Two questions....

rbuser

Hello,

I'm starting to look at the demos, but most I cannot run because I don't
have a lot of the database files that it uses (I don't think I installed
them Delphi). Looking at the code helps a lot though.

First question deals with soliciting date ranges for a report. I saw
something in the help file (I foget off the top of my head what it's called)
which seems like a lot of work for only needing a starting and ending date.
I've basically used the Params property of an IBQuery component instead. Is
there an easy way to use what's built into the report?

Second question: I'm not quite understanding how the query information is
persisted with the template file. When it's loaded into a TppRepor, does it
populate the pipeline upwards with the query information? Or do I need to
set the query for the IBQuery component, then load the report template?

I like the idea of storing the template outside the exe to reduce exe size,
but am a little confused at this point.

Thanks,

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

digitalmetaphors

The first thing I would do is run the Delphi installation program and
install the Delphi example files. Almost all of the demos are based on these
files...

In dealing with the data access components the first question is: Are you
using the Data workspace? (the 'Data' tab displayed in the Report Designer)
If so, then defining date range search criteria is simply a matter of
setting these up via the Query Designer.

If you are not using the Data workspace, then you are probably placing data
access components on a Delphi form or data module. This is fine, but in this
case, the data access components are saved with the data module or form.
Saving the report in a separate file is possible, but it doesn't do much for
you, because the data and the report are effectively saved in two different
places. In order to load the report and get it running again, you have to
first instantiate the form or data module containing the data access
components, create a report component inside one of these and then call
LoadFromFile:

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
var
lDataModule: TDataModule;
begin

{create an instance of the data module which has the data access
components}
lDataModule := TDataModule1.Create(Self);

{create a report component with the data module as the owner (very
important)}
lReport := TppReport.Create(lDataModule);

lReport.Template.FileName := 'c:\my reports\reportdef.rtm';

lReport.Template.LoadFromFile;

lReport.ModalPreview := True;

lReport.Print;

lDataModule.Free;
end;

Because the data module and the report definition are acting here as a
matched pair, there is little utility gained in separating them. This why
many developers use the Data workspace to define the data, it makes the
report definition far more portable.

On the other hand, if you have well-organized reusable data modules, it may
be practical to instantiate the one needed for a given report, so both
approaches can work...

Cheers,

--
-
--
Tom Ollar
Digital Metaphors Corporation

For more on this topic see the 'Deployment Options' section of the
Developer's Guide.

rbuser

Ok,

So if I use the Data Workspace, do I still need to use the IBQuery,
DataSource, Pipline components?, or do they get ixna'd?

Thanks for you help,

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

rbuser

I tried using the Data Workspance. I created a query (pasted one from
IBQuery), changed all fields to use it and now when I preveiw the report it
doesn't do anything. At least, it looks like it doesn't do anything. If I
cancel after a while, it looks like it rendered a little bit, that that it.

Any ideas?

Thank you,

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

rbuser

I set the the data properties in Data Work space for IB, BTW.

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

rbuser

Da,

I needed to reset the Report | Data... setting.


Thanks,

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

rbuser

I get a nasty error in RTL60.bpl now when I try to save my project.

Lee


--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

rbuser

Ok,

Here is what I have now:

As I mentioned, I swaped out the pipline for a query designed in the Data
Workspace. I couldn't save because everytime I tried I got an AV in
RTL60.bpl. So I saved the project to a file in the report designer and
close the project without saving it.

Now, I re-open the project, delete the original ppReport comp from the form
and put a new one on it. I open the designer and load the previously saved
report from file. Now, when I try to preview the report, I get a login
prompt (which is set to false in the IBDatabase comp). So I look in the
data properties and the IBDatabase comp doesn't show up any longer. When I
drop down the combo, there is nothing to choose from. So I open the
database containing the IBDatabase comp and check to see if connected =
true. It is. So I re-open the designer, go to data tab and check the data
properties where I see that the IBDatabase Component is now showing. Now, I
can preview the report (last page takes so long to render that I have to hit
cancel).

When I try to save the project now, I still get AV in RTL60 error message
and back to square one.

Any ideas?

Lee




--


Didn't we go to different schools together?

digitalmetaphors

To use DADE, you will want look at our EndUser example projects.
Essentially, the dataaccess components you used to have on a form, are now
created entirely in the data workspace as a single Dataview.

If you are getting an error in RTL60.bpl, then try using the report designer
at runtime. I get this error every now and then, but it is never
consistently repeatable on our machines here. I suspect is has to do with
editing of the SQL text. We'll have to do some more tests with IB at Delphi
design time.

The database settings are stored in the C:\Windows\RBuilder.ini file. So,
you'll want to make changes to the settings (so they are correct) in the
data workspace before you create a query in the data workspace.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors