Global Corporate Design

rbuser

Hi,

We are currently using FastReport and evaluation other reporting enginges.
We are doing the switch because of several bugs and and a few other
problems. Namely it isn't easy to define a global design (template) that for
example consists of an image, several text elements etc. In Rave-Reports you
can define Global Pages the can be referenced by ordinary reports and all
changes to the Global Page are immediately reflected on the referencing
reports. It something like that possible with Reportbuilder ?
Next question: How do you handle Report-Changes ? Would it be possible to
create some Report-Patcher, that merges the changes into an existing Report
? The Problem is that our application's changes need that the Reports are
updated as well(invoices for example) and our customers currently have to
update their Reports manually or start from our blank ones.

regards,
Magnus Jungsbluth

nicocizik

Hi Magnus,

Thank you for evaluating ReportBuilder!

1. Reports in ReportBuilder are always saved in a template format (whether
it is inside a report component on a form or saved as a template file .rtm
on disk). This makes it very easy to provide users with a starter or global
template design that they can add to. It is also possible to create custom
Report Wizards that guide your users through the report creation process in
an easy to follow wizard interface. Using this wizard, you can load an
already existing report template and add to it according to the options your
user selects.

2. When you say Report Patcher, do you mean you would like to perhaps change
the layout of an invoice and be able to merge it with an already existing
invoice so that it has the newer layout but the same data? This would be
possible to do using a report object loop. This way you could loop through
every object in an existing report and move/replace it according to how the
new template is designed. This would require however that a new Report
Patcher utility be created for each new template you create. See the
article below on how to create and use a report object loop.

----------------------------------------------
Tech Tip: Loop Thru All Objects in a Report
---------------------------------------------

A ReportBuilder report is composed of a set
of components. The basic structure is

Reports.Bands[].Objects[]

The bands and objects within the report can
be accessed directly by object name or
via the Bands and Objects array properties.

Below is an example of using the Bands and
Objects array properties to change the font for
all objects on a report.


uses
ppClass;


procedure AssignFontToReport(aFont: TFont; aReport: TppCustomReport);
var
liBand: Integer;
liObject: Integer;
lObject: TppComponent;

begin

for liBand := 0 to aReport.BandCount-1 do

for liObject := 0 to aReport.Bands[liBand].ObjectCount-1 do
begin
lObject := aReport.Bands[liBand].Objects[liObject];

if lObject.HasFont then
lObject.Font := aFont;

end;

end;

--

rbuser

Hi

(whether
.rtm
global
custom
in
your

thats nice...

change
through
the

ok, that's "quite" the same in Fastreport. Our Main Problem is that our
customers vastly change more than the layout. They add their logo, some
legal texts and thats it. Everytime we change main things (add new fields,
etc.) they have to go through all reports and append the same changes they
did on the first run by hand which can take a little time.
The extraction of the changes and the applying shouldn't be any problem
though, just wanted to ask if there is an easy way (aka Rave Global Pages).

regards,
Magnus Jungsbluth