Creating a document specification

Before document-style reports can be generated, the templates and data sources need to be connected. This connection information is maintained in the document specification file that is stored on your system.

About this task

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. You can create and edit a document specification file by using the stand-alone Launcher or the Launcher embedded in the Document Studio. You can provide values for output properties, data sources properties, template properties, and values of variables.

Tip: You can use relative paths, HTTP paths , or HTTPS paths to related resources in document specifications. When you use relative paths, you can change the directory structure of your files and still access the files necessary to generate document-style reports. You are prompted to choose between using relative paths or absolute paths when the document specification is saved, when the template is in the same folder as the document specification, when the template is in a child folder of the folder that contains the document specification, or when the template is in a parent folder of the folder that contains the document specification. You cannot specify a relative path to a parent folder of a parent folder.

Creating a blank document specification

Procedure

Click File > New > Document Specification.
Optional: Enter the metadata for the document specification:
- Name: A metadata name for the document specification. This name is only in the metadata and not a name for the file to be saved as.
- Description: An explanation of the content in the document specification or context for other users to work with the document specification.
Click Finish.
Click OK.
A blank document specification opens and you can begin configuring outputs and templates.

Creating a document specification in the wizard and populating it with selections

Procedure

Click File > New > Document Specification.
Optional: Enter the metadata for the document specification:
- Name: A metadata name for the document specification. This name is only in the metadata and not a name for the file to be saved as.
- Description: An explanation of the content in the document specification or context for other users to work with the document specification.
Click Next.
Add templates to the document specification:
1. Select whether the template is found in the central library or on a local or remote computer.
2. Select the template and click Add template.
3. Repeat to add multiple templates to the document specification.
Choose whether to continue configuring the document specification in the wizard or to finish and close the wizard.
- To continue configuring the document specification in the wizard, select Yes and click Next. Continue to the next step.
- To finish and close the wizard, select No.
  Tip: If you want to automatically open all the related templates for the document specification in the editor area of the Launcher embedded in the Document Studio, you must set the Keep Document Specification synchronized with the current Template? preference option to No and select the Do you want to open all related Templates? checkbox. You can find the Keep Document Specification synchronized with the current Template? preference option in Windows > Preferences > PUB > Document Design preference page.
  When you click Finish, your changes are saved in the document specification and the wizard closes. You can continue editing the document specification or close the Launcher application.
Review the details that are retrieved from the template and click Next.
If there are variables in the template, select each one and configure them individually.
1. Select Manual configuration or From configuration layer.
2. Select or enter the value for the configuration.
3. Repeat for each variable.
4. Click Next.
Select style sheets for each output type:
1. Select an output format.
2. Select the location of the style sheet.
3. Select the style sheet.
4. Repeat for each output format.
5. Click Next.
Review the summary of your selection.
Optional: Click Edit advanced properties to edit the metadata for the document specification.
Select which action to take when you click Finish:
- Run the document generation: Generates the output now and keeps the Launcher application open for you to continue editing the document specification.
- Run the document generation and close PUB: Generates the output now and closes the Launcher application.
- Close this wizard and open the PUB client: Does not generate the output. The window closes and you can continue editing the document specification.
Click Finish.
Click File > Save As or click the Save icon on the toolbar. Select a location and enter a file name with a .dsx extension.

Customizing the default document specification

About this task

When you create a document specification, it is based on the document specification template located in PUB_install_dir/utils/docspec.dsx. You can modify this template to change the default configuration values such as:

Set document-style report output format. For example, if you are working with only Microsoft Word output, set the document specification to output to Microsoft Word only.
Set default metadata property values. For example, set the maximum image width to 400 pixels.
Set default output format properties. For example, set the style sheet to rpe.dot.

If you do not want your document specifications based on the values of this template, you can rename this file or remove it from the PUB_install_dir/utils directory. The default properties are then loaded from the PUB_install_dir\config\rpeconfig.xml file.