Table of Contents
The common elements in the Elixir Workspace are discussed in the Elixir Repertoire user manual, which shows how to add filesystems and files. This chapter will discuss the Elixir Report Designer features that build on the workspace.
Each FileSystem has a pop up menu. On selecting the Add -> Report Template, the "Report Wizard" appears as shown in Figure 2.1, “Add Report”. Enter the name of the Report Template in the text box and click the Next button. Alternatively, by clicking the New File button [icon] on top of the Elixir Repository panel you can select Report Template from the Add File dialog as shown in fig and click on the Finish button.
Choose a DataSource from the repository as shown in Figure 2.2, “Choose DataSource”. If the selected data source contains parameters that need to be propogated to the report then select "Propogate datasource parameters to report" check box. Otherwise you should provide values for any dynamic parameters here. For more information on the parameters and their propogation refer to Chapter 3, Report Structure and Invocation.
On the next screen, select the Report Type from the list of report types as shown in Figure 2.3, “Choose Report Type”.
There are wizard pages to guide you in creating three types of reports: Blank, Standard and Mobile.
On selecting the Blank Report and clicking the Finish button a blank report is added to the window. All report components must be added manually.
The three types of Standard Reports are Tabular, Mailing Labels and Columnar Report as shown in Figure 2.4, “Standard Reports”.
Tablular Report
If you want to add a report in the form of table then select the Tabular Report from the standard report types that are listed. Click the Next button.
The fields in the data source are listed so that you can choose the ones you want to add to the report. Here's an example of a tabular report generated with four columns:Figure 2.5, “Generated Tabular Report”.
You can now improve the report by adding colours, logos and additional information to meet your requirements.
Columnar Report
A Columnar Report allows elements to be grouped. The creation steps are similar to the creation of a Tabular Report, except in addition you need to specify the fields to be grouped, and optionally any sorting. You are provided with some choices for the report layout:
Stepped: Stepped layout is the default and the most commonly required layout for the majority of reports. In stepped layout the grouped fields are arranged in indented steps and the rest of the fields are arranged in sequence.
Block: A block report displays data that has been grouped or sorted in vertical columns.
Align Left: In this type of layout all the data are aligned to the left of the table. The grouped columns are displayed one below the other and the sorted columns are arranged vertically as in a table.
Outline: It is similar to the stepped report except that there is outlining and highlighting of the group sections.
A sample stepped columnar report is shown in Figure 2.6, “Generated Columnar Report”.
You can now improve the report by adding colours, logos and additional information to meet your requirements.
Mailing Labels
If you want to add a report in the form of a Mailing Labels then select "Mailing Labels" from the list of Report types. Click the Next button. The fields in the data source are listed as shown in fig 2.12. Select the field that has to be included in the report and click on the '>' button. If all the fields have to appear in the report then click the '>>' buttons. After selecting the fields to be added in the report, click the Next button.
The screen appears with three tabbed panes. They are the Label tab, Paper tab and the Page tab.
The Label settings are displayed in the Label tab window as shown in fig 2.13. The description of the Label Layout fields are given below:
Reference Type: The Reference type combo box contains a list of pre-defined labels. Each type will have their own pre-defined set of properties. The reference type of the label is selected from the combo box.
Horizontal Gap: The horizontal space between two labels is specified in the Horizontal Gap text box.
Vertical Gap: The vertical space between two labels is specified in the Vertical Gap text box.
Layout Top Offset: Layout top offset is the gap of the entire layout from the top edges of the page.
Layout Left Offset: Layout left offset is the gap of the entire layout from the left edges of the page.
In addition to the above mention properties the name, width and height of the label are specified in the corresponding fields.
The paper settings are displayed in the Paper tab window as shown in fig 2.14. The pre-defined paper type can be selected from the combo box. The width and height of the paper is entered in the corresponding text boxes.
The Page settings are displayed in the Page tab window as shown in fig 2.15. The Top, Left, Bottom and Right values are entered in the corresponding text boxes.
The number of columns that are to be displayed is specified in the Column Count field in the Print layout.
The way in which the fields are to be displayed can be selected by choosing either the across down or down across option. If the across down option is selected the fields are arranged across one after another in one row before moving on to the next row. If the down across option is selected the fields are arranged one after another downwards before moving on to the next column.
The Portrait or Landscape option is selected. If the portrait option is selected for the report layout, then the height of the page in the which the output is displayed is more than its width. If the Landscape orientation is selected for the report layout, then the width of the page in which the output is displayed is more than its height.
Finally, on clicking the Finish button the Mailing label report is added to the repository.