Link format

rbuser

Hi,
I am building a complicated report with many tables (most are used twice).
I have used external links to link them all together in the data section.
It's one big tree, but it makes sense. In the design section i use
subreports to group my data.

I can't get the data to be and displayed as I wish. For example: Sometimes
I get all the data from a table displayed under each record.
It may be that I need to use internal links (by adding fields from external
tables).

My question is "when exactly should one use internal links and when should
one use external links?"

Thanks
Red

nicocizik

Hi Red,

I'm a bit unclear about how you are linking your datasets. If you do not
have a master detail relationship between two datasets if your report, the
subreport will always print all its data unless you filter the dataset
manually. I'm also unclear about what you mean by "internal links".

--
Regards,

Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
By internal links; I mean in the data tab, when you open a table and add
a new table, You then get suggested links between the tbales, which you
can accept or change. Then you add some fields from that table to your
existing table.
By external links; I mean simply dragging and dropping across tables in
the data area to create the line between the tables.

I usually use "external links", but when would it be better to use the
"internal links"?

thanks
Red

nicocizik

Hi Red,

Ok, by Internal Links you mean table joins and by External Links you mean
creating a master detail relationship between datsets in DADE. If you look
at the underlying SQL generated by using the DataView Links (External Links)
you will see that it is very similar to simply performing a join on these
tables. However if you would like to keep the master-detail relationship in
your report (using subreports) you will need to use the DataView Links.

--
Regards,

Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com