Chapter 11
(continued)
The askSam Report Writer
Editing A Report
You can edit, run, or delete reports from the Report Manager.
To Access The Report Manager:
1. Choose TOOLS -> REPORTS (or press CTRL+R).
The Report Manager Dialog Box will appear.
The Buttons in the Report Manager have the following functions:
BUTTONS FUNCTION
RUN Runs the Selected report.
EDIT Switches to the Report Editor, and opens the report you selected. You can modify the selection criteria, change sort order, or add, delete, reposition, or format fields. See Report Layout later in this chapter for details.
CREATE If you enter a new name, the Create button switches to the Report Editor and creates a new report.
DELETE Deletes the selected report.
Report Editor
When you create a new report or edit an existing report, you enter the Report Editor. The Report Editor is where you design your report. You define the selection criteria, sort order, and layout.
When you switch to the Report Editor, you'll notice the following changes on your screen:
· The REPORT menu replaces the DOCUMENT menu.
· The Search Line is replaced by the Report toolbar
· The Field List is opened. A list of the fields in your file will be displayed.
You exit the Report Editor and return to Data Documents by choosing REPORT -> CLOSE.
When you enter the Report Editor, the Report menu replaces the Document menu. The Report menu contains the following commands:
COMMAND FUNCTION
ADD Adds a new report.
ADD OTHER Adds a new report, a duplicate of the current report, a new Entry Form, or a new Mail Merge Document.
CLOSE Closes the Report Editor and returns you to the first Data Document in your file.
DELETE Deletes the current report.
VIEW DELETED REPORTS Lists deleted reports and lets you undelete them. Reports are permanently deleted from a file when you pack.
SELECT DOCUMENTS Defines the selection criteria for your report.
SORTING AND GROUPING Defines how the report will be sorted and grouped.
RUN Runs the current report.
INSERT FIELD Inserts a field at the current cursor position.
SHOW COMMAND Inserts the Show command at the current cursor position. The Show command outputs a text passage based on its proximity to a word or phrase. For example: Show all sentences containing the word “impeachment”.
IF STATEMENT Defines conditional logic for your report. The IF statements sets up the logic and opens appropriate windows in your report layout.
COUNT DOCUMENTS Inserts the Count Documents command at the current cursor position. The Count Documents command displays the number of Documents selected by your report.
NUMBER DOCUMENTS Inserts the Number Documents command at the current cursor position. The Number Documents command numbers the Documents output in your report.
RESET ROW Inserts the Reset Row command at the current cursor position. The Reset Row command is used to output multiple columns in reports (used most often for printing labels).
REPORT HEADER Opens the Report Header window. The Report Header lets you enter a text that is output at the beginning of a report.
REPORT/GROUP FOOTERS Lets you select Report and Group Footers for your report. Group Footers are texts that are output at the end of each group. The Report Footer is a text that is output at the end of the report.
OUTPUT SEPARATOR Opens the Output Separator window. The Output Separator defines what will be displayed between Documents when a report is output.
PROPERTIES Displays the Report Properties Dialog Box. The Report Properties Dialog lets you rename and define settings for your report.
Creating A New Report From An Existing Report
Many reports are of a similar nature. Once you have created a report, you can define new reports using this existing report as a basis.
To Create A New Report From An Existing Report:
1. Choose TOOLS -> REPORTS (or press CTRL+R).
The Report Manager Dialog Box will appear.
2. From the list of report names, choose the report you want to copy and choose the EDIT button.
3. Choose REPORT -> ADD OTHER -> DUPLICATE.
The report is copied and the copy is displayed on your screen.
4. Make the desired changes to the report.
5. Choose FILE -> SAVE to save the report.
A Dialog Box will appear prompting you to enter a name for the report.
6. Enter a name for the new report and choose OK.
The report will be saved under the new name that you entered.
NOTE: Copying a report creates a new copy of the report in the same file. You cannot copy an entire report to another file.
Renaming A Report
You can easily change the name of an existing report.
To Rename a Report:
1. Choose TOOLS -> REPORTS (or press CTRL+R).
The Report Manager Dialog Box will appear.
2. From the list of report names, choose the report you want to rename and choose the EDIT button.
3. Choose REPORT -> PROPERTIES.
The Report Properties Dialog Box will appear.
4. Change the Document name and choose OK.
The report will be renamed to the name that you specified.
Deleting A Report
When a report is no longer necessary, you can delete it from the Report Manager.
To Delete A Report:
1. Choose TOOLS -> REPORTS (or press CTRL+R).
The Report Manager Dialog Box will appear.
2. From the list of report names, choose the report you want to delete.
3. Choose the Delete Button.
A Message will appear asking you to confirm your decision.
4. Choose Yes.
The report will be deleted.
NOTES:
1. If you mistakenly delete a report, you can undelete it (provided you've not packed the file since the report was deleted). To undelete a report, go to the Report Documents (by choosing VIEW -> DOCUMENT TYPE -> REPORTS)
and then choose REPORT -> VIEW DELETED REPORTS.
2. Whether deleting reports or Documents, you should pack your file after multiple deletions. Packing compresses and optimizes the file.
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