Adding Blocks to XML Documents

  1. In the Explorer Tree, locate the object to which you wish to add a block.  

  1. There are options in adding a block to the XML document at this point.

  1. The Adding New Block screen will be displayed.

  2. In the Create block similar to pop-list, if you wish to create the block based on an existing block on the XML document, select the desired block here.  Otherwise, select (none).  This option is only available if you are adding the block to an entity and not another block.

  3. In the Block Name property, enter the name of the new block that you are adding to the XML document.

  4. In the Block Type property, select the type of block that you are creating.  Choices are Standard Block, Executable XML, and Parameter Form.

  5. The choices displayed are dependent on the Block Type selected.

Standard Block and Executable XML
  1. In the Query Type property, select the type of query for the XML document block.  Choices are:

  1. In the Datasource property, select the desired datasource or (use default).  

    Selecting (use default) will allow the block to be used with any datasource, and data brought in will be determined by the report's or template's datasource.

    If Xephr Service was selected, this pop-list will only list the datasources that provide Xephr services.
    If Xephr Interconnect was selected, this pop-list will only list the Xephr Interconnect datasources.

  2. If Simple Query was selected, in the Table pop-list, select the database table/view on which to base the block.

  3. If Xephr Service was selected, in the Table pop-list, select the Xephr Service method on which to base the block.  Choices are determined by the datasource selected.

  4. If Xephr Interconnect was selected, in the Interconnect Entity pop-list, select the published entity on which to base the block.  Choices are determined by the published entities on the datasource selected.

  5. Set the Create Heading flag to determine if a heading will be created for this block.  When this checkbox is set to on, an additional non-database label field is created in which the heading can be entered for the block.

  6. If Xephr Interconnect was selected, in the Target Login property, enter the user ID that will be used to access the published entity.

  7. If Xephr Interconnect was selected, in the Target Password property, enter the password that will be used to access the published entity.

  8. Click on the Next button in the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  9. The information displayed next is dependent on the setting of the Query Type property.

Not From Query
  1. Since none of the fields will be created from the database, the Adding New Labels screen will be displayed.

  2. To add a new label, click on the Add button.

  3. In the field that appears under the Fields section, enter the name of the Label and press the Enter key on your keyboard.

  4. Repeat until you have entered all desired labels.

  5. To delete a label that you have created, click on the desired label and press the Delete button.

  6. When all desired labels have been entered, click on the Next button on the bottom right of the screen.

  7. The labels will be added to the block.  

  8. At this point a new screen is displayed.  If you wish to add another block, set the Add Block or Labels flag to on and press the Next button.  

  1. Otherwise, press the Finish button in the bottom right of the screen.

Simple Query
  1. A list of the columns in the selected table will be displayed.

  2. Set the Key Required flag to the desired setting.  This flag defaults to on, which indicates that at least one column that is selected must have the Key flag set to on.  The Next button cannot be pressed until the key column is selected or this flag is set to off.

  3. For each column, indicate whether the column is a primary key for the view by setting the Key flag to on or off.  

    To set the Key flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Key column header.

  4. For each column, indicate whether the column will be included as a field on this block by setting the Field flag to on or off.
     

  5. To set the Field flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Field column header.

  6. In the Filters property, enter the filters used to restrict the information returned by the select statement for the block, if appropriate.  This is also referred to as the where clause.  The statement begins with the word WHERE.  

    Format: WHERE column (comparison) value AND column (comparison) value
    For example: WHERE qty_on_hand > 0 AND stock_um in ('FT','IN')

  7. In the Ordering and Grouping property, enter any code to be executed after the filters, such as the order by or group by.

    Format: ORDER BY column, column, column
    Format: GROUP BY column, column, column
    For example: ORDER BY description, stock_um, qty_on_hand desc

  8. Click on the Next button in the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  9. The next step is to set up the order of the columns for the block. Using the Move Up and Move Down buttons, arrange the columns to be in the order that you wish them to be displayed on the block.

  10. Press the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  11. The next step is to create additional joins if there are multiple blocks on the entity.  If you wish to create joins, set the Create Join flag to on.

    Additional properties will be displayed to allow you to define the joining column.

    In the From Column property, select the column on the child block that will be joined to the parent block.

    In the To Block property, select the block that contains the column to which the from column will be joined.

    In the To Column property, select the column to which you are joining the from column.

    The join will be added to the block when the block is created.  Joins are created as equal joins automatically.

    For more information on joins, see the Joining Data on Blocks section.

  12. Click on the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  13. At this point a new screen is displayed.  If you wish to add another block, set the Add Block or Labels flag to on and press the Next button.  

  1. Otherwise, press the Finish button in the bottom right of the screen.

Complex Query
  1. In the Select Statement property, enter the select statement for your database query, beginning with the word SELECT.  The select statement lists the columns in the table or view from which the data will be returned.  

    All columns selected from the database need to be explicitly named.

    Format: SELECT column, column, column, column FROM view
    For example: SELECT item_no, description, stock_um, qty_on_hand FROM item_master_uvw

  2. In the Filters property, enter the filters used to restrict the information returned by the select statement for the block, if appropriate.  This is also referred to as the where clause.  The statement begins with the word WHERE.  

    Format: WHERE column (comparison) value AND column (comparison) value
    For example: WHERE qty_on_hand > 0 AND stock_um in ('FT','IN')

  3. In the Ordering and Grouping property, enter any code to be executed after the filters, such as the order by or group by.

    Format: ORDER BY column, column, column
    Format: GROUP BY column, column, column
    For example: ORDER BY description, stock_um, qty_on_hand desc

  4. Click on the Next button in the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  5. A list of the columns in the selected table will be displayed.

  6. Set the Key Required flag to the desired setting.  This flag defaults to on, which indicates that at least one column that is selected must have the Key flag set to on.  The Next button cannot be pressed until the key column is selected or this flag is set to off.

  7. For each column, indicate whether the column is a primary key for the view by setting the Key flag to on or off.  

    To set the Key flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Key column header.

  8. For each column, indicate whether the column will be included as a field on this block by setting the Field flag to on or off.

    To set the Field flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Field column header.

  9. Click on the Next button in the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  10. The next step is to set up the order of the columns for the block. Using the Move Up and Move Down buttons, arrange the columns to be in the order that you wish them to be displayed on the block.

  11. Press the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  12. The next step is to create additional joins if there are multiple blocks on the entity.  If you wish to create joins, set the Create Join flag to on.

    Additional properties will be displayed to allow you to define the joining column.

    In the From Column property, select the column on the child block that will be joined to the parent block.

    In the To Block property, select the block that contains the column to which the from column will be joined.

    In the To Column property, select the column to which you are joining the from column.

    The join will be added to the block when the block is created.  Joins are created as equal joins automatically.

    For more information on joins, see the Joining Data on Blocks section.

  13. Click on the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  14. At this point a new screen is displayed.  If you wish to add another block, set the Add Block or Labels flag to on and press the Next button.  

  1. Otherwise, press the Finish button in the bottom right of the screen.

Xephr Service
  1. A list of the columns for the selected Xephr method will be displayed.

  2. For each column, indicate whether the column is a primary key for the view by setting the Key flag to on or off.  

    To set the Key flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Key column header.

  3. For each column, indicate whether the column will be included as a field on this block by setting the Field flag to on or off.

    To set the Field flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Field column header.

  4. For each column, indicate whether a label should be created for the field on this block by setting the Label flag to on or off.

    To set the Label flag for all displayed columns, left click once on the gray Label column header.

    You cannot set the Label flag to on unless the Field flag is also set to on for that column.

  5. Press the Next button at the bottom of the screen.

  6. The next step is to set up the order of the columns for the block. Using the Move Up and Move Down buttons, arrange the columns to be in the order that you wish them to be displayed on the block.

  7. Press the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  8. The next step is to create additional joins if there are multiple blocks on the entity.  If you wish to create joins, set the Create Join flag to on.

    Additional properties will be displayed to allow you to define the joining column.

    In the From Column property, select the column on the child block that will be joined to the parent block.

    In the To Block property, select the block that contains the column to which the from column will be joined.

    In the To Column property, select the column to which you are joining the from column.

    The join will be added to the block when the block is created.  Joins are created as equal joins automatically.

    For more information on joins, see the Joining Data on Blocks section.

  9. Click on the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  10. At this point a new screen is displayed.  If you wish to add another block, set the Add Block or Labels flag to on and press the Next button.  

  1. Otherwise, press the Finish button in the bottom right of the screen.

Xephr Interconnect
  1. A list of the columns in the selected published entity will be displayed.

  2. For each column, indicate whether the column is a primary key for the view by setting the Key flag to on or off.  

    To set the Key flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Key column header.

  3. For each column, indicate whether the column will be included as a field on this block by setting the Field flag to on or off.
     

  4. To set the Field flag for all displayed columns, left-click once on the gray Field column header.

  5. Click on the Next button in the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  6. The next step is to set up the order of the columns for the block. Using the Move Up and Move Down buttons, arrange the columns to be in the order that you wish them to be displayed on the block.

  7. Press the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  8. The next step is to create additional joins if there are multiple blocks on the entity.  If you wish to create joins, set the Create Join flag to on.

    Additional properties will be displayed to allow you to define the joining column.

    In the From Column property, select the column on the child block that will be joined to the parent block.

    In the To Block property, select the block that contains the column to which the from column will be joined.

    In the To Column property, select the column to which you are joining the from column.

    The join will be added to the block when the block is created.  Joins are created as equal joins automatically.

    For more information on joins, see the Joining Data on Blocks section.

  9. Click on the Next button at the bottom right of the screen to continue.

  10. At this point a new screen is displayed.  If you wish to add another block, set the Add Block or Labels flag to on and press the Next button.  

  1. Otherwise, press the Finish button in the bottom right of the screen.

Xephr is a registered trademark of NDS Systems, LC.

Copyright © 2007 NDS Systems LC.