Maintaining External Applications

The External Application function is where Reports and other External Application links can be added to the system to be available for Operators to run.
Examples of links that can be set up:
- Your own custom Crystal Reports.
- Custom built interface programs that provide a link to other systems.
- Any other software application file, eg. a Microsoft Excel spread sheet. The application that is associated with the file will open and load the file in the usual way.

System

External Application

Mandatory Prerequisites

Prior to creating an External Application, refer to the following Topics:

External Application Group - Maintaining External Application Groups

Screenshot and Field Descriptions

External: this is the primary identifier for the External Application.

Group: this determines the Group that the External Application belongs to. The Group is important for keeping related External Applications together and for the set up of security.

Name: this is the friendly name of the External Application.

Program: this is the software application / file to be opened / run.

The default path where the application program is located is in the system Report directory. This can be changed by entering a different path value in the Folder field on the External Application Group screen.

Command Line: these are fields to store extra values that need to be passed across to the software application / file to be opened / run. Leave the default Standard option selected if one or no values need to be passed across. Select the Manual option if multiple values need to be passed across.

How Do I : Add a new External Application link

At the External field, enter a new External Application ID.
At the Group field, locate the Group you would like to assign this External Application to.
At the Name field, enter the External Application's friendly Name.
At the Program field, enter the software application / file to be opened / run.
If only one extra value needs to be passed across to the software application / file, enter the value in the Command Line field. If multiple extra values need to be passed across to the software application / file, select the Command Line - Manual option and enter the values in the extra Command Line fields.
Click the Application tool-bar push button: Add.
Confirm that you wish to add the new record.

How Do I : Modify an existing External Application link

At the External field, locate the External Application.
At the Group field, locate the Group you would like to assign this External Application to.
At the Name field, enter the External Application's friendly Name.
At the Program field, enter the software application / file to be opened / run.
If only one extra value needs to be passed across to the software application / file, enter the value in the Command Line field. If multiple extra values need to be passed across to the software application / file, select the Command Line - Manual option and enter the values in the extra Command Line fields.
Click the Application tool-bar push button: Change.
Confirm that you wish to change the record.

How Do I : Delete an External Application link

At the External field, locate the External Application.
Click the Application tool-bar push button: Delete.
Confirm that you wish to delete the record.

How Do I : Add my own Crystal Report to the System

You can use the External Application feature to add your own custom Crystal Reports to the set of reports in the system.

Refer to How Do I : Add a new External Application link:

Save your Crystal Report to the system Report directory or the Folder value if specified on the External Application Group.
At the Program field, enter the full name of the Crystal Report file ie. "MyReport.rpt".
No value is required in the Command Line field.
To see how to run the report from the system, refer to the Topic: Running Reports and other External Applications