idea Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature in Suggest an Idea

Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Ruggero_Piccoli — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 14:38:48 GMT

When distributing reports through e-mail using a cycle Field, NPrinting always zip the output, no matter if it´s one PDF.

For outputs like Excel, Word, Powerpoint and PDF, it´s desirable to have an option enable or not zip the output or maybe a threshold of number of individual outputs, if it´s higher, than the output is zipped, if it´s below then it´s attached as individual files. For Example: If number of individual pdf files generated by cycle for a recipient exceed 10 files, then he will receive it in a zip file.

I'm aware of mailbox limits, so zipping the content is better, but even with zip as attachment, the mailbox limit can be exceeded.

This feature can help us to migrate a legacy reporting system that actually send reports as individual pdf files and customer want to keep receiving reports by e-mails in same way after NPrinting implementation. Customer can open the reports directly on his mobile. With zip attachment, it´s only possible to open it in the desktop.

#NP16gap

This idea comes from old ideation board. I just copy and paste it here.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:02:43 GMT

This is one of the biggest deal breakers to many of our customers. Many of them like to preview their reports straight on their mobile devices and when they get zipped file its not a matter of a "single click" anymore to preview report.

This is very much needed feature!

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

ollikeDL — Mon, 18 May 2020 09:47:30 GMT

Most users want to receive the reports unzipped.

This automatic zipping is especially problematic when delivering reports through the hub. If the report happens to be cycled, the user has to download a zip file and extract it locally in order to look at the reports. Nobody wants to do this extra work. It would be so much more convenient if the reports could be delivered to the hub as PDF like any non-cycled reports are.

This is actually so inconvenient experience for our customers that I'm considering doing a separate report for each of the elements in the cycled dimension, just to prevent them from being zipped.

NPrinting control panel should have a simple option "Compress cycled reports into zip file". If that is unchecked, the reports will be delivered unzipped as separate files.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

jeroenbeunckens — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:52:00 GMT

The idea why this was done was probably to save some file size due to most SMTP servers having a limitation on attached file size in mails.
Although this is logical, some cycles only contain one report for each recipient or contain small report(s). For this reason, zipping is not necessarily always needed.

Please provide a toggle as this would greatly improve the user experience.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature - Status changed to: Open - Not Planned

Andrew_Kruger — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 17:39:55 GMT

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Tue, 07 Jul 2020 21:39:50 GMT

This is one of the most requested features - just another thread on this:

https://community.qlik.com/t5/Qlik-NPrinting-Discussions/How-to-get-NPrinting-Cycling-reports-outside-of-zip-file/m-p/1725548#M29383

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

ollikeDL — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 12:04:00 GMT

"Status changed to: Open - Not Planned"

Does this mean this won't be fixed? Why?

Forcing the zip is just unnecessary in many cases.

We really need option to zip or not to zip.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Ruggero_Piccoli — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 12:15:36 GMT

Idea statuses are explained at https://community.qlik.com/t5/Qlik-Product-Insight-Blog/Idea-Statuses/ba-p/1684072

Thanks to everybody for you valuable feedbacks.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:21:57 GMT

I may need to ask all people who requested this feature to vote on this to provide little bit more “weight” to it. I was really hoping it could be delivered In near future but as of now looks like it is “sitting duck” which likely won’t be touched..

anyway. Lets see how it pans out. Cheers

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

pablolabbe — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 02:04:02 GMT

One day a customer asked me why he can´t just deliver the files individually as attachments so the users could open the reports in pdf on their mobile phones. The users usually received several reports from the legacy reporting tool on the same e-mail message.

The solution was creating more task and delivering the reports on separate e-mail. Nprinting now send lots of email messages for the same user and each one have only one report in pdf format. ☹️

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Thu, 20 Aug 2020 09:03:19 GMT

tell me about it @pablolabbe . I wonder how many times I looked like out of this planet when I said to clients that we can only deliver zip files when cycle is used....and then you get the most difficult question from clients: "WHY?, it was available in v16...."

I wonder how red my face is when I am trying answer this question in a polite and informative way.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

lauranvh — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 10:41:02 GMT

Every single customer wants this feature.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Fred — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 14:17:14 GMT

Number one frustration for our NPrinitng customers.
We really should have an option to turn the zipping on or off.

I really don't get why this idea is not even considered for the roadmap by Qlik.
At this point, I don't even bother defending NPrinting when a client starts complaining about the zip files.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Sun, 28 Mar 2021 22:58:21 GMT

I so agree with you @Fred !! I also stopped defending Qlik in this matter....

The truth is that NPrinting ideas dont get that much traction in ideation page as Qlik Sense ideas. There is a simple reason for that - usually only partners are building NPrinting reports for clients so when I have voted for this idea i have represented with me 20-40 other votes which are not counted towards this idea.

I think someone there has to realize that missing features which were available in v16 and are changing the way NPrinting 17+ is working now are seen very poorly by clients. I still have many clients who are on v16 and cannot be migrated to v 17+ due to few small feature gaps - this one is one of the most important ones.

One could argue that there is always possibility of using scripts and some 3rd party batch files or tools to unpack those zip files - this argument is the "last straw" for clients who are getting angry when we say that and dont want some stiched-up solutions when they are paying premium for premium product.

Lets wait what are the next features in NPrinting releases - I dont have good feelings though....

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

mikedeee — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 20:22:25 GMT

I'm in agreement that this would be worthwhile nPrinting feature and ask that it be considered by Qlik.

Our users wish it for 'Qlikly' reading attached reports in emails on mobile devices, and saying Qlik can't do it is pushing them towards supporting other solutions.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

AlexOmetis — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 09:57:19 GMT

NPrinting May 2021 Tech Preview (out today) lists this as an improvement so we may actually get something close to what we wish for!

Cycles produce compressed ZIP files
Zip files produced by report templates with cycles are now compressed if the source file is not already of a compressed type. For example .XLSX, .DOCX, .PPTX, JPG and .PNG are themselves compressed file types and will be no more compressed. Instead .CSV, .SKV and BMP are not natively compressed file types so they will be zipped by Qlik NPrinting if they are in the output of a cycled report.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Lech_Miszkiewicz — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:19:49 GMT

Hi @AlexOmetis - I looked at it and it seemed completely oposite to what we were looking for. Oh well - tough luck....

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

Ruggero_Piccoli — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 10:37:26 GMT

@AlexOmetis To clarify, if you created a cycled report with an older version and you placed a non-compressed file format inside you get a zip file containing all reports from the cycle but not compressed. I mean in a zip with null compression rate.

Now you still have a single zip file but not natively compressed files types are compressed by Qlik NPrinting so save space.

CSV files are now compressed:

.XLSX are natively compressed so:

In both cases you receive an email with attached a .zip file.

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

AlexOmetis — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 12:29:19 GMT

@Ruggero_Piccoli awwh - I thought maybe we'd get one more useful feature for a wide audience from NPrinting before it's moth-balled... but I guess this isn't it...

Re: Option to zip or not zip reports created with cycling feature

francesco_menin — Thu, 27 May 2021 10:38:29 GMT

I can't believe this is still waiting, we're relying on external / third-party software to provide this solution with cumbersome and buggy implementations. 😞