Define the object classes which shall be included in the publication

For each object class included in the publication, there is a publication entry node beneath the publication. Publication entries on the root level of the definition specify the object class the publication is about. These objects can be either objects that a user selects prior to starting the publication, or objects found via a query without selection of objects required. For these kinds of publications, it is possible to specify more than one publication entry node on the root level of the publication and publish data about objects of multiple object classes.

The publication can include data about objects related to the published objects. The publication entry nodes for these objects are subordinate to the publication node of the object class they are related to. The relation to the superordinate node must be defined via a query. A publication can have multiple levels of publication nodes. The query defined for one node refers to the superordinate node, or even all superordinate nodes with an Alfabet parameter . In each node, a parameter name is defined for the node. the parameter @ParameterName returns the REFSTR value of the current object of the publication entry object at publication runtime.

1. Right-click the publication node and select Add Publication Entry.
2. In the attribute window of the publication entry, define the following attributes:
   • Name: Enter a technical name for the publication entry.

     Rules for defining technical names

     Technical names should be unique and should not contain white spaces and special characters except underscore and hyphen. They are used to identify configuration objects unambiguously in technical processes.

   • Parameter Name: Enter a name that can be used as parameter Alfabet parameter name in queries. The parameter name can be used for any publication entries in the publication configuration to refer to the REFSTR of the current object found for this publication entry.
   • Source Type: Select one of the following:
     • None: Select this option if you want to publish data about the base object of the publication. The base object is the object that the user selects to trigger the publication for in a configured report or the object the user is currently working with if he/she triggers the publication via a configured button in a content area.
     • Query: Select this option if you want to publish data about the objects found by an Alfabet query. If this option is selected, the Alfabet query must be configured to find the base objects for the publication in either the Alfabet Query attribute or the Alfabet Query as Text attribute.
     • NativeSql: Select this option if you want to publish data about the objects found by a native SQL query. If this option is selected, the native SQL query must be configured to find the base objects for the publication in the Native Query attribute.

     If the Source Type attribute is set to None , the publications can neither be tested in Alfabet Expand nor published with the publication console application.

     If you want to test a report that should be based on a base object selected by the user ( Source Type attribute = None ), you must simulate the user selection during the configuration: To do so, select Query or NativeSql in the Source Type attribute and define a query that finds one single object of the base object class. After successful testing, you can change the Source Type attribute to None.

     If you want a publication to be executed with the publication console application with the selection of a different base object for each publication, you can select the option Query or NativeSql in the Source Type attribute and define an Alfabet parameter in the query. Current Alfabet parameter values can be selected in the command line of the publication console application.

   • Native Query / Alfabet Query / Alfabet Query as Text: If the Source Type attribute is set to Query or NativeSql , you must define a query that finds the object(s) for which data should be published. The parameter BASE can be used in the query to refer to the REFSTR of the object that the user has currently selected for publication.
   • Template: Select the Word template to use for the publication of data. The drop-down list displays all uploaded Word templates.
   • Use separate page: Select True if you want a line break to be added to the document when starting publication of a new object of this level.