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CUSTOMIZING REPORTS

AccuSQL/AccuTrack gives you the ability to customize reports to fit your needs. To customize a report, click on the Customize icon button:

AccuSQL/AccuTrack will ask you to give a name for the customized report:

AccuSQL/AccuTrack will also ask you whether the customized report should be available to all users or only you:

You can also enter a tooltip for the customized report if you like:

AccuSQL/AccuTrack will now open the selected report with the Visual FoxPro Report Designer. If you used a report writer before, you will probably figure out a lot of the functionality on your own. The notes below will explain the main things you can do with the Report Designer.

USING THE REPORT DESIGNER

Report Bands

The report may consist of several bands:

  1. Title Band: This contains the report’s title.
  2. Page Header Band: This contains fields that appear at the top of the page.
  3. Group Header Band: This contains fields that are printed at the top of the group (e.g. student, tutor, etc.)
  4. Detail Band: This contains items that repeat in the report (e.g. attendance records)
  5. Group Footer Band: Contains fields that will be printed under the group.
  6. Page Footer Band: This contains fields that appear at the bottom of each page.
  7. Summary Band: This contains fields that appear at the bottom of the report.
You can increase or decrease the height of each band by dragging it up or down. You can also double click on a band to see its properties.

Changing the Report

Here are some of the things you can change in a report:

  1. Change objects positions: You can move objects around within the band by using the mouse. Be careful though as changing the object’s band would probably mess up the report.
  2. Change the font of any field. You can change the font, font size, font style, color, and effects.
  3. Change labels: You can change the text of any label.
  4. Delete objects: If you do not need a field, you can delete it. However, be careful not to delete a needed field as that would mess up the report.
  5. Add text labels, lines, and rectangles: You can add these objects to any band you like.
  6. Align objects: You can select two or more objects and change their alignments.
  7. Change the page setup: you can select portrait or landscape.
  8. Start a group on a new page: For example, if you are editing the Attendance by Instructor report, you can start each instructor on a new page.
To delete a field, click on it and click on the “Delete” key.

Report Designer Controls:

(1) Report Designer Toolbar:

Use this toolbar to launch other Report Designer toolbars:

Button Function
Launches the Data Grouping Form.
Launches the Data Environment. (Unused)
Launches the Report Controls Toolbar.
Launches the Color Palette Toolbar.
Launches the Layout Toolbar
Launches the Font Properties Form
Launches the Data Grouping Form.

(2) Report Controls Toolbar

Use this toolbar to select or add objects to the report:

Button Function
Select Objects
Label
Line
Rectangle
Rounded Rectangle
Picture

(3) Color Palette Toolbar

Use the Color Palette to select colors for the text or other report objects.

(4) Layout Toolbar

Use this toolbar to align report objects via the following buttons:

Button Function
Align Left Sides
Align Right Sides
Align Top Edges
Align Bottom Edges
Align Vertical Centers
Align Horizontal Centers
Same Width
Same Height
Same Size
Center Horizontally
Center Vertically
Bring to Front
Send to Back
To select more than one object for alignment, click on the first object and this press and hold the shift key down while you click on the other objects.

(5) Font Properties Form:

Customizing Reports - Text Properties Form

Use this form to set text properties.

(6) Page Setup Form

Use this form to change the report’s layout from portrait to landscape.

Common Customizations with the Report Designer

  1. Making a group start on a new page
    1. Click on the Data Grouping icon.
    2. Select the group of interest from the list box by clicking on it.
    3. Change the “Group Starts On” from “new line” to “new page”.
    4. Click “OK”.
  2. Changing the Logo on a Report.

Use the picture control from the toolbar and browse to select the image file. If you like, you can also delete the original picture controls on the report header.

MANAGING CUSTOMIZED REPORTS

Previewing the Report

To preview the report, click on a blank area of the report with the RIGHT mouse button. You will see a menu pop up. Select “Print Preview”:

Saving Changes

When finished editing, simply close the Report Designer (click the X at the top right of the screen). AccuSQL/AccuTrack will ask you whether you want to keep the changes. Answer “Yes”.

Deleting a Customized Report

To delete a customized report, click on it with the RIGHT mouse button in the customized reports node and click on “Remove this”

For step by step examples of creating custom reports, please see Appendix B: Custom Report Examples at the end of this document.

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