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New Blog Posts: Merging Reports - Part 1 and Part 2

Templates table and dbExpress

edited November 2002 in End User
Hi, i'm migratin an application from the BDE to dbExpress. I have some
end-user reports and want to know if the Templates datasource required
for the dessigner can be connected to a dbExpress table or if it must be
connected to a ClientDataSet, and if so... if i must call ApplyUpdates
or if RB handles it.
Thanks a lot
--
Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
http://www.GrupoMillennium.com

Comments

  • edited November 2002
    You'll have to recreate the dataviews to connect to dbExpress instead of the
    BDE, because a different DADE plugin class is used. The other alternative
    is to write a converter that loads a template in ASCII text and converts the
    DADE plugin classes from the BDE to dbExpress. I know that this has been
    done by other customers for different databases in order to make their
    templates portable without worrying about the particular DADE plugin they
    were saved/loaded with. You might want to post a new thread asking for
    pointers from those who have done it. Of course, we're here too to answer
    questions:)

    Here is an example to load a binary template to ascii so it an be modified
    as ascii text and saved again as binary.

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


    There is an end user example for dbExpress in the RBuilder installation.
    Start there to familiarize yourself with the components and settings. The
    latest version of RB 7 contains a couple of fixes to the dbExpress DADE
    plugin that you will want have. Make sure you are using this version.


    Cheers,

    Jim Bennett
    Digital Metaphors

  • edited November 2002
    Sorry, i'm a little confused here... which are the DataViews? The Pipelines?
    I can re-create the reports, it's not a problem right now. I'm just wondering if
    RB will handle saving the folders/items info in the tables when using CDS and
    dbExpress and if RB components must be attached to the CDS or the dbExpress
    components.
    Thanks again
    --
    Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
    Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
    GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
    http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
  • edited November 2002
    Sorry, I totally missed the question. RB can be used with any TDataset
    descendent. The main thing that is necessary is that the autoincremented
    field ID comes back from the database after a post for a new template
    record, either a folder or item, and the datasets need to be
    multidirectional. You need to use the TSQLClientDataset as shown in the end
    user demo as it is multidirectional. It is unlike the other unidirectional
    dbExpress components which can't be used by ReportBuilder. ReportBuilder's
    datapipeline architecture requires multidirectional datasets.

    Cheers,

    Jim Bennett
    Digital Metaphors

  • edited November 2002
    Now all is clear again ;)
    I was very affraid for a while because a simple question required a lot of work.
    Nice to hear is as easy as you say now :)
    Best of luck.
    Justa a note: TSQLClientDataSet is deprecated on D7, so is a better approach to
    use the old and reliable CDS.
    Thanks again
    --
    Guillermo Castaño Acevedo
    Gerente de Sistemas - Grupo Millennium Ltda
    GuillermoC@GrupoMillennium.com
    http://www.GrupoMillennium.com
  • edited November 2002
    Hi Guillermo Casta?o A,

    TSimpleDataSet replaces TSQLClientDataSet.
    (from D7_whats_new.pdf)


    regards,
    Chris Ueberall;
  • edited November 2002
    We found that out when we tried to run DBExpress in Delphi 7. We're using
    the TSimpleDataset in the DADE plugin for DBExpress for Delphi 7 already.


    Cheers,

    Jim Bennett
    Digital Metaphors

This discussion has been closed.