Progress
Report Builder
User’s Guide
Creating Report Definitions
To assist you in creating report definitions, Report Builder provides the Instant Layout option. The Instant Layout option creates a basic, usable report layout on which to define your report definition. The Instant Layout option allows you to specify the fields to include in the report, then automatically formats them on the report layout. It also provides a layout with five different types of band lines and some useful fields.
Figure 2–1 illustrates a report layout generated with the Instant Layout option.
Figure 2–1: Layout Produced by Instant Layout Option
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This report layout shows the Name, Address, Address2, and Balance fields from the Customer table in the Newsport database. Notice that the layout includes more fields than the four chosen from the Customer table. The Instant Layout option automatically includes Report Builder calculated fields, text fields, and an aggregate field. The calculated fields display the date (Date_rb), time (Time_rb), number of records printed (Recno_rb), and page number (Page_rb). The text fields display the master table name and identify the database and calculated fields. Lastly, the aggregate field (GrSum1) computes and displays the total for the Balance field.
Report Builder prompts you to use the Instant Layout option when you create a new report definition. You can also invoke it from the Report menu after you have started creating a report definition. However, if you use the Instant Layout option after you have started creating the layout, Report Builder replaces the layout you created with the one generated by the Instant Layout option.
Although the Instant Layout option can be very useful, you might want to start creating the report definition with the default (blank) report layout. If you use the default layout, the Report Builder provides a layout that includes only one blank record band line.
Follow these steps to create a report definition:
- Connect to the database(s) that will be used for the report.
- Choose Report
Database Connections. If you have no database connected yet, the Connect Database dialog box appears:
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Enter the full path of the first database you want to connect in the Physical Name field, then choose OK. The Database Connections dialog box appears:
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The Database Connections dialog box lists all the databases to which you are connected. In this example, the only connected database is the Progress Newsport database.
- Choose New Connection to connect to an additional database. Choose Close when you have connected to all the databases you need.
- Choose Report
New. The Database Tables dialog box appears:
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- Select a table to serve as the initial source of data, or master table, for the report, then choose OK. Unless you have changed the setting in Options
Preferences (see "Layout Manipulation"), you will be prompted about the Instant Layout option:
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- If you choose to use Instant Layout, this dialog box will appear:
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Specify the fields to use in the report using the Add and Remove buttons, then choose OK. Report Builder displays the fields on the layout in the order they appear in the Selected Fields list. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to change the order in the Selected Fields list. This example shows the fields in the Customer table of the Newsport database.
When you have finished with this dialog box, your report is fully defined.
- If you choose not to use Instant Layout, you will begin with a single record band line.
You can develop the report definition by specifying how to access and order the data, defining new fields, and designing the report layout. This guide provides instructions on how to perform each of these tasks.
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