Report assets

Every report keeps its own files: the pictures its image tiles and page backgrounds show, and any other file a custom visual reads, such as a font, a JSON or a 3D model. The files belong to the report, not to one tile, and everything that uses them refers to one by its name. This page covers that library: adding, listing, copying and cleaning up files. For the elements and visuals themselves, see Image tiles, Text boxes and Custom visuals and the visual library.

Open a report's files

Open the report and select Edit in the header. Managing files needs edit access to the report; see Who can do what in DataPrism.
Open the dialog from the tile or visual that uses the files. On a custom visual tile, select Edit code, then choose assets/ in the Studio file tree. The number beside assets/ counts the report's files, and the Visual assets dialog opens.

The dialog is the report's one file library. Where it is picking a file for what you are editing, it says Pick one of this report's uploaded assets. and each file offers Use this asset; the button attaches that file and closes the dialog.

Add files

Drop files onto the dialog, or click to pick them. The upload area reads Drop files here, or click to pick them, and switches to Uploading... while a file goes up.
Files upload one at a time. A file that lands confirms Asset uploaded and shows its reference, in the form Reference it as asset://file-name.
A file that fails reports Asset not uploaded; the other files continue.

The dialog takes any file up to 20 MB, and up to 20 files per drop: Any file up to 20 MB, at most 20 files per drop.
Files are stored with the report, so everything that references one reads the same file.
A file above 2 MB carries a large badge: Above 2 MB: every frame that references this asset downloads its own copy. Its upload warning, Large asset, adds that a visual may transfer at most 8.0 MB of assets.

Read and manage the list

With no files yet the dialog reads No assets yet and explains that files are stored with the report and attached by reference. While the list loads it reads Loading visual assets; when it cannot load, Could not load the assets.
Each file shows its reference, asset://file-name, and its size. Pictures show a preview; every other file shows an icon for its kind, and a file that is not a picture, a font or data carries a binary badge.
Each card offers Copy reference to {file-name}, Download {file-name} and Delete {file-name}.
Copy reference puts asset://file-name on your clipboard and confirms Reference copied; when the clipboard is not available it reads Reference not copied.
Download saves the stored file under its name; a failure reports Asset not downloaded.
The totals line under the upload area gives the budget: A visual may transfer up to 8.0 MB of assets. When the report's files together pass it, the line reads A visual referencing all of them would exceed the 8.0 MB transfer budget.
A file whose stored bytes are gone shows File missing, and a picture that cannot load shows Could not load. A failed delete reports Asset not deleted.

Delete a file

Choose Delete {file-name} on the card.
Confirm Delete this asset?. The confirmation names the file: "logo.png" will be removed from this report. Visuals referencing asset://logo.png will show it as missing.

Deleting removes the stored file and frees its name; a later upload may use that name again.
The report keeps its references. A tile or visual that points at the removed file reports it as missing until a file with that name is uploaded again; the sentences are listed on Troubleshooting.

Copy a file into another report

When you paste a custom visual into a different report, the files it references are copied with it. The paste reports how many files were copied, how many the report already held, and how many names the source report does not have.
If the files cannot be copied, the tile still lands and the paste reports Assets not copied: The visual was pasted, but its assets could not be copied from the source report. See Copy and share custom visuals.
A file the report already holds is counted as already present, not copied again, and names are matched without regard to case. The message reads like Assets: 2 copied, 1 already present, 1 missing on the source.: "copied" counts the files added to this report; "already present" counts names the report already held, whose file is kept; and "missing on the source" counts names the code uses that the source report did not have.
A .dpvisual bundle does not carry uploaded files. For what a bundle contains, see Copy and share custom visuals.

Library visual assets

A visual in the visual library keeps files of its own, separate from any report's. When you add a tile to the library with Add to visual library and it uses files, they are copied to the library visual, and the confirmation adds "its assets were copied to the library visual." A report that inserts a library visual needs its own copies of those files: the picker warns Assets missing from this report, names them, and the visual shows them as missing until they are uploaded to the report's assets.

Reading a library visual's files follows everyone who can see the visual; uploading or deleting them needs Publish Organization Visuals.

File rules

An upload takes any file type, up to 20 MB: a larger file is refused with File too large. Maximum size for visual assets is 20MB.
A file name runs up to 255 characters, and names are compared without regard to case.
Pictures (PNG, JPEG, WebP, GIF), WOFF2 fonts and JSON or GeoJSON are read from their bytes; SVG files are sanitised on upload. A file whose content does not match its declared type or extension is refused: The file content does not match its declared type or extension. An SVG that cannot be sanitised into a renderable document is refused: The SVG could not be sanitised into a renderable document.
Everything else is stored as a file under its own type. A type that could run as a page in a browser, such as HTML, is stored for download only: the app never opens it as a page.
Uploading a name the report already holds gives the new file a suffix, such as -2: logo.png becomes logo-2.png, and the existing file is never overwritten.
A picture wider than 3,840 pixels is scaled down for display.

The messages you may see

A refused upload, or a file that cannot be reached, answers with one of these messages.

The message	What it means
`Invalid file name`	The file's name cannot be used. Rename the file and upload it again.
`No file was uploaded.`	The upload arrived without a file. Pick the file again.
`Could not find a free name for this file. Try renaming it and uploading again.`	Every numbered suffix for this name was taken. Rename the file.
`The file was not stored: the file storage did not accept it. Try again, and tell an administrator if it keeps failing.`	The file did not reach storage. Upload it again.
`The asset could not be copied: the file storage did not accept it. Try again, and tell an administrator if it keeps failing.`	A copied file did not reach storage. Paste the visual again.
`Asset not found`	The file is not there. Reload the dialog; if a visual shows it as missing, upload the file again.
`Asset content not found`	The file's entry exists, but its stored bytes are gone. Upload the file again under the same name.
`The file could not be read from file storage. Try again, and tell an administrator if it keeps failing.`	The file exists but could not be read right now. Try again.
`DataPrism Custom Visuals is disabled on this deployment.`	Custom visuals are switched off for the whole deployment, so nothing new can be stored; reading and deleting keep working. Ask an administrator.
`Report not found` / `Visual not found`	The report or the library visual is gone, or your account cannot see it; a report or visual you cannot reach answers the same as a missing one.
`You do not have edit access to this report.`	You can see the report, but you cannot change it. This action needs edit access.
`Report access could not be verified with the reporting service. Try again.` / `Visual access could not be verified with the reporting service. Try again.`	The access check did not answer. Try again.

Which files are in use

The report counts each file's references across image tiles, their dark-theme variants, page backgrounds and custom visuals. That is how it can tell a file that is in use from one nothing references, and a tile that points at a file the report does not hold is reported where it is used rather than dropped in silence.

Who can manage files

You need Author DataPrism Custom Visuals, together with edit access to the report, to add, copy or delete files. Anyone who can open the report reads its files. See Who can do what in DataPrism.
A deleted file reads as not found, and so does a report outside your reach: the answer is that it cannot be found, not that you are forbidden from it.

Questions, answered

Which files can a report hold?

Any file, up to 20 MB per file and up to 20 files per drop, with a name of up to 255 characters. Pictures, WOFF2 fonts and JSON or GeoJSON are read from their bytes; everything else is stored under its own type. A file whose content does not match its declared type or extension is refused.

What happens if I upload a file with a name the report already has?

The new file gets a suffix, such as -2, and the existing file is never overwritten: logo.png becomes logo-2.png. Use the name the dialog shows for the new file.

Are file names case-sensitive?

No. Names are compared without regard to case, so Logo.PNG and logo.png are the same name, both in the dialog and where a tile or a visual references one.

Can I reuse a file in another report?

Yes, with the visual that uses it: paste the custom visual into the other report and its files are copied with it. The paste reports how many files were copied, how many the report already held and how many names the source report does not have. See Copy and share custom visuals.

What happens to tiles that use a file I delete?

The file is removed and its name becomes free again; every tile or visual that referenced it reports it as missing until a file with that name is uploaded again. The confirmation says so before you commit to it.

Can I upload an HTML file?

Yes, but it is stored for download only. A type that could run as a page in a browser is never served as a page from a report.

Why was my file refused?

One of three rules: it is over 20 MB (File too large. Maximum size for visual assets is 20MB.), its content does not match its declared type or extension (The file content does not match its declared type or extension.), or it is an SVG that cannot be sanitised into a renderable document (The SVG could not be sanitised into a renderable document.). Fix the file and upload it again.

Who can add or remove files in a report?

Anyone with Author DataPrism Custom Visuals and edit access to the report. Readers who can open the report can read its files. See Who can do what in DataPrism.

How do I take a file out of a report?

Choose Download {file-name} to save the stored file under its name, or Copy reference to {file-name} to put its asset:// reference on your clipboard. To remove it from the report, delete it.

Does the report warn me about files it does not use?

Yes. The report counts references per file across image tiles, their dark-theme variants, page backgrounds and custom visuals, so it can flag a file nothing references, and a referenced file that is missing is reported at the tile that uses it.