Table of Contents

• Introduction
• General Syntax
• Main Commands
• Core Operations
  • Burst Command
  • Generate Command
• Other Operations
  • Merge Command
  • Resume Command
• System & Maintenance
• Integration Examples
  • Windows Batch Scripts
  • Linux/macOS Shell Scripts
• Best Practices

Introduction

ReportBurster provides a powerful command line interface (CLI) that enables you to automate report processing, integrate with other systems, and schedule tasks. With the CLI, you can execute all core ReportBurster functions without using the graphical interface.

General Syntax

ReportBurster commands follow a consistent structure for easy automation:

reportburster <command> [options] [arguments]

To display command help information:

reportburster --help

For version information:

reportburster --version

Main Commands

The CLI includes several primary command categories:

Core Operations

These are the primary commands for automating report processing.

Burst Command

Split PDF and Excel documents based on burst tokens to create individual output files.

reportburster burst [options] <input-file>

Options:

Note: Testing options (--testall, --testlist, --testrandom) are available to simulate processing without actual distribution. Use reportburster burst --help for details.

Examples:

# Burst a document using the default configuration
reportburster burst invoices.pdf
 
# Burst using a specific configuration file
reportburster burst --config ./config/reports/monthly-invoices/settings.xml statements.pdf
 
# Test burst processing for specific recipients without sending
reportburster burst --config ./config/reports/payslips/settings.xml --testlist [email protected],[email protected] payslips.pdf

Generate Command

Create professional reports from data sources using templates. Supports CSV, Excel, TSV, and fixed-width data sources.

reportburster generate [options] <input-data>

Options:

Note: Testing options (--testall, --testlist, --testrandom) are available to simulate processing without actual distribution. Use reportburster generate --help for details.

Examples:

# Generate reports from CSV data
reportburster generate --config ./config/reports/monthly-reports/settings.xml data.csv
 
# Test report generation for specific entries
reportburster generate --config ./config/reports/invoices/settings.xml --testlist "ACME Inc.,XYZ Corp" customers.xlsx

Other Operations

These commands provide additional utility functions.

Merge Command

Combine multiple PDF documents listed in a text file into a single output file.

reportburster document merge [options] <list-file>

Key options include -o, --output <name> to specify the output file name and -b, --burst to optionally burst the merged file (requires -c, --config <file>).

Example:

# Merge PDFs listed in files.txt into combined.pdf
reportburster document merge files.txt --output combined.pdf

Resume Command

Continue processing a previously paused job from its saved progress file.

reportburster resume <job-progress-file>

System & Maintenance

These commands assist with setup, troubleshooting, and license management. Use reportburster system --help for details on specific commands and options.

• system test-email: Tests email server connection settings defined in the configuration file.
• system test-sms: Tests Twilio SMS sending capabilities using configuration settings.
• system license: Used to activate, deactivate, or check the software license status.

Integration Examples

Windows Batch Scripts

@echo off
REM Process monthly invoices
reportburster burst --config ./config/reports/invoices/settings.xml ./data/invoices-april-2025.pdf
if %ERRORLEVEL% NEQ 0 (
    echo Error processing invoices
    exit /b %ERRORLEVEL%
)
echo Invoice processing completed successfully

Linux/macOS Shell Scripts

#!/bin/bash
# Process monthly reports
./reportburster generate --config ./config/reports/monthly-reports/settings.xml ./data/april-2025.csv
if [ $? -ne 0 ]; then
    echo "Error generating monthly reports"
    exit 1
fi
echo "Monthly reports generated successfully"

Best Practices

1. Use Configuration Files: Store settings in configuration files for consistent execution.
2. Test Before Distribution: Use test options (--testlist, etc.) to verify results before live processing.
3. Create Log Files: Redirect command output (>, 2>&1) to log files for record-keeping and troubleshooting.
4. Check Exit Codes: Verify command success (%ERRORLEVEL%, $?) in automated scripts to handle errors.
5. Schedule Regular Jobs: Use your system's task scheduler (cron, Task Scheduler) for recurring jobs.