Previewing a document with the document generation wizard

For documents with large amounts of data, you can generate a document from the Launcher and Document Studio applications with only a subset of the data to decrease generation time.

Before you begin

Every template is associated with a blank document specification by default. When you preview or publish a template from the Document Studio application, this blank document specification can be customized or used without customization to generate the output. The Document Studio keeps the template in sync with the default document specification when you open or save the template.
Note: These instructions apply to most data sources, but not all data sources. For data source specific instructions, see the Integrating documentation for your data source.

About this task

The subset of data that is included in the preview is the first ten data entries by default. You can change this number in the Engine Preferences:
  1. Click Window > Preferences > RPE > Engine preferences.
  2. In the Preview query results limit, enter the number of data entries to include in the preview.

There is no difference in generating previews from the Launcher application or the Document Studio application. When you use the wizard to generate documents, the same options are provided in both applications. However, in the Launcher application, you have the ability to configure details for the document preview in the Document Specification and Properties views without using the wizard.

Procedure

  1. In the Launcher or Document Studio, click Document Specification > Preview > Configure and Preview Document.

    You can also click the Configure and preview icon Configure and Preview Document icon in the toolbar.

    A configuration wizard opens to allow you to make additional selections for the preview before it is generated.
  2. In the Data sources section, configure each data source.
    Note:
    • If a default value exists for a data source or a default URI value has already been entered, the data source displays as configured and the default value is used in the output unless another value is selected.
    • If you move past the Data sources section and then click Back to make additional changes to a data source, the section always opens to the first data source in the list.
    1. Select a data source from one of the following locations:
      • Manual configuration: To select a local or remote data source because no other configuration information exists for this data source in the configuration layer or Central Management component
      • Using data source values from the Central Library: To select a data source stored in the Central Management component
      • Load from Configuration Layer: To select a value from the configuration metadata that was entered for the data source in the template
    2. Depending on the selection you made in the previous step, you can either select a value for the data source by entering a URL, clicking Browse to select one, or select a value from the configuration layer.
    3. Enter a user name and password to authenticate with the data source application.
    4. Select an authentication type. If you do not select a type, each type is tested until the correct type is found, which might increase document generation time.
      • Auto
      • Basic
      • Form
      • OAuth
      • OAuth-OSLC
    5. Optional: Enter an accept header. The default value is application/xml, */*.
    6. Optional: If you want to apply the credentials you entered to each data source, select the Apply these user name and password values to every configured and unconfigured data source option.
    7. Click Next
  3. In the Variables section, configure each variable.
    Note:
    • If a default value exists for a variable, the variable displays as configured and the default value is used in the output unless another value is selected.
    • If you move past the Variables section and then click Back to make additional changes to a variable, the section always opens to the first variable in the list.
    1. From the drop-down menu, select one of the following options:
      • Manual configuration: To enter any value for the variable because no other configuration information exists for this variable in the configuration layer or Central Management component
      • From Configuration Layer: To select a value from the configuration metadata you entered for the variable in your template
      • Using variable values from the central library: To select a variable stored in the Central Management component
    2. Enter or select a value for the configuration.
    3. Click Next.
  4. In the Output section, select the output types to generate:
    • Microsoft Word
    • PDF
    • HTML
    • XSL-FO
    • Legacy PDF
    1. Optional: For the Save location, click Browse to select a path to save the file for each output type. If the save location for the output is not specified, the file is generated in the temporary location.
    2. Optional: For the Style sheet, click Browse to select a style sheet to use for each output type while generating the output.
    3. Optional: Microsoft Word output only: For the Macro, enter the name of the macro that is contained within the style sheet.
    4. Optional: To enter additional metadata or configure other document properties that are not included in the wizard, click Edit metadata properties.
    5. Click Next.
  5. Verify that the template and output information in the summary window is correct.
  6. Select which action to take when you click Finish:
    • Run the document generation: Generates the output types you specified.
    • Run the document generation and close RPE: Generates the output types you specified and closes the Rational Publishing Engine application after you exit the Results window.
    • Close this wizard and open the RPE client: Opens the document specification with the details you entered in the Launcher application.
  7. Click Finish.
    Tip: If you are generating the document remotely, you can close the Document Studio or Launcher application before the document generation completes without interrupting the generation process. If you are generating the document locally, do not close the Document Studio or Launcher application until the document generation completes.

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