You will need to create a custom preview to add this functionality. See the following articles for more information.
------------------------------------------------------------ Tech Tip: Replacing Built-in Dialogs/Forms in ReportBuilder ------------------------------------------------------------
ReportBuilder has an open architecture for replacing any of the built-in dialogs. You can replace any of the built-in dialogs by creating a new form that inherits from an abstract ancestor and then registering it as the new built-in dialog.
For example to replace ReportBuilder's print dialog you could
1. Create a new Print dialog by renaming ReportBuilder's default print dialog, then doing a SaveAs to save it under another unit name.
The default dialog resides in RBuilder\Source\ppPDlg.pas and the form is called ppPrintDialog. You should assign your form a unique name, for example, myPrintDlg, and save the unit to another name. Also save the unit to the directory where your other forms are stored (not RBuilder\Source).
2. Make desired changes.
You will notice that the print dialog inherits from an ancestor TppCustomPrintDialog - this ancestor resides in ppForms.pas (where all the abstract ancestor forms for ReportBuilder are defined).
3. Register the new form.
Declare an initializtion section at the bottom of the unit:
Now your preview dialog should be automatically created and destroyed by ReportBuilder. The two page preview dialog in the RBuilder\Demos\Reports\Demo.dpro was created this same way. The only difference is the ppRegisterForm call is in then OnClick event of the button.
----------------------------------------- Article: Creating a Preview Plugin -----------------------------------------
Q: I've followed the tutorials and registered a Preview Form replacement but that did not affect the TppDesigner's Preview workspace.
A: Do not use the form replacement, but rather, there is a different architecture built into the preview form that is registered by default.
You will need to register a TppPreview descendent. The class you register is used to create the preview controls inside the standard print preview form and the designer preview workspace.
Here is an example of creating a simple custom preview that access the viewer its been assigned in order to change the page color. You can also do more advanced operations such as adding and removing buttons and change the behavior of the preview form. Access the inherited controls via. protected properties and override the virtual methods in order to customize behavior.
Open ppPreview.pas and view the TppPreview class as a guide to create a custom preview descendent.
unit MyPreviewPlugin;
interface
uses ppPreview;
type TMyPreviewPlugin = class(TppPreview) public procedure BeforePreview; override;
end;
implementation
uses Graphics;
procedure TMyPreviewPlugin.BeforePreview; begin inherited BeforePreview;
Comments
You will need to create a custom preview to add this functionality. See the
following articles for more information.
------------------------------------------------------------
Tech Tip: Replacing Built-in Dialogs/Forms in ReportBuilder
------------------------------------------------------------
ReportBuilder has an open architecture for replacing any of the built-in
dialogs. You can replace any of the built-in dialogs by creating a new form
that inherits from an abstract ancestor and then registering it as the new
built-in dialog.
For example to replace ReportBuilder's print dialog you could
1. Create a new Print dialog by renaming ReportBuilder's default print
dialog, then doing a SaveAs to save it under another unit name.
The default dialog resides in RBuilder\Source\ppPDlg.pas and the form is
called ppPrintDialog. You should assign your form a unique name, for
example, myPrintDlg, and save the unit to another name. Also save the unit
to the directory where your other forms are stored (not RBuilder\Source).
2. Make desired changes.
You will notice that the print dialog inherits from an ancestor
TppCustomPrintDialog - this ancestor resides in ppForms.pas (where all the
abstract ancestor forms for ReportBuilder are defined).
3. Register the new form.
Declare an initializtion section at the bottom of the unit:
initialization
ppRegisterForm(TppCustomPrintDialog, TMyPrintDialog);
4. Add the new unit to your project and compile.
Now your preview dialog should be automatically created and destroyed by
ReportBuilder. The two page preview dialog in the
RBuilder\Demos\Reports\Demo.dpro was created this same way. The only
difference is the ppRegisterForm call is in then OnClick event of the
button.
-----------------------------------------
Article: Creating a Preview Plugin
-----------------------------------------
Q: I've followed the tutorials and registered a Preview Form replacement but
that did not affect the TppDesigner's Preview workspace.
A: Do not use the form replacement, but rather, there is a different
architecture built into the preview form that is registered by default.
You will need to register a TppPreview descendent. The class you register
is used to create the preview controls inside the standard print preview
form and the designer preview workspace.
Here is an example of creating a simple custom preview that access the
viewer its been assigned in order to change the page color. You can also do
more advanced operations such as adding and removing buttons and change the
behavior of the preview form. Access the inherited controls via. protected
properties and override the virtual methods in order to customize behavior.
Open ppPreview.pas and view the TppPreview class as a guide to create a
custom preview descendent.
unit MyPreviewPlugin;
interface
uses
ppPreview;
type
TMyPreviewPlugin = class(TppPreview)
public
procedure BeforePreview; override;
end;
implementation
uses
Graphics;
procedure TMyPreviewPlugin.BeforePreview;
begin
inherited BeforePreview;
Viewer.PageColor := clRed;
end;
initialization
TppPreviewPlugIn.Register(TMyPreviewPlugin);
finalization
TppPreviewPlugIn.UnRegister(TMyPreviewPlugin);
end.
--
Regards,
Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com
Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com