integrating user reports with existing app

rbuser

I have a Delphi app that is quite complicated but ends up creating a record
used to generate a print of labels. Currently the app has a very old label
creation program that I would like to replace with RP end-user reporting.
If I knew each report layout now I would define them and build them into the
app as I do with most reporting requirments, but this is a company who
constatly need to modify labels for their customers needs.
I can see how the end user would design a new variation on the label using
the report designer tool, but how can this report be accessed by the
application?
I am sure there is a simple tutorial somewhere, can you point me to it?

kind regards

John Evans

nardmoseley

- one option is to the RB ReportExplorer to store the report definitions in
a database (rbFolder and rbItems tables). This approach is shown in the
examples and tutorials installed with the product. Check out
RBuilder\Demos\EndUser\ReportExplorer for an example. The advantage of this
approach is that there is one central repository for storing the report
definitions. To programmatically load the report definitions stored in the
rbItems table, see the tech tip below (the tech tip is also available on
Templates thread of the tech tips newsgroup).

- the other option is to /not/ use the ReportExplorer. The ReportDesigner
can be used to save/load reports to .rtm files (just was you do with
applications such as MS Word).



---------------------------------------------------------------
Tech Tip: How to Programmatically Load Reports that were Saved
using the Report Explorer
---------------------------------------------------------------

1. The ReportExplorer has a run-time interface you can use to load reports
using the ReportExplorer.LoadReport method. You can use this method without
actually 'showing' the report explorer form. (See the online help topic for
TppReportExplorer.)

2. If you want use Report.Template.LoadFromDatabase, RB will locate the
report stored in the database table based upon the NameField value only.
However, for the rb_item table you need Folder_Id, Name to locate a record
uniquely.

To override this default behavior, assign an event-handler to the
Report.Template.OnLocateRecord event.

example:

TmyForm = class(TForm)
private
function ReportLocateRecordEvent(Sender: TObject; const aReportName:
String): Boolean;

end;

procedure TmyForm.FormCreate(Sender, TObject);
begin
{assign the event handler}
FReport.Template.OnLocateRecord := ReportLocateRecordEvent;

end;


function TmyForm.ReportLocateRecordEvent(Sender: TObject; const aReportName:
String): Boolean;
begin
{add logic here to locate the record and return True if it is found}

Result := myLocateReportFunction(FFolderid, aReportname);

end;








--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Dear Nard,
thanks for the below.

I am going the route of storing the reports in the database and then using
loadfromDB to get them again.

I have created a function as you suggested to find the report in rbItem

function TfrmCust.ReportLocateRecordEvent(Sender: TObject; const
aReportName:String): Boolean;
begin
result:=false;
datamod.qrbitem.Open;
{add logic here to locate the record and return True if it is found}
if datamod.qrbitem.Locate('folderid;itemname', vararrayof([1, 'bar
code']),[])
then
begin
showmessage('found it');
Result :=true;
end;
end;

I have a empty report component on a form, ppreport2

I also added the event to the form.Create

ppReport2.Template.OnLocateRecord := ReportLocateRecordEvent;


I press a button and execute

if ReportLocateRecordEvent(sender,'bar code') then
ppreport2.Template.LoadFromDatabase;


The showmessage appears, so I have found the record OK, however the
loadfromdatabase returns the error
Etemplateloaderror 'Record not found: '

Which bit am I missing/mis-understanding.

kind regards

John

nardmoseley

I think you misunderstand.

- At Delphi design-time configure the Report.Template.DatabaseSettings to
bind to the rbItem DataSet via a DBPipeline. You do this by specifying the
Report.TemplateDataSettings properties for DataPipeline, NameField and
TemplateField properties.

- At run-time assign the event-handler in the Form Create (as you showed in
your sample)

myReport.Template.OnLocateRecord := ReportLocateRecordEvent;

- At run-time specify the Name of the report that you want to load

myReport.Template.DatabaseSettings.Name := 'bar code'; // or whatever the
name

- and finally load the report

myReport.Template.LoadFromDatabase

- Now, the event-handler will fire. (In your example you called the
event-handler).



--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Dear Nard,
SUCCESS!!

many thanks

John