Progress
Report Builder
Tutorial


Changing the Report Header Information

By default, Report Builder displays the master table name and the date and time you print or display the report. Now you will change the following characteristics to reflect the report contents:

Title Text

Follow these steps to change the title’s contents and then reformat it:

  1. Select the table name on the first title band line.
  2. Choose Properties Edit In–Place.
  3. Change the title to “Customer Address List,” then press ENTER. The text field remains highlighted.
  4. Change the point size to 14 and make the text bold using the format bar options.
  5. Select the first title band line by selecting the band line indicator in the far-left column of the window.
  6. Choose Properties Band Line Justify. The Band Line Justify dialog box appears:
  7. Choose Center, then choose OK. Report Builder centers the title on the first band line.

The layout in Figure 4–5 shows the new position and font size of the report title.

Figure 4–5: Layout with the Title Centered

Print Information

It is useful to know exactly when a report was generated. To make this information a little more readable, change the Printed text field.

Follow these steps to change the print information:

  1. Position the cursor between the date and time fields.
  2. Type at: , then press RETURN. Be sure to enter two blank spaces before and after the word “at:”. The second title band line now reads “Printed: 99/99/99   at:   xxxx”. If any fields overlap, move them so that they are all clearly visible.
  3. Select the last three fields on the second title band line.
  4. Choose Properties Merge Left. The Merge Left dialog box appears:
  5. Choose Print at End of Previous Field, then choose OK to return to the report layout. If you specify to print a field at the end of the previous field, when you generate the report, Report Builder displays the print information fields with no extra spaces between them, regardless of how much space is between the fields on the report layout.
  6. Choose Properties Band Line Justify. The Band Line Justify dialog box appears.
  7. Choose Center, then choose OK. Report Builder centers the print information on the second band line.

When you look at the layout shown in Figure 4–6, notice that although the fields on the second band line are now centered, they do not appear any closer together than they did before you specified the Merge Left option. This is because Report Builder moves the fields only when it displays or prints them.

Figure 4–6: Layout with Merged Left Fields


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