Professional Documents
Culture Documents
</HEAD>
Step-by-Step Portfolio
Copyright
Portfolio version 7.0
This edition published 2001.
Copyright (C) 2001 Cognos Incorporated.
Portions Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Washington 98052-6399 USA. All rights reserved.
Portions of this product provided by LEAD Technologies, Inc. Charlotte, NC.
Portions Copyright (C) LEAD Technologies, Inc. 1991-1995. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Sample product images with the pound symbol (#) in the lower right hand corner are copyright (C) 1998 PhotoDisc, Inc.
This software/documentation contains proprietary information of Cognos Incorporated. All rights are reserved. Reverse engineering of this
software is prohibited. No part of this software/documentation may be copied, photocopied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
transmitted in any form or by any means, or translated into another language without the prior written consent of Cognos Incorporated.
Cognos, the Cognos logo, Axiant, COGNOSuite, Cognos Upfront, Cognos DecisionStream, Impromptu, NoticeCast, PowerCube,
PowerHouse, PowerPlay, Scenario and 4Thought are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cognos Incorporated in the United States
and/or other countries. All other names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
While every attempt has been made to ensure that the information in this document is accurate and complete, some typographical errors or
technical inaccuracies may exist. Cognos does not accept responsibility for any kind of loss resulting from the use of information contained in
this document.
This document shows the publication date. The information contained in this document is subject to change without notice. Any
improvements or changes to either the product or the document will be documented in subsequent editions.
U.S. Government Restricted Rights. The software and accompanying materials are provided with Restricted Rights. Use, duplication, or
disclosure by the Government is subject to the restrictions in subparagraph (C)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software
clause at DFARS 252.227-7013, or subparagraphs (C) (1) and (2) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights at
48CFR52.227-19, as applicable. The Contractor is Cognos Corporation, 67 South Bedford Street, Burlington, MA 01803-5164.
Table of Contents
iv Portfolio
Shortcuts 71
Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode) 71
PowerBar Buttons 71
Specifications 73
Appendix B: Troubleshooting 75
The access password doesn’t work 75
The command I need isn't available. 75
The Send command (File menu) is unavailable. 75
The Multiple Actions and Controls tabs are unavailable. 75
I can't move pages in the Table of Contents. 75
I can't delete a page. 75
I can't move or resize an object. 75
Fly-by text doesn't appear. 76
The target resolution I chose reduced or enlarged the briefing book too much. 76
I am frequently prompted to zoom briefing books that I open. 76
I am frequently prompted to find the same source files on the LAN. 76
I can't activate OLE objects. 76
Pages are missing. 77
Server Busy messages. 77
Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions 79
What’s the difference between Author mode and View mode? 79
Why are some commands missing? 79
Can I modify the toolbars in Portfolio? 79
Does Portfolio compensate for different screen resolutions? 79
How many pages can I put in a briefing book? 79
About Passwords 79
Can I protect a briefing book with a password? 79
Can I suppress Essbase passwords when opening PowerPlay reports? 80
About Hotspots 80
What is the HotSpot menu? How do I show it? 80
Can I create a Hotspot that exits Portfolio? 80
About Linking and Embedding 80
What’s the difference between linking and embedding? 80
How does Portfolio re-establish links to unfound source files? 81
How can I activate linked or embedded PowerPlay reports more quickly? 81
Glossary 83
Index 89
Portfolio Help v
vi Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Create a Structure
The structure of a briefing book should help users to understand the content you are presenting.
Here are some tips:
• Arrange related information on the same page, or on consecutive pages
• Use the first page as a title page
• In the background of the title page, show a picture that orients the user to the contents of the
briefing book
• Over appropriate parts of the picture, add HotSpots that jump to the related pages
• Apply Access Manager security to selected pages
For example, each page of a briefing book includes a sales report from one of your company’s
offices. The background of the first page (the title page) shows a map. Over the location of each
office on the map, you insert a HotSpot that jumps to the page dedicated to that office. Access
to each page is controlled by user class assignment.
Portfolio Help 7
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "/author (/a)" (p. 63)
• "/view (/v)" (p. 67)
• "Switch to Author Mode" (p. 8)
• "Switch to View Mode" (p. 37)
• "Embed an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 11)
• "Link an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 10)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Create a New Briefing Book" (p. 9)
• "Open a Briefing Book" (p. 38)
• "Set the Target Screen Resolution of a Briefing Book" (p. 49)
Steps
• From the File menu, click Author Mode.
What if ...
• The Author Mode command is unavailable?
You are already in Author mode or you have Portfolio Viewer, which does not include
authoring tools.
Related Topics
• "/author (/a)" (p. 63)
• "/view (/v)" (p. 67)
• "Switch to View Mode" (p. 37)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
8 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
What if ...
• You start Portfolio and see the Action dialog box?
Click the Create a New Briefing Book button.
Related Topics
• "Open a Briefing Book" (p. 38)
• "Set the Target Screen Resolution of a Briefing Book" (p. 49)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Add a Page
Steps
1. In Author mode, insert or paste a page as follows:
To Do this:
Insert a new page after the From the Page menu, click Add
active page After.
Insert a new page before the From the Page menu, click Add
active page Before.
Paste a page from the From the Edit menu, click Paste
Clipboard after the active page Page After.
Paste a page from the From the Edit menu, click Paste
Clipboard before the active Page Before.
page
What if ...
• You can’t find the Add After, Add Before, Paste Page After, and Paste Page Before
commands?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Portfolio Help 9
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Example
You saved a PowerPlay financial report that you want to include in a briefing book. Because you
update the report regularly, you decide to link it so that the updates can be reflected in the
briefing book.
Tips
• To prevent View-mode users from activating OLE objects, use the Permissions tab (Book
Properties dialog box).
• To display an OLE object as the icon of its source application, select the Display as Icon
check box, which appears in the Add OLE Object dialog box.
• To restore an OLE object to its normal size, use the Restore Real Size command (Object
menu).
• To copy a briefing book and the source files of its linked objects into a directory so that you
can distribute it all together, use the Package Book command (File menu).
• To save time while linking several objects of the same type into briefing books, set a default
OLE object type, using the OLE tab (Preferences dialog box).
What if ...
• You want to include an OLE object that can be activated without access to the source file?
You need to embed the object. See "Embed an OLE Object from Another
Application" (p. 11).
• You can’t find the Paste Linked OLE Object or Add OLE Object commands?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
• "Embed an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 11)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
10 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Example
A PowerPlay report shows the sales results from last quarter. You want to include the report in a
briefing book for the sales representatives. You decide to embed the report so that the sales
representatives can activate it while they’re on the road and lack access to the corporate LAN.
If you Do This:
Created the object in the window From the File menu of the other
of the other application application, click Close or Exit.
Created the object in place within Press Esc, or click outside the
Portfolio object.
Related Topics
• "Link an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 10)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Portfolio Help 11
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
More Info
Tips
• To prevent View-mode users from activating OLE objects, use the Permissions tab (Book
Properties dialog box).
• To prevent users from activating embedded OLE objects in place, clear the Allow In-Place
Activation check box, which appears in the Action tab (Object Properties dialog box) for the
selected object.
• To show an OLE object as the icon of its source application, in the Add OLE Object dialog
box, select the Display as Icon check box.
• To restore an OLE object to its normal size, choose the Restore Real Size command
(Object menu).
• To save time while embedding several objects of the same type into briefing books, set a
default OLE object type, using the OLE tab (Preferences dialog box).
What if ...
• You want to be able to update the OLE object so that it reflects the latest changes to its
source file?
You need to link it. See "Link an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 10).
• You can’t find the Paste Special command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Embed an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 11)
• "Link an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 10)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Example
The title page of a briefing book contains several launch buttons: three jump to other pages in
the briefing book, two launch Impromptu reports, one runs a macro, and one exits Portfolio.
12 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the Object menu, click Add Launch Button.
2. In the Action box, do one of the following:
To Select And
Launch an Launch Select Using Registry, then click
application Application or an application in the box.
that is Open Optionally, select
registered in Document
• the Open Document check
the system
box, and click Browse to
registry file
show the Browse dialog box,
where you can select a
document to open in the
application.
• the Prompt for Parameters
check box to prompt for
command-line options to use
when opening the application.
Portfolio Help 13
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
3. If you want to document the action, type a label in the Action Label box.
4. Click OK.
Tips
• To set the size of a launch button as you create it, drag on the page background. When you
release the mouse button, click Add Launch Button from the pop-up menu that appears.
• To resize a launch button to fit its text, choose the Restore Real Size command (Object
menu).
What if ...
• You can’t find the Add Launch Button command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add an Exit Button" (p. 58)
• "Make an Object Exit Portfolio" (p. 20)
• "Make an Object Jump to a Page" (p. 19)
• "Make the Title Page an Interactive Map to the Briefing Book" (p. 55)
• "Make an Object Run a Macro" (p. 19)
• "Make an Object Run a Program" (p. 18)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Insert an Icon
Description
You can insert a picture of an icon from an executable (.EXE), a dynamic link library (.DLL), or
an icon file (.ICO). The icon is static unless you assign actions to it.
You can assign actions to icons and other objects. See "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17).
Example
You are preparing a briefing book to show the sales results of your company’s software products
from last quarter. You include the product icons to indicate the reports that pertain to each
product.
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the Object menu, click Add Icon.
2. In the Select Icon dialog box, click Browse to show the Browse dialog box.
3. Locate and select the file that contains the desired icon, and click OK.
4. If you are returned to the Select Icon dialog box, select the desired icon in the Icons box,
and click OK.
Tip
• To set the size of an icon object as you create it, drag on the page background. When you
release the mouse button, click Add Icon from the pop-up menu that appears.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Add Icon command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
14 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Insert Text
Description
You can add titles, headings, and descriptive text to organize or enhance the information in a
briefing book. Text appears as an object that you can move or resize.
You can assign actions to text and other objects. See "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17).
Steps
1. From the Object menu, click Add Text.
2. In the Text box, type the desired text.
3. In the Alignment box, select Left, Center, or Right.
4. In the Positioning box, select Top, Middle, or Bottom, and click OK.
Tips
• To change the font or the background pattern of the text, click the Font button in the Add Text
dialog box to show the Font dialog box.
• To set the size of a text object as you create it, drag on the page background. When you
release the mouse button, click Add Text from the pop-up menu that appears.
• To resize a text object to fit its text, choose the Restore Real Size command (Object menu).
Related Topics
• "Annotate a Briefing Book" (p. 42)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Insert a Picture
Description
You can enhance the look of a briefing book by inserting pictures.
For information about the types of pictures Portfolio supports, see the Portfolio product notes.
Example
As part of a proposal on manufacturing a new product, you prepare a briefing book that includes
a report of projected sales, together with a picture of the prototyped product.
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the Object menu, click Add Picture.
2. Locate and select the desired picture, and click OK.
Tips
• To set the size of a picture object as you create it, drag on the page background. When you
release the mouse button, click Add Picture from the pop-up menu that appears.
• To restore a picture object to its normal size, choose the Restore Real Size command
(Object menu).
Portfolio Help 15
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
What if ...
• You want to add a picture to the page background or over an existing object?
See "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24), "Add a Background Picture to a
Page" (p. 28), or "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29).
• You can’t find the Add Picture command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Document an Object
Description
Users of briefing books may need to know what the objects in the briefing book represent or do.
You can add the following types of information for objects:
Example
You link a PowerPlay report into a briefing book and then add fly-by text telling users to "Click
here." When a user clicks the report, a message appears, indicating when the report was last
updated.
16 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Tips
• To test a message, click Test in the Message tab of the Object Properties dialog box.
• To change the font used for the message text, click the Message tab from the Object
Properties dialog box, and click Font to show the Font dialog box.
• To document several objects in sequence, leave the Object Properties dialog box open
while you select the next object; you don’t need to reopen the Object Properties dialog box
each time.
What if ...
• You added fly-by text to an object, but it doesn’t show up?
Make sure that
the object is not selected
you pause the pointer over the object for at least a second
the Show Fly-by Text check box is selected in the Object Properties dialog box
the Show Fly-by Text check box is selected in the Preferences dialog box
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Get Information About an Object within a Briefing Book" (p. 40)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book: Overview" (p. 37)
Activate HotSpots
To activate a HotSpot, double-click it.
Related Topics
• "Add an Exit Button" (p. 58)
• "Make an Object Exit Portfolio" (p. 20)
• "Make an Object Jump to a Page" (p. 19)
• "Make the Title Page an Interactive Map to the Briefing Book" (p. 55)
• "Make an Object Run a Macro" (p. 19)
• "Make an Object Run a Program" (p. 18)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
Portfolio Help 17
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Example
In a briefing book about this year’s sales results, you add a text object that says, "Click here to
see last year’s sales results." You format the object as a HotSpot that opens a PowerPlay report
showing last year’s sales results.
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Action tab.
3. In the Action box, select Do Multiple Actions.
4. Click the Multiple Actions tab.
5. Click Add.
6. In the box, select the Launch Application or Open Document option button, and do one of
the following:
To Select
Launch an application Using Registry, and select an
that is registered in the application in the box.
system registry
7. If you want to open a specific document or prompt for command-line options to use when
opening the application, select one of the following:
To Select
Open a specific Open Document, and click Browse to
document show the Browse dialog box, where you
can locate and select the document.
8. If you want to document the action, type a label in the Action Label box.
9. Click OK.
10. Click the Controls tab.
11. In the Show Controls (View Mode) box, select Never.
Because this HotSpot performs one action only, you don’t need to display controls.
12. Click Close.
18 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
Example
In your master briefing book, you create a HotSpot that runs a macro. The macro creates
several smaller briefing books, each containing only a few of the reports from the master briefing
book, and then sends these briefing books to different people.
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Action tab.
3. In the Action box, select Do Multiple Actions.
4. Click the Multiple Actions tab.
5. Click Add.
6. In the Action box, select Launch Macro.
7. In the Launch Macro box, type the file name of the macro to run, or click Browse to show the
Browse dialog box, where you can locate and select the macro.
8. If you want to document the action, type a label in the Action Label box.
9. Click OK.
10. Click the Controls tab.
11. In the Show Controls (View Mode) box, select Never.
Because this HotSpot performs one action only, you don’t need to display any controls.
12. Click Close.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
Portfolio Help 19
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Example
Each page of a briefing book includes a sales report from one of your company’s offices. On the
background of the first page (the title page), you insert a picture of a map. Then, over each office
location on the map, you insert a HotSpot that jumps to the page dedicated to that office.
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Action tab.
3. In the Action box, select Jump to a Page.
4. Click the Jump tab.
5. Select one of the following option buttons:
Jump to Next Page
Jump to Previous Page
Prompt for Page
Skip Pages (type the number of pages to skip)
Jump to Page (select the title of the page to jump to)
6. Click Close.
To test the jump, position the pointer over the object and double-click.
What if ...
• There’s only one page in the briefing book?
You can still define an object that jumps pages. The jump is inactive until you add the
required number of pages.
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Browse Through Pages" (p. 39)
• "Use the Table of Contents to Find a Page" (p. 39)
• "Make the Title Page an Interactive Map to the Briefing Book" (p. 55)
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Action tab.
3. In the Action box, select Exit Portfolio.
4. Click Close.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
20 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add an Exit Button" (p. 58)
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
• "Make an Object Perform Several Actions" (p. 21)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
Example
In the title page of your briefing book, you add a HotSpot with jumps to every page, each jump
with its own option button control. The result is a single HotSpot with which users can jump to
any page they choose.
Select To
Activate Object Activate the OLE object. (This option
(Non-static OLE button is available only for OLE objects
objects only) that are not static.)
Unless you select this option button, the
OLE object loses its ability to activate—it
performs only HotSpot actions.
8. In the Label box, type a label for the action, and click OK.
Action labels appear in the Actions box in the Multiple Actions tab, and next to the controls
for the HotSpot.
9. Repeat steps 6 to 8 to define another HotSpot action, or click Close.
Portfolio Help 21
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Select To
Option Buttons Show the actions as option buttons.
Only one action can be selected.
Check Boxes Show the actions as check boxes. One
or more actions can be selected.
Scrolling List Show the actions in a list box. Only one
action can be selected.
Note
• Multiple actions are performed in the order shown in the HotSpot Action dialog box.
However, under Windows 95 and Windows NT, some actions may finish before previous
actions have finished, depending on the speed of the computer and the complexity of the
actions.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
• You can’t find the Controls tab?
Select the Do Multiple Actions option button in the Action tab of the Object Properties dialog
box.
Related Topics
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the page background, and click Properties.
2. Click the Title tab.
22 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Notes
• By default, you are prompted to provide a page title whenever you add a page. You can add
a page title at the prompt or accept the default page title (Untitled1, Untitled2, and so on).
• You can change a page title at any time.
Tip
• To save time, when the page titles all start the same way (such as "FY95 Sales Results for
Far East," "FY95 Sales Results for Europe," and so on), set a default page title prefix in the
Preferences dialog box.
What if ...
• You defined objects that jump to specific page titles, but you now want to change the page
titles?
Changing the page titles won’t affect the jumps.
• You want to add a title on the page itself?
Add a text object, and format it appropriately. See "Insert Text" (p. 15)
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Browse Through Pages" (p. 39)
• "Use the Table of Contents to Find a Page" (p. 39)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Rearrange Pages
Steps
1. In Author mode, in the floating Table of Contents window, click the page that you want to
move, then release the mouse button.
2. Drag the selected page to its new location.
Tip
• You can define objects that jump to the previous or next page, or that skip a number of
pages. To ensure these objects still jump where you expect, test them whenever you add,
move, or remove pages.
What if ...
• The Table of Contents is docked?
Position the pointer on the edge of the Table of Contents, and drag it onto the page.
Portfolio Help 23
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Browse Through Pages" (p. 39)
• "Use the Table of Contents to Find a Page" (p. 39)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
To Do this:
Add a solid color In the Foreground box, click the desired
color. In the Pattern box, click the color
you clicked in the Foreground box.
4. Click OK.
Steps to Set a Default Background Pattern for the Active Briefing Book
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Book Properties.
2. Click the Pattern tab.
3. Select one of the following options:
None
Pattern, which enables you to define a new pattern for the briefing book
4. If you selected the Pattern option in step 3, do one of the following:
To Do this:
Add a solid color In the Foreground box, click the desired
color. In the Pattern box, click the color
you clicked in the Foreground box.
24 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
5. Click OK.
Note
• When you set a default background pattern for all briefing books, it appears only in new
briefing books, not the active briefing book.
What if ...
• You want to override the default background pattern on one or two pages?
See "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25).
• You can’t find the Properties or Book Properties commands?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the page background, and click Properties.
2. Click the Pattern tab.
3. Select one of the following options:
None
Default for this Book, which shows the pattern specified in the Book Properties dialog box
Pattern, which enables you to define a new pattern for the page
4. If you selected the Pattern option in step 3, do one of the following:
To Do this:
Add a solid color In the Foreground box, click the desired
color. In the Pattern box, click the color
you clicked in the Foreground box.
Portfolio Help 25
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
5. Click OK.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
To Do this:
Add a solid color In the Foreground box, click the desired
color. In the Pattern box, click the color
you clicked in the Foreground box.
Mix two colors In the Background and Foreground
boxes, click the desired colors. In the
Pattern box, click a pattern for the color
mix.
5. Click Close.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
26 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Steps to Set a Default Background Picture for the Active Briefing Book
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Book Properties.
2. Click the Picture tab.
3. Select one of the following options:
None
From the File, which enables you to define a new picture for the briefing book
4. If you selected the From the File option in step 3, click Browse to show the Browse dialog
box, where you can locate and select the picture.
5. Click OK.
Note
• When you set a default background picture for all briefing books, it appears only in new
briefing books, not in the active briefing book.
What if ...
• You want to override the default background picture on one or two pages?
See "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28).
• You can’t find the Properties or Book Properties commands?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Portfolio Help 27
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the page background, and click Properties.
2. Click the Picture tab.
3. Select one of the following options:
None
Default for this Book, which shows the picture specified in the Book Properties dialog box
From the File, which enables you to define a new picture for the page
4. If you selected the From the File option in step 3, click Browse to show the Browse dialog
box, where you can locate and select the picture.
5. Click OK.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
28 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Picture tab.
3. Select the Show Picture From File option button.
4. Click Browse to show the Browse dialog box, where you can locate and select the picture.
5. Click Close.
Note
• When you add a picture to an OLE object or an object with an icon, the picture is shown in
place of the OLE object or icon's native picture.
Tip
• To conceal an OLE object, you can cover it with a picture. To see the underlying OLE object,
activate it.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Portfolio Help 29
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Insert a Picture" (p. 15)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Copy a Page" (p. 44)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
Move an Object
Description
You can move an object by
• dragging it
• setting its exact position
• nudging it, using the arrow keys
Use To
Horizontal (pixels) Specify the number of pixels between
the object and the left side of the page.
4. Click Close.
Tip
• To duplicate an object, press the Ctrl key while you drag it.
30 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
What if ...
• You can’t select the object that you want to move?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Copy an Object" (p. 43)
• "Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them" (p. 59)
• "Resize an Object" (p. 31)
Resize an Object
Description
You can change the size of an object by drag-sizing it or by setting its exact size.
Use To
Width (pixels) Specify the width of the object in pixels.
4. Click Close.
Notes
• The minimum size of an object is the size of a system icon (usually 32 pixels square).
• The maximum size of an object is equal to the page dimensions.
What if ...
• You can’t select the object that you want to resize?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Copy an Object" (p. 43)
• "Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them" (p. 59)
• "Move an Object" (p. 30)
Portfolio Help 31
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Example
You add the text "Improved results in Q2!" over an important embedded PowerPlay financial
report.
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Text tab.
3. Select the Display Text check box, and type the desired text.
4. In the Alignment box, select Left, Center, or Right.
5. In the Positioning box, select Top, Middle, or Bottom.
6. Click Close.
Notes
• Text appears over any other formatting applied to the object.
• You can edit existing text objects, but you cannot add text over them.
Tip
• To change the font or the background pattern of the text, click the Font button in the Text tab
to show the Font dialog box.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Annotate a Briefing Book" (p. 42)
• "Insert Text" (p. 15)
Example
The most important component of your briefing book is a linked Impromptu inventory report. You
highlight it by adding a three-pixel-wide yellow border with inside and outside edging in black.
32 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Steps
1. In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Properties.
2. Click the Appearance tab.
3. In the Border box, click the Pattern option button.
4. Choose a color for the border.
To Do this:
Add a solid color In the Foreground box, click the desired
color. In the Pattern box, click the color you
clicked in the Foreground box.
5. In the Width box, type a width for the border, or click the arrows to select a width.
You can select a width between 1 and 100 pixels.
6. To add an outside or inside edge to the border, select the Draw Outside Edge check box, the
Draw Inside Edge check box, or both, and click a color in the Edge Color box.
7. Click Close.
Tips
• To remove the border from an object, right-click the object, and click Show Border to
deselect it.
• To format an object with a window-like frame, add a three-pixel-wide border with inside and
outside edging in black.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
Portfolio Help 33
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
7. If you are returned to the Select Icon dialog box, select the desired icon in the Icons box,
and click OK.
8. Click Close.
Note
• When you add an icon to an OLE object or an object with a picture, the icon appears instead
of the OLE object or picture.
Tip
• To conceal an OLE object, you can cover it with an icon. To see the underlying OLE object,
activate it.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Properties or Show as Icon commands?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Show an Object as a Button" (p. 34)
• "Insert an Icon" (p. 14)
Example
You want to encourage users to click an embedded PowerPlay financial report to activate it, so
you format it as a button.
Steps
• In Author mode, right-click the desired object, and click Show as Button.
Tip
• To insert a HotSpot that shows as a button, use the Add Launch Button command (Object
menu).
What if ...
• You can’t find the Show as Button command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
34 Portfolio
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to an Object" (p. 26)
• "Add a Border to an Object" (p. 32)
• "Add a Picture to an Object" (p. 29)
• "Add an Icon to an Object" (p. 33)
• "Add Text Over an Object" (p. 32)
• "Maintain Object Order in Layers" (p. 35)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
Example
You want a picture to serve as a background to several launch buttons without defining the
picture as a default background. You can use the object layering feature in Portfolio to ensure
that the picture and launch buttons maintain their respective positions.
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Book Properties and then click the Permissions
tab.
2. Clear the Allow Objects to Move to Front When Clicked check box.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Book Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Briefing Book" (p. 24)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Briefing Book" (p. 27)
• "Make an Object a HotSpot" (p. 17)
Portfolio Help 35
Chapter 1: Design a Briefing Book
36 Portfolio
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in
Portfolio Viewer
Related Topics
• "Browse Through Pages" (p. 39)
• "Use the Table of Contents to Find a Page" (p. 39)
• "/author (/a)" (p. 63)
• "/view (/v)" (p. 67)
• "Switch to Author Mode" (p. 8)
• "Switch to View Mode" (p. 37)
• "Document an Object" (p. 16)
• "Get Information About an Object within a Briefing Book" (p. 40)
• "Create a New Briefing Book" (p. 9)
• "Open a Briefing Book" (p. 38)
• "Set the Target Screen Resolution of a Briefing Book" (p. 49)
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "Maximize an Object" (p. 40)
• "Zoom a Page" (p. 40)
Steps
• From the File menu, click View Mode.
Portfolio Help 37
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
What if ...
• The View Mode command is not available?
You are already in View mode.
Related Topics
• "/author (/a)" (p. 63)
• "/view (/v)" (p. 67)
• "Switch to Author Mode" (p. 8)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
What if ...
• You start Portfolio, and the Action dialog box appears?
Click To
View an Existing Open a briefing book in View
Briefing Book mode.
38 Portfolio
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
Related Topics
• "Create a New Briefing Book" (p. 9)
• "Set the Target Screen Resolution of a Briefing Book" (p. 49)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
What if ...
• The First and Previous commands are not available?
You are showing the first page, or only one page exists.
• The Next and Last commands are not available?
You are showing the last page, or only one page exists.
Related Topics
• "Use the Table of Contents to Find a Page" (p. 39)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
Example
You open a briefing book and go directly to page 6, "Finance Reports," by clicking its title in the
Table of Contents.
Steps
• In the Table of Contents, click the title of the desired page.
Portfolio Help 39
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
Related Topics
• "Browse Through Pages" (p. 39)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
What if ...
• You want to change the properties of an object, but the Object Properties dialog box
controls cannot be changed?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu). In View mode, the
controls cannot be changed, unless the selected object is a text annotation, in which case
the Text tab controls can be changed.
Related Topics
• "Document an Object" (p. 16)
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
Zoom a Page
Step to Zoom a Page
• In the zoom box in the Page Toolbar, click a zoom level.
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
• "Maximize an Object" (p. 40)
Maximize an Object
Description
To see a selected picture, icon, or OLE object clearly, you can maximize it to fill the entire
Portfolio window.
Steps
1. Shift+click to select the desired picture, icon, or OLE object.
2. From the Object menu, click Maximize.
40 Portfolio
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
What if ...
• The Maximize command is unavailable?
Either
no picture, icon, or OLE object is selected
more than one object is selected
the selected object, shown as a button, cannot be maximized
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
• "Zoom a Page" (p. 40)
Use a Hotspot
Description
A HotSpot is an object that can jump to another page, launch a program, run a macro, exit
Portfolio, or do several of these things.
Some HotSpots that can perform multiple actions offer controls that enable you to select the
action or actions to perform.
Example
The first page of a briefing book is formatted as a title page with HotSpots that jump to the other
pages. You click a HotSpot to go to the page you want.
Note
• If a HotSpot is formatted as a button, you need only click it to activate it.
Tips
• To get information about a HotSpot (or any other object), right-click it, and click Properties.
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
Portfolio Help 41
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
Example
You activate a linked PowerPlay financial report so that you can investigate what caused an
increase in last month’s earnings-per-share ratio.
Steps
• Double-click an object when the pointer changes.
Note
• If you activate an OLE object in View mode, you may or may not be able to save your
changes, depending on the capabilities that the designer of the briefing book gave you.
Tip
• To get information about an OLE object (or any other object), right-click it, and click
Properties.
What if ...
• You cannot activate a linked object?
Either
• you do not have a copy of the application that created the file, or
• Portfolio cannot find the source file of the linked object, or you do not have appropriate
access privileges. The designer of the briefing book can provide the location of the
source file so that you can add it to your link search paths, or provide a copy of the
source file so that you can save it with the briefing book.
• You cannot activate any OLE objects?
The designer of the briefing book may have prevented you from doing so.
Related Topics
• "Get Started with Designing a Briefing Book" (p. 7)
• "View a Briefing Book" (p. 37)
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
Example
You add a text annotation to remind yourself that a linked PowerPlay financial report is updated
every Monday morning.
Steps
1. From the Object menu, click Add Text.
2. In the Text box, type the text that is to appear on the page, and click OK.
42 Portfolio
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
Note
• Annotations are automatically saved in a file having the same name as the briefing book,
but with the .PBA extension. The annotation file is saved in the working directory specified in
the Preferences dialog box or, if no working directory is specified, in the directory where
Portfolio is located. To send your annotations to another user, you must send the annotation
file with the briefing book.
Tips
• To set the initial size of a text object, drag on the page background. When you release the
mouse button, click Add Text from the pop-up menu that appears.
• To change the font or the background pattern of the text, click the Font button in the Add Text
dialog box to show the Font dialog box.
Related Topics
• "Insert Text" (p. 15)
Copy an Object
Description
You can choose how to copy an object depending on how you intend to use it.
• Use the Copy command to copy an object to a briefing book, or link or embed it into another
application. When you use the Copy command, the OLE object remains nested within a
briefing book object.
• Use the Copy As command to link or embed an OLE object into another application exactly
as it appears in the briefing book (not as a nested object).
Example
A briefing book contains a linked spreadsheet that you want to use in a word processor
document. You select the spreadsheet in Portfolio, use the Copy As command, switch to the
word processor, and link the spreadsheet directly into the document.
To Do this:
Paste the object in another briefing book From the Edit
menu, click Copy.
Tips
• To link the object to the briefing book or application, use the Paste Special command from
the Edit menu in the target application.
Portfolio Help 43
Chapter 2: How to View a Briefing Book in Portfolio Viewer
Notes
• You can embed objects copied from any briefing book. You can link objects only when you
copy them from saved briefing books.
• In Author mode, you can Ctrl+click to select several objects for copying.
Related Topics
• "Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them" (p. 59)
• "Move an Object" (p. 30)
• "Resize an Object" (p. 31)
Copy a Page
Description
You can copy a page, with all its objects, to use in another briefing book, or to link or embed in
another application.
Example
You designed a title page that you decide to use in several briefing books. You copy the title
page and paste it at the beginning of the other briefing books.
Steps
1. Go to the desired page.
2. From the Edit menu, click Copy Page.
The page is copied to the Clipboard and can be pasted elsewhere.
Note
• You can embed pages copied from any briefing book, but you can link pages only when you
copy them from saved briefing books.
Related Topics
• "Copy an Object" (p. 43)
• "Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them" (p. 59)
• "Move an Object" (p. 30)
• "Resize an Object" (p. 31)
• "Add a Background Pattern to a Page" (p. 25)
• "Add a Background Picture to a Page" (p. 28)
• "Add a Page" (p. 9)
• "Add a Title to a Page" (p. 22)
• "Rearrange Pages" (p. 23)
44 Portfolio
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a
Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Manage the Use of a Briefing Book" (p. 50)
• "Protect a Briefing Book with a Password" (p. 45)
• "Secure a Briefing Book with Access Manager" (p. 46)
Example
Your briefing book doesn’t contain sensitive information, but you want to ensure that users stay
in View mode so that they cannot override the permissions you set. You assign an edit
password, but no access password.
Steps
1. From the File menu, click Book Properties.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. In the Book Security box, select one or both of the following check boxes:
• Assign an Access Password
• Assign an Edit Password
4. Type the password(s) you want to use.
5. Click OK.
What if ...
• You want to protect an individual object?
In some cases, you can set password protection for an individual OLE object through its
source application. When an OLE object has its own password, users are prompted for the
password whenever they update or activate the object in Portfolio.
Portfolio Help 45
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Manage the Use of a Briefing Book" (p. 50)
• "Secure a Briefing Book with Access Manager" (p. 46)
• "Secure a Briefing Book" (p. 45)
Example
You create a briefing book for your employees and the company president. You include a report
on employee performance for the president and you do not want employees to view this report.
You secure the page using the president's user class that is pre-defined in Access Manager.
This restricts employees' access to this page and enables the president to open it.
Steps
In Access Manager
• In Access Manager, create the desired user class hierarchy for the selected namespace.
If you are using an authentication file (.aut) for your authentication data source, create the
desired user class hierarchy and specify a runtime configuration name for the file.
If you do not know how to set up users and user classes within a namespace or
authentication file, see the Access Manager online Help. If you do not have access to
Access Manager, see your administrator.
In Portfolio Author
1. From the File menu, click Book Properties.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. In the Page Security dialog box, select the Use Access Manager check box.
4. In the Access Manager Configuration Name box, enter the namespace.
If you are using an .aut file, type its runtime configuration name.
5. Click Apply.
6. In the Cognos Common Logon dialog box, type your user ID and password, and then click
Log On.
If the User Class dialog box appears, select the user class you want and then click OK.
Note: If you are using Cognos Common Logon, you may already be logged on.
7. Click Edit Page Security.
The Page Security dialog box appears. A red user class icon indicates the current user
class level.
8. In the All User Classes box, select the user class you want page security to apply to.
9. In the All Pages box, select one or more pages and click Add to give the selected user class
access to the selected page(s).
10. Click OK.
46 Portfolio
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Tips
• To change the security settings, click Edit Page Security (Security tab). You must meet or
exceed the minimum user class requirement to change the security settings this button is
disabled.
• To change the minimum user class that has access to the Page Security dialog box; in the
Page Security dialog box, right click the user class you want and then click Set Security
User Class. The pencil icon moves to the specified minimum user class level.
• To remove all user classes from one or more pages, in the Page Security dialog box, click
the desired pages, click the root user class, and then click Remove.
• The Display box (Page Security dialog box) shows the user classes assigned to each page
or the pages assigned to each user class.
Related Topics
• "Manage the Use of a Briefing Book" (p. 50)
• "Protect a Briefing Book with a Password" (p. 45)
• "Secure a Briefing Book" (p. 45)
Portfolio Help 47
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
What if ...
• Portfolio can’t find a macro?
Users cannot run the macro.
• Portfolio can’t find a source object?
It attempts to resolve the link and, if it cannot find the source object, it prompts the user to
find it. If the user is unable to find the source object, the original linked object is shown, but
cannot be updated or activated.
Related Topics
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
• "How Portfolio Searches for OLE Links: Overview" (p. 48)
• "Manage the Use of a Briefing Book" (p. 50)
• "Protect a Briefing Book with a Password" (p. 45)
• "Secure a Briefing Book with Access Manager" (p. 46)
• "Secure a Briefing Book" (p. 45)
48 Portfolio
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
What if ...
• Portfolio can’t find a source object?
It prompts the user to find it and, once found, to add its path to the link search paths.
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
Example
You design briefing books using a high-resolution 8514 screen, but most users who view your
briefing books have only VGA screens. You select the VGA option. Your choice results in a
smaller page area for design, but one that is suitable for your users.
Steps
1. In Author mode, do one of the following:
Portfolio Help 49
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
What if ...
• The chosen resolution setting reduced or enlarged the work area too much?
Make the work area fit the screen by zooming, or by using the Fit Page command (View
menu).
• You can’t find the Book Properties command or the Preferences command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
• "Create a New Briefing Book" (p. 9)
• "Open a Briefing Book" (p. 38)
Example
You want to enable users to activate OLE objects in your briefing book, but you don’t want them
to update linked objects. You choose the appropriate permissions.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Book Properties command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
• "Protect a Briefing Book with a Password" (p. 45)
• "Secure a Briefing Book with Access Manager" (p. 46)
• "Secure a Briefing Book" (p. 45)
50 Portfolio
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Package Book.
The Package Book dialog box appears.
2. In the Directory For Packaged Book box, enter the location to copy the briefing book and its
linked object source files to.
3. To use the copied source files only when the originals cannot be found, select the Update
Links Inside Objects check box.
If you don’t select this check box, the packaged briefing book always uses the copied source
files and no longer shows changes to the original source files.
4. To save the copied files over files of the same name in the destination folder, select the
Replace Existing Files check box.
5. Click OK.
Portfolio copies the briefing book and all its linked object source files into the specified
folder. Once all of the files are copied, Portfolio closes the active book and opens the new,
packaged book.
What if ...
• You can’t find the Package Book command?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
• The Package Book command is unavailable?
There are no objects linked to the briefing book. Add some linked objects.
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
Steps
• From the File menu, click Send.
The briefing book appears as an attachment to a new e-mail message. For more
information about sending messages, see the online help for the e-mail application.
Note
• If you added annotations to the briefing book, the annotation file (which has the same name
as the briefing book, but with the .PBA extension) is attached to the e-mail message as well.
Tip
• If a briefing book contains linked reports, you can use the Package Book command (File
menu) to copy a briefing book and all its linked object source files into a folder. Then you can
send the contents of the folder as an attachment to an e-mail message with instructions for
the user to update the links.
Portfolio Help 51
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Save a Briefing Book in a Shared Location" (p. 52)
Example
You want to distribute a briefing book to three regional sales managers. The briefing book must
contain a PowerPlay sales report for each manager’s region. Each manager must be able to see
all three sales reports, but to activate the report for the local region only. You decide to
• save each manager’s sales report in a directory that allows access to that manager only
• save the briefing book in a shared location that all three managers can access
• link the sales reports into the briefing book
This way, all three regional sales managers can access the briefing book, but if a manager
attempts to activate another manager’s sales report, Portfolio indicates that the object cannot be
activated.
Note that you can prevent the managers from seeing even the stored representations of the
PowerPlay reports by covering the reports with pictures. The reports remain as linked objects,
but are shown as pictures instead, until they are activated.
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Save As.
2. Locate the drive and the directory where you want to save the briefing book.
3. If necessary, type a new name for the briefing book in the File Name box.
4. Click Save.
Related Topics
• "Distribute a Briefing Book" (p. 47)
• "Package a Briefing Book" (p. 51)
• "Send a Briefing Book via E-Mail" (p. 51)
52 Portfolio
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Example
Your briefing book contains three essential PowerPlay reports that change daily. You choose to
update all the links automatically so that you’ll never miss the latest changes.
Upon opening the briefing book Select the Update all Linked
Objects at Startup check box.
4. Click OK.
What if ...
• A briefing book’s links are set to update automatically but, to save time, you want to open it
without updating the links?
Start Portfolio from the command line using the /donotupdatelinks (or /nu) option.
• A briefing book’s links are set to update manually, but you want to open it with its links
updated?
Start Portfolio from the command line using the /updatemanuallinks (or /um) option.
• The Links command is unavailable?
Your briefing book does not contain any linked objects. You need to add linked objects
before you choose the Links command.
Portfolio Help 53
Chapter 3: Secure, Distribute and Maintain a Briefing Book
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
54 Portfolio
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Overview
As you become an advanced Portfolio user, here are some other tasks to try.
You can
• "Make the Title Page an Interactive Map to the Briefing Book" (p. 55)
• "Make Presentations" (p. 56)
• "Use Menus in Full-Screen View" (p. 57)
• "Add a Shadow Effect to Text" (p. 57)
• "Add an Exit Button" (p. 58)
• "Drag Objects Between Briefing Books" (p. 59)
• "Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them" (p. 59)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Set Default Directories" (p. 61)
• "Set Confirmation of Actions" (p. 61)
• "Improve Redrawing Performance" (p. 62)
Example
Each page of a briefing book includes a sales report from one of your company’s offices. The
background of the first page (the title page) shows a map. Over the location of each office on the
map, you insert a HotSpot that jumps to the page dedicated to that office.
Portfolio Help 55
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Related Topics
• "Make an Object Jump to a Page" (p. 19)
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Make Presentations
Description
Portfolio has two key features to assist you in preparing for and giving presentations using a
briefing book:
• full-screen view, which enlarges the page area to cover the entire screen
• command-line options, which can open the briefing book so that it’s ready for editing or
presenting
Example
You create a briefing book to use for a presentation. You create two Windows shortcuts, each
with different command-line options. One shortcut opens the briefing book in Author mode so
that you can make last-minute changes; the other shortcut opens the same briefing book in
View mode, in full-screen view, so it is ready for your presentation.
56 Portfolio
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
3. Click Next.
4. In the Select a Name for the Shortcut box, type a name, and click Finish.
A shortcut appears. When double-clicked, the shortcut will open Portfolio using the specified
settings.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/fullscreen (/f)" (p. 64)
• "Use Menus in Full-Screen View" (p. 57)
Example
You are in full-screen view, and you want to add a page after the active page. You press Alt+P to
show the Page menu, and you press A to choose the Add After command.
Steps
• In full-screen view, press the shortcut keys for the desired menu, then press the shortcut key
for the desired command.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Example
Portfolio Help 57
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Steps
1. In Author mode, select the desired text object.
For optimal shadow effect, the text object should use
• a large font size (such as 18 points or larger)
• a bright color
• a transparent background
• no border
2. Press the Ctrl key, drag the selected text object a few pixels from its original position, and
leave the new object that appears selected.
The new object, which is a duplicate of the original, will become the background shadow.
3. From the Object menu, click Properties.
4. Click the Text tab.
5. Click Font.
6. In the Color box, select a color for the background shadow, and click OK.
7. Click Close, and leave the object selected.
8. Press the arrow keys to nudge the background shadow to the desired position underneath
the original text object.
9. Click outside the object to deselect it.
Tip
• To obtain the best contrast, choose a bright foreground color and a dark background color.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
• "Annotate a Briefing Book" (p. 42)
• "Insert Text" (p. 15)
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the Object menu, click Add Launch Button.
2. Select the Exit Portfolio option button, and click OK.
A button with the text, "Exit Portfolio," appears.
Tip
• To change the caption text on a Launch button, right-click the button object, click Properties
and then click the Text tab. Select the Display Text check box and then type the new caption
in the text box.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
• "Insert a Launch Button" (p. 12)
58 Portfolio
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Steps
1. In separate, tiled windows, open
the source briefing book to the page on which the desired object is located
the destination briefing book to the desired page
2. In Author mode, do one of the following:
To Do this:
Move the object into the Alt+click and drag the object into
destination briefing book the destination briefing book.
Copy the object into the Ctrl+Alt+click and drag the object
destination briefing book into the destination briefing book.
What if ...
• You can’t drag the desired object?
Switch to Author mode, using the Author Mode command (File menu).
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Steps to Always Fix the Appearance of OLE Objects After Resizing Them
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the OLE tab.
3. Select the Redraw Objects After Resize check box, and click OK.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
• "Copy an Object" (p. 43)
• "Move an Object" (p. 30)
• "Resize an Object" (p. 31)
Portfolio Help 59
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Example
Your briefing book contains a link to a source file that no longer exists, but you still want the
image of the linked object in your briefing book. You break the link so that you can retain the
image of the linked object without constantly being prompted by Portfolio to find its source file.
What if ...
• You changed the wrong source?
You can change the source back to the original.
Related Topics
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the OLE tab.
60 Portfolio
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
3. Under Default OLE Object Settings, select the Create New option button if it is not already
selected.
4. In the Object Types box, select the desired type of OLE object.
Only properly registered OLE applications are listed.
5. Click OK.
Note
• The Add <OLE Object Type> command (Object menu) is unavailable when no default OLE
object type is set.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Steps
1. From the File menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the Directories tab.
3. If you want to set a default directory in which to save briefing books and to search for
existing briefing books, type the drive and directory path in the Working Directory box.
4. If you want to set a default directory in which to search for macros, type the drive and
directory path in the Macros Directory box.
5. If you want to set a default directory in which to search for pictures, type the drive and
directory path in the Pictures Directory box.
6. If you want to add directories in which to search for linked source objects, type each drive
and directory path in the Use Link Search Path box, separating each entry from the next
with a semicolon. For example:
C:\REPORTS;D:\REPORTS;S:\REPORTS\FY96;P:\ANN_RPRT
7. Click OK.
Related Topics
• "Embed an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 11)
• "Link an OLE Object from Another Application" (p. 10)
• "Set a Default OLE Object Type" (p. 60)
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Portfolio Help 61
Chapter 4: Tips and Tricks
Steps
1. In Author mode, from the File menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the General tab.
3. Clear the following check boxes, as desired:
Confirm Page Delete
Confirm Object Delete
Confirm HotSpot Action Delete
Confirm Canceled Property Changes
4. Click OK.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
Steps
1. From the File menu, click Preferences.
2. Click the General tab.
3. If you don’t want to prevent flicker when you move objects, clear the Use Off-screen Drawing
check box.
If you clear this check box, the page background and grid may flicker when you are moving
an object. However, performance may improve.
4. If you don’t want to show objects as you move them, clear the Use Full Dragging check box.
If you clear this check box, you will see only the outline of an object while you are moving it.
However, performance may improve.
5. Click OK.
Related Topics
• "Tips and Tricks" (p. 55)
62 Portfolio
Appendix A: Reference Information
Command-line Options
Overview
You can use command-line options to
• open a specific briefing book
• start Portfolio in View mode or Author mode
• start Portfolio with the window minimized, maximized, or in full-screen view
• suppress the Portfolio splash screen
• run a macro when Portfolio starts and, optionally, notify you or exit Portfolio when the macro
ends
• update automatic links or suppress automatic link updates
• update all manual and automatic links in batch mode
The complete command line syntax is
Prtfolio.exe [<briefing book name>] [/author] [/donotupdatelinks] [/fullscreen]
[/macro=<macro name>] [/maximize] [/minimize] [/nologo] [/notify] [/quit] [/updatelinks]
[/updatemanuallinks] [/view]
Notes
• The command-line syntax is not case-sensitive.
• You can use the command-line options together unless otherwise specified.
Limit
• 127 characters for commands entered on the command line.
Example
You create a briefing book to use for a presentation. You create two Windows shortcuts, each
with different command-line options. One shortcut opens the briefing book in Author mode so
that you can make last-minute changes, and the other opens the same briefing book in View
mode in full-screen view, so it is ready for your presentation.
Related Topics
• Command-line Options: Overview
/author (/a)
Starts Portfolio in Author mode. Use when you want to design a new briefing book or modify an
existing briefing book.
Portfolio Help 63
Appendix A: Reference Information
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /author
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /a
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/view (/v)" (p. 67)
• "Switch to Author Mode" (p. 8)
• "Switch to View Mode" (p. 37)
/donotupdatelinks (/nu)
Prevents Portfolio from updating links when you open a briefing book.
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /donotupdatelinks
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /nu
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
/fullscreen (/f)
Starts Portfolio in full-screen view. Full-screen view is useful when you are giving presentations
or building briefing books on a small screen.
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /fullscreen
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /f
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "Use Menus in Full-Screen View" (p. 57)
Notes
• If you store the macro in a folder other than where Portfolio is installed, you must include the
location in the command line.
• If the /macro option appears before the <briefing book name> option, Portfolio runs the
macro before opening the briefing book. If the /macro option appears after the <briefing
book name> option, Portfolio runs the macro after opening the briefing book.
• You can combine the /macro and /notify options to cause Portfolio to notify you when the
macro ends.
• You can combine the /macro and /quit options to close Portfolio when the macro ends.
• If you combine the /notify and /quit options, Portfolio ignores the /notify option.
64 Portfolio
Appendix A: Reference Information
Examples
• The following commands run the macro Test.mac:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
/macro=TEST.MAC
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /m=TEST.MAC
• The following command runs the macro Test.mac and notifies you when it ends:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
/macro=TEST.MAC /notify
• The following command opens the briefing book Year_end, runs the macro Test.mac, and
closes Portfolio when the macro ends:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /macro=TEST.MAC /quit
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "Make an Object Run a Macro" (p. 19)
/maximize (/max)
Maximizes the Portfolio window. Use if you have a small screen and you want to maximize the
working area.
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /maximize
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /max
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/minimize (/min)" (p. 65)
/minimize (/min)
Minimizes Portfolio to the Windows taskbar.
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /minimize
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /min
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/maximize (/max)" (p. 65)
/nologo
Suppresses the Portfolio splash screen at startup.
Example
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /nologo
/notify (/n)
Causes Portfolio to notify you when a macro ends.
Notes
• Portfolio ignores the /notify option if you don’t include the /macro option in the command
line.
• If you combine the /notify and /quit options, Portfolio ignores the /notify option.
Portfolio Help 65
Appendix A: Reference Information
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /macro=TEST.MAC
/notify
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /m=TEST.MAC /n
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "Make an Object Run a Macro" (p. 19)
/quit (/q)
Closes Portfolio. Combine with
• the /macro option to close Portfolio when a macro ends.
• the /updatelinks option to update all automatic links in batch mode (the Portfolio window is
hidden).
• the /updatemanuallinks option to update all automatic and manual links in batch mode (the
Portfolio window is hidden).
Notes
• Portfolio ignores the /quit option if you don’t include any of the /macro, /updatelinks, or
/updatemanuallinks options in the command line.
• If you combine the /notify and /quit options, Portfolio ignores the /notify option.
Examples
• The following commands open the briefing book Year_end, run the macro Test.mac, and
close Portfolio when the macro ends:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /macro=TEST.MAC /quit
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /m=TEST.MAC /q
• The following command runs Portfolio in batch mode and updates all automatic links for the
briefing book Year_end.
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /u /q
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB"
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "Make an Object Run a Macro" (p. 19)
/updatelinks (/u)
For faster loading, Portfolio updates automatic links on a page by page basis as you view them
in the opened briefing book. The /updatelinks option causes Portfolio to update all automatic
links at once. Combine with the /quit command-line option to update all automatic links in batch
mode (the Portfolio window is hidden).
Examples
• The following commands open the briefing book Year_end and update all automatic links:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /updatelinks
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /u
• The following command runs Portfolio in batch mode and updates all automatic links for the
briefing book Year_end.
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /u /q
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB"
66 Portfolio
Appendix A: Reference Information
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatemanuallinks (/um)" (p. 67)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
/updatemanuallinks (/um)
Causes Portfolio to update all automatic and manual links in the opened briefing book.
Combine with the /quit command-line option to update all automatic and manual links in batch
mode (the Portfolio window is hidden).
Examples
• The following commands open the briefing book Year_end and update all automatic and
manual links:
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /updatemanuallinks
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE"
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB" /um
• The following command runs Portfolio in batch mode and updates all automatic and manual
links for the briefing book Year_end.
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /um /q
"C:\BRIEFING BOOKS\YEAR_END.PBB"
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/donotupdatelinks (/nu)" (p. 64)
• "/updatelinks (/u)" (p. 66)
• "Update Links" (p. 52)
• "Work with Links" (p. 60)
/view (/v)
Starts Portfolio in View mode. Use to open an existing briefing book without making changes.
Examples
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /view
"C:\PROGRAM FILES\COMMON FILES\COGNOS SHARED\PORTFOLIO\6.0\PRTFOLIO.EXE" /v
Related Topics
• "Command-line Options" (p. 63)
• "/author (/a)" (p. 63)
• "Switch to Author Mode" (p. 8)
• "Switch to View Mode" (p. 37)
Portfolio Help 67
Appendix A: Reference Information
Command Description
Next Page Goes to the next page.
Copy Page Copies the active page with all of its objects and
places it on the Clipboard.
Related Topics
• "Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 71)
• "Object pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 69)
• "Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 70)
• "Page pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 68)
Command Description
Add Page After Inserts a page after the active page.
Cut Page Removes the active page and its objects and
places them on the Clipboard.
Paste Page Before Inserts the page from the Clipboard before the
active page.
68 Portfolio
Appendix A: Reference Information
Command Description
Paste Special Shows the Paste Special dialog box, where you
can link or embed the object from the Clipboard
onto the active page.
Related Topics
• "Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 71)
• "Object pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 69)
• "Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 70)
• "Page pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 68)
Command Description
Activate Activates the OLE object.
Related Topics
• "Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 71)
• "Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 70)
• "Page pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 68)
• "Page pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 68)
Portfolio Help 69
Appendix A: Reference Information
Command Description
Activate Activates the OLE object.
Show as Icon Shows the native icon for the OLE object.
Related Topics
• "Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 71)
• "Object pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 69)
• "Page pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 68)
• "Page pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 68)
70 Portfolio
Appendix A: Reference Information
Shortcuts
Add Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)
Shows a list of commands for adding objects to the briefing book, when you drag on the page
background and release the mouse button in Author mode.
Command Description
Add [OLE Object Embeds a new object of the type specified in the
Type] OLE tab (Preferences dialog box).
This command is unavailable if no default OLE
object type is specified.
Related Topics
• "Object pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 69)
• "Object pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 70)
• "Page pop-up menu (Display Mode)" (p. 68)
• "Page pop-up menu (Edit Mode)" (p. 68)
PowerBar Buttons
Button Description
Add Icon Object Adds a static icon as an object.
Portfolio Help 71
Appendix A: Reference Information
Button Description
Cut Cuts the selection from the briefing book and
places it on the Clipboard.
Fit Page to Window Sets the zoom level such that the page fits the
window.
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Appendix A: Reference Information
Button Description
Save Saves the active briefing book.
Ctrl+click to show the Save As dialog box, where
you can save the briefing book with a new name
or location.
Specifications
Attribute Limit
Maximum dimensions of an object No larger than the dimensions of the
page.
An OLE object cannot exceed the
dimensions specified by its server or the
dimensions of the page, whichever is
larger.
Portfolio Help 73
Appendix A: Reference Information
Attribute Limit
Maximum number of characters on the 127 characters
command line
74 Portfolio
Appendix B: Troubleshooting
Portfolio Help 75
Appendix B: Troubleshooting
76 Portfolio
Appendix B: Troubleshooting
Portfolio Help 77
Appendix B: Troubleshooting
78 Portfolio
Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions
About Passwords
Can I protect a briefing book with a password?
Portfolio enables designers to apply a password to prevent unauthorized users from opening a
briefing book.
Portfolio Help 79
Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions
Notes
• The Access Manager online help is available only with certain packages of PowerPlay.
• You need the PowerPlay Database Connector package to use Essbase with PowerPlay.
About Hotspots
What is the HotSpot menu? How do I show it?
The HotSpot menu appears in the menu bar when the active page contains HotSpots. Each
HotSpot becomes a menu command and is automatically assigned a shortcut key. You can click
the appropriate menu command or press the appropriate shortcut key to activate the HotSpot.
To show the HotSpot menu you must open the Object properties dialog box for the selected
HotSpot, click the Action tab and then enter a label in the Menu Text For Object box.
Can the briefing book Yes. You can update the link No, because the object is
show updates made to manually, or have Portfolio independent of the one in the
the object in the first keep it continuously updated. first application.
application?
Can I use the briefing Yes, but you cannot update Yes, because the object is
book if I don’t have or activate the object. independent of the one in the
access to the object in first application.
the first application?
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Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions
Portfolio Help 81
Appendix C: Frequently Asked Questions
82 Portfolio
Glossary
activate
Opens an OLE object in its source application (the application that created it) so that you can
explore it or change it. If an object is activated in-place, it remains within the window where it is
linked or embedded; the toolbars and menus merge with those of the source application.
In Portfolio, if you activate an OLE object in View mode, you may or may not be able to save
changes depending on the capabilities that the Author of the briefing book gave you.
active icon
An icon that performs an action.
aspect ratio
The relationship between the height and the width of a picture.
Changing the aspect ratio of a picture (for example, increasing its width without proportionally
increasing its height) distorts the picture. Distortion can be used intentionally to create an effect;
however, most pictures look best when the original aspect ratio is maintained.
Author mode
Provides the tools for creating a new briefing book or for viewing and changing the contents of
an existing briefing book. You can link or embed objects, add hotspots, set the actions permitted
to users of the briefing book in View mode, and more.
Book toolbar
A toolbar with buttons that you can use to
• set properties for the active briefing book
• show or hide the Table of Contents
The Book toolbar looks like this
briefing book
A document created in Portfolio. A briefing book is a way of combining OLE objects, such as
PowerPlay reports, and other objects in a single, easy-to-distribute document.
CognosScript
A language similar to BASIC, that is included with Cognos applications. You can use
CognosScript to write macros.
command line
The characters used to start an application.
Portfolio Help 83
Glossary
crop
Trims, rather than resizes, a picture to fit a given area.
dither
Simulates a color in a bitmap by mixing colors from the palette.
docked
A Toolbar or the Table of Contents that is positioned on the perimeter of the window. When a
Toolbar is positioned elsewhere, it is floating.
embed
Inserts information, created in another application, into another application. Once embedded,
the information, called an object, becomes part of the document in which it is embedded. When
you double-click an embedded object, you open the application in which the object was created;
you can edit the object.
You can embed objects in a Portfolio briefing book, or a briefing book into another application.
See also link and OLE (Object Linking and Embedding).
floating
A Toolbar or Table of Contents that is not docked on the perimeter of the window.
fly-by text
Information about an object that appears when the pointer pauses over the object.
full-screen view
Hides the title bar, menus, and status line, maximizing the viewing area.
grid
A series of evenly spaced horizontal and vertical lines in the page area. When you design or edit
briefing books, you can use the grid as a guide to align objects.
hotspot
An object that performs one or more actions when you click it. Possible hotspot actions include
jumping to other pages in the briefing book, launching programs, running macros, and exiting
Portfolio.
icon
The graphical representation of an object that you can select and open, such as a drive, disk,
folder, document, or application. In an OLE operation, you can choose to display a linked or
embedded object, or its native icon.
See also static icon.
in-place activation
Activates an OLE object within the window where it is linked or embedded; the toolbars and
menus merge with those of the source application.
In-place active objects are identified by a special border:
link
The connection between an embedded object and the application in which it was created. When
the information changes in the source file, the changes are reflected in the destination file. You
can choose to update linked information manually or automatically.
84 Portfolio
Glossary
macro
A customized sequence of instructions ("macro commands") that Cognos applications can carry
out.
namespace
A directory where authentication data is stored.
native icon
The icon that belongs to an application or a file.
nested object
An OLE object contained within one or more other OLE objects.
object
In Portfolio, anything you add to a briefing book page, other than a background picture or
pattern. For example, text and icons are considered objects.
Object toolbar
A Toolbar with buttons that you can use to
• change the properties of a selected object
• add a text, icon, picture, or OLE object
• format a selected object as an icon or a button
• show or hide the border of a selected object
The Object toolbar looks like this:
OLE automation
An industry standard that allows applications to expose OLE objects to development tools,
macro languages, and other applications that support the standard. With OLE automation, you
can work in one application from within another application.
page boundary
A box shown around the page area. When you design or edit briefing books, use the page
boundary as a guide to help you place objects within the page area. Objects placed outside the
page boundary are not visible when the briefing book is viewed at 100% zoom at the target
screen resolution.
Page Toolbar
A toolbar with buttons that you can use to
• set properties for the active page
• add or remove a page
• go to a different page
• hide or show the grid and
• set the zoom level
Portfolio Help 85
Glossary
QuickHelp
Shows the name of a toolbar button when the pointer pauses over the button.
Standard Toolbar
A toolbar with buttons that you can use to
• create, open, and save a briefing book
• cut, copy, and paste
• get online Help
• switch to full-screen view
The Standard toolbar looks like this:
static icon
An icon that doesn’t perform an action.
submenu
A cascading menu that contains its own set of commands. You access a submenu from another
menu.
Table of Contents
A list of the page titles in a briefing book.
When the Table of Contents is docked, it appears as a drop-down list from which you can select
a page. When the Table of Contents is floating, it appears as a window in which you can select a
page or, in Author mode, change the order of the pages.
A floating Table of Contents looks like this:
text object
Text that you add to a briefing book. You may or may not be able to add text objects in View
mode, depending on the capabilities that the Author of the briefing book gave you.
OLE objects that contain text, such as embedded documents from Microsoft Word, are not
considered text objects.
toolbar
A bar with buttons that perform commands.
toolbar button
A button on the toolbar that you click to perform an action. Buttons that perform related actions
are grouped together on a toolbar.
86 Portfolio
Glossary
View mode
Provides the commands for viewing the contents of an existing briefing book. You may be able to
activate OLE objects, add text objects, print, and save, depending on the capabilities that the
author of the briefing book gave you.
See also Author mode.
Portfolio Help 87
Glossary
88 Portfolio
Index
Portfolio Help 89
Index
90 Portfolio
Index
Portfolio Help 91
Index
U
unavailable, 75
commands, 75, 79
tabs, 75
updating
links, 52, 66, 67
user classes, 45
V
View mode, 37, 42, 50, 67, 79
viewing
briefing books, 37
Z
zooming
objects, 40
pages, 40, 76
92 Portfolio