Auto Search in Homegrown Viewer Form

rbuser

We have an application form that lists all the templates from the database
(rbItems) and from the file system (*.rtm files). When the user selects a
template from either list, we display the report in a ppViewer component,
which has been placed on a form to allow users to preview and print a report
(no report designer interaction).

Given that the report "auto search smarts" are embedded in the template, is
it possible to
integrate an auto-search into the above mentioned homegrown preview form?

We want to replicate a similar behavior to pressing the Search button on the
Preview tab in the Report Designer ... in our homegrown solution we want to
display the AutoSearch dialog when the user selects a toolbar button ...
then apply the AutoSearch rules to the Report when the user closes the
AutoSearch dialog (ModalResult = MROK).

Thanks, Patrick

nardmoseley

Patrick,

You posted this question in a prior thread on Friday. Please give us the
opportunity to reply to the question, before giving up and starting a new
thread.

1. You might consider using the standard ReportExplorer included with RB. It
provides the ability for the users to browse the reports and preview/print
etc. You can use the ReportExplore FolderOptions and ItemOptions to control
whether the user can create/modify reports. The ReportExplorer also stores
the reports to a database, when can be a good way to keep everything
organized.

2. For your custom solution, consider using the TppPreview class rather than
TppViewer. The TppPreview class is a non-visual class used by the RB preview
form and the report designer. TppPreview internally creates and manages the
UI controls associated with the preview. These controls include the toolbar,
viewer, outline, text search, and autosearch. For an example, see
RBuilder\Source\ppPrvDlg.pas.

For your custom solution you can place the a Panel on the Form and then pass
the panel to the TppPreview constructor.

3. If you don't want to do either of the options above, then you can just
use button and call Viewer.DisplayAutoSearchDialog from the OnClick

If you want to take more control than that, then check out the source code
to the Viewer.DisplayAutoSearchDialog method. And also the source to
TppPreview. I think the source to those classes might help you implement
features for your custom solution


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

rbuser

Nard,

Sorry ... and thanks. We expose the ReportExplorer in the application, but
the homegrown Viewer form gives our users the flexibility to see reports
that are stored in the database (report explorer) as well as templates
stored on the file system ... kind of a one stop shop for report previewing
and printing.

With some experimenting, I've gotten the AutoSearch dialog to appear by
calling the ppReport.DisplayAutoSearchDialog when the user clicks the
toolbar button ... this is good.

When the AutoSearch dialog closes, the new criteria (ex: Date range) does
not take effect in the Viewer until I change the current page (navigator
arrow buttons on the toolbar).

So it looks like I've got the basics of what I need, however, I can't find a
way to "refresh" the report when the AutoSearch dialog closes that would
force the new criteria without using the navigation buttons to change report
pages.

Does this make sense?

Once again, thanks... Patrick

rbuser

Nard,

Once again, thanks for your help. We are juggling Delphi, DevEx and RB all
at the same time and trying to meet a deliverable date (what's new, right?).

I think I found my answer. In the ppReportAutoSearchDialogClose Event, I
use

ppViewer.Report.PrintToDevices;

which takes care of the "refresh after auto search" issue. Do you think
this is an appropriate solution?

Patrick

nardmoseley

In my last post I recommended calling Viewer.DisplayAutoSearchDialog. That
takes care of regenerating the report.

Check out the Viewer source code, if you wanted to implement that feature in
some custom code.


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