How do I group on a data field when data not connected ?

rbuser

I am working on a large program when the data set is never connected/live at
design time because you don't know which set of data will be used and the
queries are often made in code at runtime.

It seems the design interface for report builder is very angled towards
having live data available.

I am trying to add a new group and the "Data Field" option is disabled.
Does anyone know how I can add a group on a data field by just typing in the
field name ?

--
Andrew Cutforth
AJC Directory Synchronizer: Directory Compare & Synchronize
www.ajcsoft.com

nicocizik

Hi Andrew,

Unfortunately if you would like to create a group at design time for a field
in your dataset, the dataset will need to be connected to the current
database and active. Otherwise there is no way for ReportBuilder to know
the field names or locations. If you know the exact name of the field you
wish to group on, you could create a group in code without the use of the
designer at design time. For help on createing groups in code, please see
the article below.

----------------------------------------------------
Tech Tip: Creating a Group in Code
----------------------------------------------------


How can I dynamically create a report group at run-time?


example code:
-------------

uses
ppClass, ppGroup, ppClasUt;


function AddGroupToReport(aBreakName: String; aDataPipeline:
TppDataPipeline; aReport: TppCustomReport);
var
lGroup: TppGroup;
lGroupBand: TppGroupBand;

begin


{add group to report}
lGroup := TppGroup(ppComponentCreate(aReport, TppGroup));

lGroup.Report := aReport;

lGroup.BreakName := aBreakName;
lGroup.DataPipeline := aDataPipeline;

{add group header and footer bands }
lGroupBand := TppGroupBand(ppComponentCreate(aReport,
TppGroupHeaderBand));
lGroupBand.Group := lGroup;

lGroupBand := TppGroupBand(ppComponentCreate(aReport,
TppGroupFooterBand));
lGroupBand.Group := lGroup;


end; {procedure, AddGroupToReport}


--

rbuser

You can add a TDBText field and type in the field name. Would it not be
easy to alter the group facility so you could also type in the field name ?

The work around we are using now is to group on the TDBText field.
Obviously if we want to group on something we do not want to print we will
have to make it invisible.

I must admit I am surprised that there are not many other users who do not
have data available at design time. With large complex software I would
assume this is often the case.

I have a problem with a group though (see later post).

--
Andrew Cutforth
AJC Directory Synchronizer: Directory Compare & Synchronize
www.ajcsoft.com

nicocizik

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for the feedback. I will mark this down as a possible enhancement
for the next release.

--