Need to change tables for std reports

rbuser

Hi,

I just upgraded to pro and am trying to get a handle on the enduser stuff.

I'm using RB7Pro and Advantage and Delphi6.

I have standard reports that we need to run based on different tables. The
layout of the tables are always the same. I've been able to do this by
deleting the original table and then adding the new table. I have to fix all
report variables. Kind of tough to ask end-users to do that each time.

Also, the reports will be the same except for the main heading of the
report. Is there a way to prompt for value at point of previewing the
report.

Thanks,
John Panagia

digitalmetaphors

Hi John,

Thanks for upgrading! Is the report template the exact same layout? If the
code for the variables has to change, then all you may need to do is to use
different report templates. That way the different report variables can hook
into their own Delphi event handlers when the template is loaded. Each
report can also hook up to a unique data pipeline which has the table
dataset that you wan to gove to that user.

As far as replacing the tables, what do you mean exactly? There are a few
ways to go about this depending on if you are using datapipeline components
on a form or using DADE. Have you explored the Autosearch feature of RB? Are
you using DADE (the Data tab) now that you have the Pro Edition? Are you
replacing the datamodule on the report? There is the Import, Export and
Merge menu options to do this as an end user. If you want to do this in
code, then here is an example:
http://www.digital-metaphors.com/tips/ReplaceDataModule.zip

If you want to show custom information in the title and asking the user is
the only way to find out, then you can create and show a simple form
yourself in the Report.BeforePrint event.

Are you using the Report Explorer? You may soon find that RAP is going to
solve many problems when you start trying to deal with Delphi event
handlers, loading event handler name collisions and basically trying to deal
with a lot of event handlers on the form unit that the report explorer is
on. Using RAP allows you to code the event handlers inside the report
template so all the code is localized inside a template and is easier to
manage once there are many reports and lots of code for them involved.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Jim,

I'm looking for a solution for end-users. The report is identical. I've use
Dade to set up an initial dataset. In this case it is NyMaster.dbf using the
advantage dade setup. I did this from the data tab. In the future I would
like to use this report with CaMaster.dbf or WyMaster.dbf and so on. The dbf
files will always have the same field structure.

I'm not at all sure what a template does or how they used. Is there a demo
illustrating them?

Thanks

digitalmetaphors

Hi John,

For which cases do you want to change the database? If you want to design
the report with X database and for deployment change it to N databse or Y
database only once, then that is possible.

The report template saves the report definition along with the data access
(DADE) definition. You can set the Report.Template.Format to ascii and see
the text in a report template when you save to file with a DADE dataview.
You'll see that it saves the data access component you used to find the
database. The database name is stored in the template. What you can do is at
runtime change this database name and if it exists on the database it should
allow you to switch between databases.You'll have to load eac report
template from the databse or file and convert the DatabaseName entry in the
file as ascii text. Then you can save it and the user will use that database
when they run the report. You'll have to perform this operation before the
report is loaded by the user. You can load a report template from binary
without using a report object as shown in this example:

http://www.digital-metaphors.com/tips/ConvertBinaryTemplateToASCII.zip

Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors