Report Templates

Creating Report Templates

  1. In the Explorer Tree, select the Template Information object.

  2. There are options in creating a report template at this point.

  1. The Creating an Entity screen will be displayed.

  2. Select the Report entity type by left-clicking on the Report radio button.

  3. Click on the Next button on the bottom right of the screen.

  4. In the Entity Name field, enter the desired name for the report template.

  5. In the Datasource pop-list, select the desired datasource or (use default).  Selecting (use default) will allow the report template to be used with any datasource, and data brought in will be determined by the user's datasource.

  6. In the Based On pop-list, select the report template on which the new report template will be based.  Any blocks that are assigned to the report template will be attached to the new report when the report is saved.  Select (NONE) to create a report template that is not based on another template.

  7. In the Default Mode pop-list, select the view type that will be displayed by default for this report template.  Choices include Run Report and Parameter Form.

  8. In the Body Style pop-list, select the style that will be used as the body style for this report template.  

  9. In the Editable Field Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for editable fields for this report template.  

  10. In the Non-Editable Field Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for labels and display only fields for this report template.

  11. In the Link Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for hyperlinks for this report template.

  12. In the Paper Size pop-list, select the paper size for this report template.  Paper sizes are defined within the Paper Size object in the Explorer Tree.

  13. The Orientation pop-list displays the orientation of the report template, based on the template for the report template.  It can only be changed if you are creating a report template that is not based on another report template.

  14. In the Document Security pop-list, select the security level for the pdf file for this report template.  Choices are:

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

  2. The Adding New Block screen will be displayed.

  3. See the Adding Blocks to Reports section for more information.

Modifying Report Templates

  1. In the Explorer Tree, expand the Template Information object and select the template report that you wish to modify.

  2. The properties for the new report template will be displayed.  These will either be displayed in Alphabetical or Logically, depending on the setting of the [Sort Alphabetically/Logically] button.  The following instructions are assuming that the properties are sorted logically.

  3. In the Name property, the name that you entered when creating the report template will be displayed.  It can be changed, if desired.

  4. In the Description property, enter a user-defined description for this report template.  The default is the template type followed by the name. (i.e. Report:TEMPLATE).

  5. In the Title property, enter the title for the report template.  This is the name of the report that will be displayed in the title bar of the report output.  The entry here will be the default for reports created from this template.

  6. In the Datasource pop-list, the datasource that you selected when creating the report will be displayed.  It can be changed, if desired.

  1. In the Allow Anonymous pop-list, select true if anonymous users should have access to this report.  Select false if anonymous users should not have access to this report.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  2. The Inherits From pop-list displays the template from which this report template was created, grayed out.  This value cannot be changed.  

  3. In the Default Mode pop-list, select the view type that will be displayed by default for this report template.  Choices include Run Report and Parameter Form.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  4. In the Body Style pop-list, select the style that will be used as the body style for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.  

  5. In the Editable Field Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for editable fields for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  6. In the Non-Editable Field Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for label and display only fields for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  7. In the Link Style pop-list, select the style that will be used for hyperlinks for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  8. In the Reports Layout Measurements In pop-list, select the measurement units for this report template.  Choices are Inches, Millimeters, or Points. This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  9. In the Paper Size pop-list, select the paper size for this report template.  Paper sizes are defined within the Paper Size object in the Explorer Tree.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  10. In the Orientation pop-list, select the orientation of the report template.  Choices are Portrait or Landscape.  This property can only be changed if you are creating a report template that is not based on another report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  11. In the Secure Document pop-list, select the security level for the pdf file for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.  Choices are:

  1. In the Parameter Screen Width property, enter the width in the report template's defined measurement units for the parameter form created for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  2. In the Parameter Screen Height field, enter the height in the report template's defined measurement units for the parameter form created for this report template.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  3. In the User Password property, enter the password necessary for the pdf file to be opened.  If no entry is made, then no password is necessary to view the pdf file.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  4. In the Owner Password property, enter the password necessary to obtain full access to the pdf file.  If no entry is made, a random password will be used to generate the pdf file.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption.  Full access means that the owner's abilities are not restricted by the settings of the Allow flags described below.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  5. Set the Allow Print pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, the pdf file can be printed exactly by the user.  When set to false, the pdf file cannot be printed exactly by the user.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  6. Set the Allow Degraded Print pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, the pdf file can be printed in degraded mode (i.e. as an image) by the user.  When set to false, the pdf file cannot be printed in degraded mode (i.e. as an image) by the user.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  7. Set the Allow Annotation pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, the pdf file can be annotated by the user.  When set to false, the pdf file cannot be annotated by the user.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  8. Set the Allow Copy pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, the pdf file supports the Copy function (Ctrl+C) from within the pdf file.  When set to false, the pdf file does not support the Copy function.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  9. Set the Allow Readers pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, Accessibility Readers can be used to view the pdf file.  When set to false, Accessibility Readers cannot be used to view the pdf file.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  10. Set the Allow Assembly pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, the pdf file can be assembled by the user (insert/delete/rotate pages, make bookmarks, thumbnails, etc).  When set to false, the pdf file cannot be assembled by the user.  This property is only available for report templates with the Secure Documents property set to Standard Encryption or Strong Encryption, and only applies to the user setting.  The user setting is when the user password has been entered to open the pdf.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  11. In the Left Margin property, enter the size of the left margin in the defined measurement unit for this report template.  For instance, if the Reports Layout Measurements In pop-list was set to Inches, this value would be the left margin in inches.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  12. In the Right Margin property, enter the size of the right margin in the defined measurement unit for this report template.  For instance, if the Reports Layout Measurements In pop-list was set to Inches, this value would be the right margin in inches.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  13. In the Top Margin property, enter the size of the top margin in the defined measurement unit for this report template.  For instance, if the Reports Layout Measurements In pop-list was set to Inches, this value would be the top margin in inches.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  14. In the Bottom Margin property, enter the size of the bottom margin in the defined measurement unit for this report template.  For instance, if the Reports Layout Measurements In pop-list was set to Inches, this value would be the bottom margin in inches.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  15. Set the Suppress Duplicate Totals pop-list to the desired setting.  When set to true, if the report has an automatic totalling block, and multiple totals are defined for the automatic totalling block, if all of the totals are the same, all but the last total will be suppressed.  For example, if the automatic totalling block is for customer and item, and a customer has only ordered one item with a quantity of 10, instead of showing two totals, one for the item quantity of 10 and one for the customer with a quantity of 10, you will only see one total for the customer with a quantity of 10.  When set to false, duplicate totals will not be suppressed.  This is the default setting for reports created from this template.

  16. In the Results Disposition property, select Return to Caller, FTP, EMail, or Store as File.  

    When Return to Caller is selected the results to the query will be returned to the calling browser.  
    When FTP is selected, the results to the query are sent as a file to a defined FTP server.  Additional properties are displayed when FTP is selected.
    When EMail is selected, the results to the query are sent as a file to the defined email addresses.  Additional properties are displayed when EMail is selected.
    When Store as File is selected, the results to the query are sent as a file to the defined location.  Additional properties are displayed when Store as File is selected.

  17. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP Host property, enter the FTP host to which the file will be uploaded.

  18. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP User property, enter the FTP user name for logging into the FTP server.

  19. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP Password property, enter the FTP password for logging into the FTP Server.

  20. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP Binary property, select true or false.  When set to true, the file will be uploaded using binary transfer mode.  When set to false, the file will be uploaded using ASCII transfer mode.

  21. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP Directory property, enter the directory on the FTP server to which the file will be uploaded.

  22. If the Results Disposition property is set to FTP, in the FTP Passive property, select true or false.  When set to true, the file will be uploaded to the FTP server using passive mode.

  23. If the Results Disposition property is set to EMail, in the EMail From property, enter the email address that will be placed in the From field when the file is emailed.  Global variable references can be entered in this field.

  24. If the Results Disposition property is set to EMail, in the EMail Subject property, enter the subject line for the email that will contain the results.   Global variable references can be entered in this field.

  25. If the Results Disposition property is set to EMail, in the EMail Message property, enter the message for the email that will contain the results.   Global variable references can be entered in this field.

  26. If the Results Disposition property is set to EMail, in the EMail Query property, enter the query that will return the list of email addresses to which the email will be sent.   Global variable references can be entered in this field.

  27. If the Results Disposition property is set to Store to File, in the Target Filename property, enter the directory and file name for the file.

  28. The Created on property displays the date and time on which this report template was created and cannot be changed.

  29. The Modified on property displays the date and time on which this report template was last changed, and cannot be modified.

  30. Press the [Save] button in the Main Toolbar to save the changes.  

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