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Is it possible to upload a BIP report .catalog object using the SOAP web services?

I've done some POCs using the SOAP web services provided (CatalogService (oracle.com)); however, I haven't found any of these web services that can upload a .catalog file. It would be helpful to have a web service that can upload the .catalog files created in UI when archiving BIP reports in order to migrate a version of the report to a target instance using an automated deployment process.

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Accepted answers

Mallikarjuna Kuppauru-Oracle

Hi @ MD-JMS

BIP reports CatalogService: Provides methods to manage (create, copy, upload, download and delete) report catalog objects, such as folders, reports, data models, style templates, and sub-templates.

.catalog format is an analytics archive format, we can't use the same . You need to use download and upload option.

Other comments are welcome

Regards,

Arjun

All comments

Emily Cikovsky-Oracle

@Alan Lee - Oracle-Oracle , can you comment on this?

Mallikarjuna Kuppauru-Oracle

Hi @ MD-JMS

BIP reports CatalogService: Provides methods to manage (create, copy, upload, download and delete) report catalog objects, such as folders, reports, data models, style templates, and sub-templates.

.catalog format is an analytics archive format, we can't use the same . You need to use download and upload option.

Other comments are welcome

Regards,

Arjun

TooManyBugs

Is there any webservice that can download and upload xdo/xdm files in analytics archive format? or any webservice can convert the xdo/xdm files into analytics archive fromat?

mgoswami

I have used other BIP web services for ScheduleService & ReportService and they have worked like as expected. So I assume we can use the catalogService (downloadObject and uploadObject) methods to achieve the asked functionality.

Sudhan

Hi All,

Any solution for this one?

I am also working on a requirement similar to this. Please let me know if there is a solution to achieve this and that would be helpful for me to complete the requirement.

Thanks in Advance

Sudhan K

SCatherall

It is a year after the last comment and I too am in a similar position.
As our team develop reporting assets we are backing them up into source control so they are not lost between P2T refreshes into the test environment. It would be very helpful to be able to automate working with these assets in/out of source control using the CatalogService.

We have as humans been using the Archive / Unarchive options. There is no option on screen for an existing .xdo to "Download" the definition other than these. However if I do save the CatalogService result and Upload it, it will appear, but it is not recognised as a report.

Anyone found the missing piece of the puzzle yet?

Humans in UI = archive/unarchive .xdo.catalog files
Automations = upload/download .xdo files

The .catalog treatment is clearly some sort of zip/compression. Oracle Integration Cloud downloads of integrations (.iar) can be inspected with 7-Zip, but .catalog is clearly different. The CatalogService downloaded content saved as an .xdo file CAN be opened with 7-Zip. The .xdo file then contains
(
YOURREPORTNAME.xpt (itself is another archive that then contains)
(
businessView.xml
layout.xml
version.txt
)
xdo.cfg
_report.xdo
~metadata.meta
~security.sec
)

This looks like a report definition.
If I try to "Upload" this into BIP, it just gets held as a "binary resource" not a report.
If I try to "Unarchive" this into BIP, it gives an error "Virus scanner not reachable."

I want something that bridges this gap so if humans make new assets they can back them up, and we can restore them post P2T with automations

RVohra

@SCatherall , Welcome to the Oracle Analytic Community!

As per my understanding, Oracle does NOT support manipulating .xdo files directly for deployment.

Use the CatalogService methods to interact with the top-level catalog in Publisher.

CatalogService manages all report objects, including folders, reports, data models, style templates, and sub-templates, and provides methods for common operations, such as create, delete, copy, and rename.

Hope it helps!

RVohra

Here is the oracle doc that can be referred for CatalogService methods. Hope it helps!

SCatherall

I'm familiar with the CatalogService, thanks. I've got it working fine with managing reporting on what report and datamodel assets we SHOULD have in source control. I've just not got any way to meaningfully have a cross compatible source control between humans and automation.

What is Oracle's best practice guidance for source control management or change control management of reporting assets?

RVohra

@SCatherall ,

Oracle does not provide a built-in Git/SVN integration for reporting artifacts in Fusion SaaS, but the recommended enterprise approach is to treat report definitions/catalog exports as source artifacts and manage them in your version control system:

Export report catalog files (.catalog) or the underlying XML definitions of OTBI/Analytics and BI Publisher reports.
Store those artifacts in a central Git repository (or equivalent like Azure DevOps, Bitbucket).
Use branches/tags for releases, feature work, and hotfixes.
Regularly commit with meaningful messages so you track who changed what and why.

This approach gives you auditability, historical change tracking, and the basis for formal review/rollback procedures.