Find_Replace on TIC

Is there a way to use the find and replace element of an automation on an artifact on TIC? Or should I design that automation on the TDP instance that is on the computer/server?

Automation scripts are stored as text in a table on TIC. Sounds like you want to change the same item on several scripts. If you need to change a password to a connection used in the script just edit the script and republish. It will update all scripts that use that same connection and username.

Thanks, but I’m trying to solve different problems.

I have ~80 departments that consume the same set of reports but limited to data concerning their own department. I can generate 80 automations that run the same reports but with department specific parameters, I can have an scheduled automation run all 80 of these daily. But when I need to change a report I need to republish all 80 again. I thought of creating an automation with a loop and have the report loop through all 80 parameters but I can’t pass the “publish to folder” or “share with” as parameters. I found I could do this by using ‘find and replace’ and find replace the “share with…” part of the .tas file.

Convoluted? I guess , I’m guilty here. If there is another way to, effectively, row or group level security for automations in TDP and TIC I would be very interested to hear about (is there a helper program, triggered with the “run” element in an automation) that can capture the user/group profile of the entity running the automation in TIC and pass specific parameters based on that?

Sounds like you could create a table with columns that match your needs. Then loop over the results of selecting all the rows of the table - in your case it would be 80 rows - and use the values in the loop. Edit the table for any changes when needed. This could even be a Excel spreadsheet.

Thanks, I was thinking about that possibility that why I asked whether the find/raplce element of an automation could do that to an artifact (another .tas file) that is published on TIC. When selecting a “source” for the find/replace element it only shows my “local” files but not the TIC artifacts to choose from.

With what I suggested, you wouldn’t need a Find/Replace. Look through the videos on this site for a loop query. Debbie has one that fits.

I have used the loop function the way you suggested. I used a table with the department name and the columns for parameters to use for each department and the email-address to use for sending the report. However, while you can use a variable for email addresses you can’t use variables in the “share with” and “Destination Folder” inputs of the “Publishing Wizard” of the automation’s Publish Files" element.

I can create 80 different reports with the loop, send them out to 80 different recipients but when I want to share these reports on TIC with specific users or publish them in specific folder (say one folder per department) I have to do that manually or create 80 different elements in an automation that handle the publishing to TIC part.

So the question remains is there a way I can share 80 different reports generated from 1 Data report looping through 80 sets of parameters and share these results specifically with 80 different end-users. The find/replace elements seems to work as you can find and replace the “share with” script in a .tas file and use that in a loop but for that I would need the source for that find/replace element be a .tas file that is on TIC (I want to avoid scheduling the automation from my local machine).

Now I understand better what you are asking for. I entered QAT-11917 for this. We just had a release on Friday so I could get this fix into a Beta if you are able to use a Beta.

Otherwise, can you use an if Activity? If #Deptno# = 10 then publish activity with hard coded values. You could put a sting of these in a parallel activity for easier maintenance.

Thanks, that might work.

What will the fix entail? Allowing find/replace to target artifacts on TIC or allowing “share with” or “destination folder” in the publication wizard to be variables?

I think I currently have no access to Beta as we are still reviewing and testing the product under a Trial Licence.

We looked at this briefly and adding the use of a variable to the Shared With publishing is doable. But not so easy on creating a folder with a variable. When you share an object with a user they can see it and others cannot. It should be sufficient to just add variable support to who you share with when publishing. Does that work for you?

That would be very helpful, thank you.