Troubleshooting FAQ
This section identifies some common issues you may encounter when running aPriori spreadsheet reports.
Q: I've created an .xml report file, but I cannot install it using
Tools>Spreadsheet Reports>Install Spreadsheet Reports. Why can't I install it?
A: You need to compress the XML report file and its associated .xls template file (if any) into a .zip file before the Install command will recognize it.
Q: I successfully installed my new report file, but I cannot see it in the drop-down menu when I use Reports>Spreadsheet Reports. Why?
A: Ensure that the XML file name ends in ".watchpoints.xml". The Reports pulldown menu ignores any file that does not follow this convention.
Q: I want to run a report but the Reports>Spreadsheet Reports menu option is greyed out. Why?
A: You must have a part, assembly, or rollup open in aPriori before this menu option becomes active.
Q: I have defined a spreadsheet template file and included it in my .zip file and successfully installed it. But when I run my report, the spreadsheet has no formatting -- just raw data. What's wrong?
A: The XML file needs to explicitly specify the path to its template file with the templatePath attribute to the <report> tag. Ensure that this attribute exists and does not contain any typos. Also ensure that the extension is correct (.xls or .xlsx or .xlsm).
Q: Where can I find a comprehensive list of all the variables I can use in these reports?
A: See "Figuring Out What Variables to Use" on page 1. Q: I’m seeing some odd values in my reports, possibly related to formatting issues. Is there something that I am overlooking?
A: If you are using Excel Version 2003, try upgrading to Excel Version 2010. The aPriori-provided templates for all reports EXCEPT Component Sourcing (component.sourcing.report.template.xls) are 2010-compatible .xlsx files.
Q: I successfully created and ran a custom spreadsheet report, but when I tried to open the spreadsheet, Excel displayed the following error: "Excel found unreadable content in <filename.xls>..." But I cannot see anything wrong with my XML file. What is causing this error?
A: One subtle cause of this problem can be multiple instances of the same formula within different nodes, but with different upper- and lower-case conventions. For example, in the example below there is an instance of "aggregateCost", followed by a second instance spelled "aggregatecost":
<Node name=" Progressive Die " isProcess="true" level="process" suppressZeros="false">
<CSL>
<Formula> targetCost </Formula>
<Formula> aggregateCost </Formula>
<Formula> targetCostDelta </Formula>
</CSL>
</Node>
<Node name=" Transfer Die " isProcess="true" level="process" suppressZeros="false">
<CSL>
<Formula> targetCost </Formula>
<Formula> aggregatecost </Formula>
<Formula> targetCostDelta </Formula>
</CSL>
</Node>
In this example, the different cases of the same formula (marked in red) will cause unreadable data to be output to the Excel file. This problem can be difficult to find, as the individual formulae will work fine without the conflicting formulae. The best way to avoid this is to ensure that the case used is consistent.