New to End-User Reporting

rbuser

Hi,

I currently have ReportBuilder v7.04 and am looking at upgrading to
ReportBuilder v9 for some of the extra features it offers. eg. Page
Breaking.

I am also highly interested in the end-user functionality, I have
reports at present stored in DLL's so that my end user's can just pick
up the report they want and run with it but this is becoming
increasingly demanding on me as they always want slight text changes
and are wanting more detail added to their report. Future reports don't
have to be stored in DLL this is just so I didn't have to replace the
actual program exe each time they wanted a new/changed report.

I need a way to basically let them have a screen where they can drag in
a subreport that is pre made for certain types of Data and are able to
make changes to say fonts and move labels around on the report and the
subreport.

Each client has a layout that is unique to them but the sub reports are
usually the same.
Eg. Client 1 want a new report with their layout but including sub
reports for subreport datatype A and subreport Datatype B but client 2
want a report in their layout with subreport datatype B and subeport
Datatype C. These reports are quite complex and sometimes have up to 6
or so different Datatype subreports.

I have looked at the Load Sub report option, but I do a lot of
OnGetText procedures and such in these subreports so I don't know if
that will work for me. I also do a lot of positioning of shapes to
indicate a level on a scale, as well as calculations that are both
based in the OnGroupHeader/DetailPrint.

Basically to summerise I am asking if the following is possible and
how.. and what version of RB 9 I would need to accomplish this?

- Drag drop of subreport templates that include code such as OnGetText
- End-Users to be able to change things such as label positions and
fonts on the subreport templates as well as their own unique template.
- Be able to manage these Edited subreports and maybe create new
subreports based off other subreports.


Thanks in Advance if you require any more information please let me
know.

- Paul

nicocizik

Hi Paul,

I apoligize for the delay in this response.

Unfortunately there is no way to have your users drag a pre-made subreports
onto an existing report. One option might be to give your users an initial
dialog that allows them to add or remove pre-made subreports to a listbox
perhaps. Then based on the information added to the listbox, you could
manually create the subreports and load the proper template into each of
them before the report designer is loaded. I can give you an example of
manually loading templates into subreports if you decided to take this
route.

I suggest downloading a trial version of ReportBuilder 9.03 Enterprise.
Then take a look at the demo end-user application located in the
\RBuilder\Demos\3. End User\1. Report Explorer\... directory. This gives
you a complete example of what the end-user solution in RB is capable of.

--
Regards,

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