---
title: Output profile selection
summary: Selects the PDF or PDF_Draft_Watermark output profile used by subsequent rendering.
status: draft
owner: SAIF Documentation
last_reviewed: 2026-09-01
library: SAIF.Services.Printing
reference_type: embedded
operation_id: op-10-output-profile-selection
trigger: Caller invokes SetDefaultProfile or SetDraftProfile
---

# Output profile selection

Sets the `OutputProfile` field to a fixed constant selecting either the final (`PDF`) or draft/watermarked (`PDF_Draft_Watermark`) xPression output profile. This operation performs no rendering itself; the selected value is consumed later by the render lifecycle.

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| **Operation ID** | OP-10 |
| **Trigger** | `SetDefaultProfile` / `SetDraftProfile` invoked |
| **Inputs** | None |
| **Outputs** | `OutputProfile` set to a fixed constant |
| **Primary components** | `ReportBase.SetDefaultProfile`, `ReportBase.SetDraftProfile` |
| **Entry point** | `Public Sub SetDefaultProfile()` / `Public Sub SetDraftProfile()` |

## Steps

1. `SetDefaultProfile()` sets `OutputProfile = PROFILE_DEFAULT` (the constant `"PDF"`) — draft output uses the `PDF_Draft_Watermark` profile and final output uses the `PDF` profile ([BR-PRT-015](../business-rules.md#br-prt-015-draft-versus-final-output-profile)).
2. `SetDraftProfile()` sets `OutputProfile = PROFILE_DRAFT` (the constant `"PDF_Draft_Watermark"`) ([BR-PRT-015](../business-rules.md#br-prt-015-draft-versus-final-output-profile)).
3. The selected `OutputProfile` value is consumed later by `Render` when it calls `xPrint.previewDocument(m_ReportPackage, m_reportXml.ToXpression, OutputProfile)`; this operation only sets the field and performs no rendering itself.

   > **Origin**: `OutputProfile` is consumed by [Report render lifecycle](op-06-report-render-lifecycle.md), which passes it to `xPrint.previewDocument`.

## Process flow

```mermaid
flowchart TD
	Start1(["SetDefaultProfile called"]) --> Set1["Set OutputProfile = 'PDF'"]
	Set1 --> End1(["End"])

	Start2(["SetDraftProfile called"]) --> Set2["Set OutputProfile =<br>'PDF_Draft_Watermark'"]
	Set2 --> End2(["End"])
```

## Failure and edge-case behavior

- Neither method can fail: there is no I/O and no validation, only a pure field assignment.
- Calling order matters only in that whichever method is called last before `Render` wins; there is no guard against calling both or neither. The field's own default at construction is `"PDF"`, the same value as `PROFILE_DEFAULT`.

## Related documentation
- [Index](../index.md)
- [Overview](../overview.md)
- [Architecture](../architecture.md)
- [Dependencies](../dependencies.md)
- [Operations and processes](../operations-processes.md)
- [Business rules](../business-rules.md)
- [Configuration](../configuration.md)
- [API reference](../api/index.md)

## Sources
- `SAIF.Services.Printing/Reporting/ReportBase.vb`
- `SAIF.Services.Printing/Reporting/IReport.vb`