Packaging analysis apps

To run analytic scripts in the Analysis App window or on AX Server, create a packaged analysis app (.aclapp file). You can package an ACL project into a new .aclapp file, or merge an ACL project with an existing analysis app (.aclx file) to include existing interpretations.

Note

If at least one script in an ACL project contains an analytic header, the project can be packaged as an analysis app. Before packaging an analysis app make sure you validate the analytic headers of each analytic in the analysis app.

Why use a packaged analysis app?

Distributing to Analysis App window users

Use packaged analysis apps to distribute a project to users who can extract the .aclx file and open the contents in the Analysis App window.

In the Analysis App window, you can run the analytic scripts and create interpretations based on tables and analytic results.

Importing into AX Server

Use packaged analysis apps to prepare an ACL project for import into AX Server. You can choose which tables and data files to import along with the analytic scripts in the project.

You can also use a packaged analysis app (.aclapp) to import existing interpretations. To include the interpretations from an existing analysis app (.aclx) you must repackage your ACL project and merge this packaged analysis app (.aclapp) with the existing .aclx file in your project folder.

Note

When you use an existing analysis app (.aclx file), the contents of the ACL project take precedence, so if there are scripts or tables in the .aclx that no longer exist in the .acl file, they are not included in the resulting packaged analysis app (.aclapp file).

File size limitation

To use a packaged analysis app successfully, you must ensure that the sum of all file sizes included in the package does not exceed 800 MB before packaging the analysis app. If your prepackaged files exceed this combined size, data files may be corrupted when unpacking the analysis app.

Package a new analysis app

  1. In ACL Analytics, right-click the project entry in the Overview tab of the Navigator and select Package Analysis App.

    The ACL project is the top-level folder in the tree view.

  2. In the Select Tables dialog box, do the following:
    1. If you want to include one or more of the project tables and associated data files in the analysis app, select the table(s) and the data file(s) to include.

      Note

      Generally you should include only static tables and data files that are required by one or more of the analytics in the analysis app, such as a master vendor table, or a list of merchant category codes.

    2. Click To and navigate to the location where you want to save the packaged analysis app.
    3. In the Save As dialog box, enter a File name with the .aclapp file extension and click Save.
    4. Click OK.

Result the packaged analysis app is saved to the location you specified. Other users can retrieve the packaged analysis app from this location, or you can distribute it by email, or by other appropriate method. You can also import this file into AX Server.

Package an analysis app with interpretations

  1. Ensure that the analysis app (.aclx file) that contains the interpretations you want to import exists in the ACL project folder on your computer and uses the same file name as the ACL project (.acl file).

  2. In ACL Analytics, right-click the project entry in the Overview tab of the Navigator and select Package Analysis App.

    The ACL project is the top-level folder in the tree view.

  3. In the Select Tables dialog box, do the following:
    1. If you want to include one or more of the project tables and associated data files in the analysis app, select the table(s) and the data file(s) to include.

      Note

      Generally you should include only static tables and data files that are required by one or more of the analytics in the analysis app, such as a master vendor table, or a list of merchant category codes.

    2. Optional. To include the interpretations from the existing analysis app, select Include Interpretations.

      Interpretations that are associated with tables or scripts that do not exist in the new package are not included.

    3. Click To and navigate to the location where you want to save the packaged analysis app.
    4. In the Save As dialog box, enter a File name with the .aclapp file extension and click Save.
    5. Click OK.

Result the packaged analysis app is saved to the location you specified. Other users can retrieve the packaged analysis app from this location, or you can distribute it by email, or by other appropriate method. You can also import this file into AX Server.