The following repository objects provide a prepared connection to a data source for Ad Hoc view creation:

• Topics: JRXML files created externally and uploaded to Zoola™ as a basis for Ad Hoc views.

  
  
  

• Domains: virtual views of a data source that present the data in business terms, allowing for localization and providing data-level security.

The Ad Hoc Editor contains the following panels, from left to right:
 

• Domain: [Domain Data Source Name]: contains the fields, dimensions, and measures available in the source Domains and/or Topic.

  
  
  

• Ad Hoc View: the main view design panel.

  
  
  

• Filters: Which defines a subset of data to retrieve from the data source.

  
  
  

You can also open and edit an existing Ad Hoc view to create a new Ad Hoc view. 

Topics
 

Generally, an administrator creates a Topic. A Topic can also be created from a Domain in the server. Both types of topics appear in the Select Data wizard when you create an Ad Hoc view.
Using a Topic as your source generates an empty view, which allows you to begin adding data to your view right away, without choosing, pre-filtering, or changing display names of the data (all of which are required steps when creating a Domain-based view).

To begin designing a Topic-based view, complete the following steps:
 
 

1. From the Home page, navigate to Create > Ad Hoc View.

   
   
   

2. In the Select Data Wizard, click the View As Tree icon .

   
   
   

3. Navigate to Ad Hoc Components > Topics.

   
   
   

4. Expand the Topics folder and select a Topic.

   
   
   

5. Click the OK button.

   
   
   

You can now begin working on your view in the Ad Hoc Editor. 

Domains

Administrators create Domains that typically filter the data, create input controls, and manage the list of available fields and measures. A Domain specifies tables in the database, join clauses, calculated fields, display names, and default properties, all of which define items and sets of items for creating Ad Hoc views.

To begin designing a Domain-based view, complete the following steps:
 
 

1. From the Home page, navigate to Create > Ad Hoc View.

   
   
   

2. In the Select Data wizard, click the View As Tree icon .

   
   
   

3. Expand the Domains folder and select a Domain.

   
   
   

4. Click the Choose Data button, opening the Choose Data page.

   
   
   

5. From the Choose Data page, navigate through the left-panel options and perform the following tasks:

   
   
   

   1. Click Fields to select fields of data to use in the view.

      
      
      

   2. Click Pre-Filters to create filters to limit the data available in the Ad Hoc Editor.

      
      
      

   3. Click Display to change the fields' display names.

      
      
      

   4. Click the Save as Topic button to save the customized Domain Topic for later use.

      
      
      

You can now begin working on your view in the Ad Hoc Editor.