PDF export Troubleshooting
NOTE: This is an updated version of the following community article - https://community.sisense.com/t5/knowledge/error-exporting-to-pdf/ta-p/9025
Let's review 2 possible problems with the PDF export - the export fails completely or the export succeeds but there are some issues with the downloaded file.
The PDF export fails.
- Test with a simple dashboard/widget
First, we need to determine whether the issue with PDF export is only for some dashboard(s)/widget(s) or for the whole environment.
To do so, you can create a very simple dashboard (based on Sample elasticube, for example) with 1 widget and try downloading it as a PDF. If it fails, then most likely there is an exporting problem for the whole environment, proceed to step 3. If it succeeds, proceed to step 2. - Dashboard/widget is too heavy
If the pdf export of a small dashboard/widget succeeds, then it might be the case of the pdf of the original dashboard/widget being too heavy.
Try to reduce the number of widgets or limit the amount of data on the specific widget with the help of filters and try again.
Please note the following article from our documentation where information and recommendations about heavy dashboards and pivots are specified:
https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/creating-pdf-reports.htm#:~:text=a%20PDF%20file-,Note%3A,...
https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/pdf-reports-best-practices.htm - Check Plugins and Scripts
Disable all plugins and scripts. One of the most common causes of a PDF export failure is because of an unofficial plugin or custom scripts.
Disable all plugins. To do so, go to Admin → Server and Hardware → Add-Ons.
Disable scripts on the dashboard and widget levels. To do so, click 3 dots in the dashboard/widget page → Edit Script → Delete or common out the existing scripts. - Restart Services
Restart services responsible for pdf generation - galaxy, reporting, storage, exporting.
(Linux)
Access the server and run the following commands:
Kubectl -n sisense delete pod galaxy-{press Tab to fill the name}
Kubectl -n sisense delete pod reporting-{press Tab to fill the name}
Kubectl -n sisense delete pod storage-{press Tab to fill the name}
Kubectl -n sisense delete pod exporting-{press Tab to fill the name}
Alternatively, you can get the names of the pods by running the following command:
Kubectl -n sisense get pods
Wait for the pods to restart and then check the PDF download again.
(Windows)
Go to Control Panel -> Administrative Tools -> Services -> Restart Sisense.Galaxy - Contact Sisense Support
If none of the steps above helped, please submit a ticket to Sisense Support. With the ticket, please provide the data about what is the exact issue and the steps taken to troubleshoot it.
Additionally, attach the following information to the ticket:
1. Your Sisense version.
2. Record the .HAR file while the issue occurs. Make sure to start the recording in advance, reproduce the issue, and export .HAR file (see link: https://support.sisense.com/kb/en/article/generating-a-har-file-for-troubleshooting-sisense).
- Zip of the following log files together with a timeframe when the latest pdf export failure occurred:
(linux)
/var/log/sisense/<Namespace>/exporting.log
/var/log/sisense/<Namespace>/galaxy.log
/var/log/sisense/<Namespace>/reporting.log
/var/log/sisense/<Namespace>/storage.log
(windows)
(whole folder) C:\ProgramData\Sisense\application-logs
PDF export is successful but there are issues with the download file.
- Check Plugins and Scripts
A big portion of issues with the downloaded PDF is because of plugins or custom scripts.
Disable all plugins. To do so, go to Admin → Server and Hardware → Add-Ons.
Disable scripts on the dashboard and widget levels. To do so, click 3 dots in the dashboard/widget page → Edit Script → Delete or common out the existing scripts.
After disabling, wait a couple of minutes and try PDF export one more time. - Layout Customization
Look into PDF layout customization and set it to your liking. You can read more about it here - https://docs.sisense.com/main/SisenseLinux/customizing-pdf-reports.htm
Here you can modify the paper size and change the size each widget takes on the downloaded file.
This is especially useful when there are a lot of widgets and they can't fit properly on a small paper size.
Also, tables with a lot of columns might require some adjusting of the columns' width so that the text is readable. - One page of Pivot is Exported
Only the 1st page of the Pivot table is exported - this is an expected behavior with the dashboard PDF export.
To get all rows of the Pivot to PDF, please consider either exporting a single widget to PDF or utilizing this plugin - https://www.sisense.com/marketplace/expand-pivot-on-pdf/ - Contact Sisense Support
If none of the steps above helped, please submit a ticket to Sisense Support. With the ticket, please provide screenshots and examples depicting the issue in the PDF files as well as the expected result.
