Recipe for using Reporting Plugin to combine tables from child pages

Question

I've seen recipes that leverage the Scaffolding plugin to combine tables from child pages onto a parent page with a {report-table} . I'd like to share a way to accomplish something similar without using the Scaffolding plugin.

{report-table} 
{expanding-reporter:content:body > text:find ([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c([^\\u007c]+)\\u007c[\\r\\n](\?\=[\\s\\S]*Next.Section)|as=foo} 
{local-reporter:content:children} 
{local-reporter} 
{expanding-reporter} 
{report-column:title=First Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 1|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Second Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 2|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Third Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 3|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Fourth Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 4|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Sixth Colum|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 5|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Seventh Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:foo > match:group 6|render=wiki}{report-column} 
{report-column:title=Eight Column|width=10em}{report-info:expanded:item > content:title > text:match (Report - YYYYMMDD - )(.*) > match:group 2}{report-column} 
{report-table}

Some notes about this:

* \\u007c is how one puts a pipe '|' in the regex. One has to use the hex value and then triply escape it. Confluence tables use a lot of pipes, so this part is important.
* The regex is basically looking for lines with pipes in them and pulling out strings between the pipes into regex groups.
* The expanding reporter leverages 'text:find' to create the return list that this reporter requires.
* The parens in the regex pass regex groups down through the {report-info} which can then be accessed with the 'match:group'. Recall that the expanding reporter is a wrapper for the report-info.
* 'render=wiki' will keep unwanted bits in the markup from appearing.
* This regex uses a positive lookahead to make sure it's pulling from the correct table. A negative lookahead may also be used in case the child page has many tables.

If folks have any interest or questions, I can post more of an explanation. But I think for most folks familiar with the Reporting plugin will find this helpful.

Ryan Moore4 · Answer

Here's the new supplier chain in the expanding-reporter: content:body > body:text > text:find "(.*?)(.*?)"

Ryan Moore4 · Answer

There's more than a few problem with the code I posted due to upgrade incompatabilities.

For starters, one now has to be explicit with suppliers:

"expanding-reporter:content:body > text:find" will no longer work. It has to be:

"expanding-reporter:content:body > body:text > text:find"

It's no longer possible to "shortcut" the supplier chain. I think this might be part of your problem Tom.

Additionally, the regex no longer works because the underlying structure is XHTML instead of wiki markup.

I'll try and post a new "fixed" example later.

In regards to your other question, wow, I'm not sure. You would have to somehow include all children in a space and then apply a fliter on the label?

TomTom2 · Answer

Hi Ryan,

thanks for sharing this approach!

Unfortunately, I can't get it working. I guess the issue I have is related to some update of the reporting plugin. I get the message, that I need to provide the key to expand on.

May you be able (in a free minute) to post two example tables and the report-on mark-up for combining those two tables?
I would also need to run this report on all pages having specific labels across all spaces. Should I use the content-reporter with the scope @global instead of the local-reporter in order to achieve this?

Thanks for your help & Cheers,
Tom