://www.inetsoftware.de/external-services/remote/public/repository

• Access URL:

  http://<yourserver:port>/<context>/repository

The Repository supports the WebDAV connection standard. You can type in the above mentioned URL in your browser and will get the browse able and download able repository content. But you can also use the above URL to add a network storage to your operating system file browser.

• On Windows: In the Windows Explorer right click on the computer icon and select "Add Network Location".
• On Windows XP and Windows Server 2003: Open "My Network Places" from the desktop and click on "Add a Network Place".

In the field "Internet or network address" specify the access URL of your WebDAV interface (see above for examples).

• Go to Places → Connect to Server
• Select Service Type → WebDAV (HTTP)
• Insert the name and port of the i-net Clear Reports server
• Insert "/<context>/repository" as Folder

The login credentials need not be provided here. The server will ask for them if necessary.

In the Finder press CMD+K to open up the server connection dialog. Enter the access URL from above and click "Connect". The Finder will now attempt to establish the WebDAV connection - and maybe ask for your authentication credentials (which can be saved to your keychain).

The established connection will be displayed as a remote network device.