Transfering Reports from different data sources

rbuser

I am using Report Builder 6.03 with an Asta Application and the DBISAM
database.
When the end user is connected to the main Server they are able to create
their own Reports using the Asta plugin which works well for me.
When they are working offline i have the Report module of my program
connecting to the local DBISAM database which each of my clients have.
My question is this...
How can i copy a Report which is done using the Asta plugin and transfer
that Report so it can be used in the Offline Report explorer ?

I have tried doing this but i get errors because the data is coming from
different data sources(i think)

Any help with this would be great.
BTW, i need to use the local connection when offline to improve the speed
when reporting over the internet.

Thanks
John Shobbrook

digitalmetaphors

Yes, the data definition is stored in the template, and is specific to the
DADE plugin that was used to create the dataview. Each DADE plugin has a set
of classes to support the different database. For example, daASTA has the
TdaASTAQueryDatview and daDBISAM has the TdaDBISAMQueryDataview. These
objects are streamed down inside the template. When the report template is
loaded, these objects are instantiated and the connection tries to be
reestablished. You will have to load the template into a stringlist and
convert the template dataview classes in the template before loading the
template into a report such that it can be used on both databases,
converting it between the two. Use this example to load a binary template as
ASCII text into a TStringlist without using a report object. You'll have to
write a simple text parser to change the classes going in both directions.
Here is an example showing how to load and save a binary template to ASCII
text and back.

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


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Thanks Jim, i'll give it a go

rbuser

I am getting an 'Invalid Stream Format' error when i try to open one of my
Report Template (which i have created using the SaveToFile menu option on
the Design Tab).
I am using the Demo which you suggested and just pointing to my Report
Template instead of the default Template that comes with the demo.
I have opened and saved a template using the LearnReportBuilder demo program
and that works OK.
I have tryed saving a template from both the DBISAM template and the ASTA
template.

I have set the Report-SaveAsTemplate to True on my Report form but i still
get this error.
Any ideas what may be the cause ?

Many thanks
John

digitalmetaphors

You are getting a 'Invalid Stream Format' when using RB out of the box,
without using the new converter logic? Get that sorted out first. Set the
Template.Format to ascii and save it down to file and open it in Notepad to
see if it is corrupt. If you create a new report, it should work. Try
disconnecting as much code form you app as you can to simplify the report
creation and saving process if you are using any template events such as
OnSaveStart...etc.

Try setting SaveAsTemplate to false. That might be causing the problem. This
property is not exactly the best thing to use in some situations. It causes
the report on a form to be saved/loaded to/from a template. If you don't
know that it can do this then it can cause some unexpected behavior. Set it
to false and see if that fixes the problem.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors