Progress
Report Builder
User’s Guide


Band Type

The first way bands affect data presentation is by defining where the data appears on a report. The band type dictates where data appears on the report page. There are seven types of bands. Table 3–1 explains where and how often data placed in each band type appears in a report.

Table 3–1: Effects of Band Choice on Data Presentation 
Band
Location and Frequency in Report Output
Title
Once per report at the beginning of the first page or on a separate title page.
Page header
At the top of each page.
Group header
Before each group of records. See "Sorting and Grouping Data," for more information about group headers.
Record
Once per record.
Group Footer
After each group of records. See "Sorting and Grouping Data," for more information about group headers.
Summary
Once per report at the end of the last report page or on a separate summary page.
Page footer
At the bottom of each page.

You can include as few or as many bands on the layout as the report requires. For example, you can create a report with only a record band, or you can include only page header, record, and page footer bands. Report Builder does not require you to use every band type in every report.

It is important to realize that the order in which the bands appear on the layout is not necessarily the order in which the data appears in a report. The band type, not the band’s placement on the report layout, controls where Report Builder displays or prints data in a report. Therefore, not being able to reorder the band types on the report layout does not mean that you cannot control where the data appears.

Figure 3–1 illustrates where the data from each band type appears in a generated report.

Figure 3–1: Band Type Placement on Report Page

Notice that although the summary band appears below the page footer band on the layout area, Report Builder displays the page footer information below the summary data on the final page of a report.

Report Builder identifies the band type on the report layout in the band area. The band area is the far left column of the window.

Figure 3–2 shows the layout for the report.

Figure 3–2: Report Layout Showing Bands

Notice that all bands are not the same size. This is because a band consists of one or more band lines. All the band lines within a band are the same type. For example, every band line within the title band is a title band line. In the band area, a dotted line separates band lines of the same type, and a solid line separates band lines of different types. The band type label applies not only to the band line where it appears, but also to all band lines below it separated by dotted lines.

Because the type of band line dictates how Report Builder presents the information, you cannot place fields so that they straddle band line boundaries. If you attempt to place a field so that it crosses a band line boundary, Report Builder moves the field so that it is fully within one of the band lines.


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