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SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

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    #16
    Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

    Frank (others),
    I may not understand exactly what is wanted but subreports and other methods, so far, has enabled me to build virtually any report I have needed utilizing Alpha's report writer.

    Subreports are a very powerful feature of the report writer and sometimes can even be used in ways that were never intended. Although designed for use in a one-to-many set for the children records, I just finished a report in which 2 subreports were used in that way, the 3rd subreport actually just had the parent records....and worked just fine. I have also used them to house calculated fields in a horizontally laid out report that showed the 12 months of data as each can take an independent filter (definitely not what they were designed for!!).

    But use whatever works of course.....but saying that Alpha's report writer cannot do something is somewhat of a generalization IMO when it all depends upon the scenario it is being used for.

    :)


    David,
    I am also wondering exactly what is meant by
    Unfortunately Alpha cannot handle the drill down effect on three different sub reports.
    As far as I know, if you can place the "link" on the report, it can be used.....guessing--maybe you cannot have such a link in a subreport??? I will have to experiment with that when extra time shows up! :)
    Mike
    __________________________________________
    It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
    It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
    Henry David Thoreau
    __________________________________________



    Comment

      #17
      Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

      But use whatever works of course.....but saying that Alpha's report writer cannot do something is somewhat of a generalization IMO when it all depends upon the scenario it is being used for.
      The aim of this post is not to say that Alpha can't do something in general - Alpha report writer is EXTREMELY powerful and very capable of just about any task you can throw at it.

      The question is specifically using SQL data with many different children tables. Alpha SETs work great for DBF, which is how the SETs and sub-reports were originally designed, but if people like myself are starting to expand their use of SQL this can be a problem just when using this type of reporting.

      Yes, you can use passive links to create DBF sets and it does work but it is also very slow with many sub-sets and of course is not live data.

      Ideally, I would think, it would be great to be able to create individual sub-reports based on individual tables and just paste them into the report, linking them via a filter.

      But again, this is just referring to a situation where a report is needed with many children sub-reports and using a SQL as a direct Data Source.

      If there is another way, I would love to see it. Thanks!

      Comment

        #18
        Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

        Michael,
        My intention was to try to get people from making generalizations is all....you never did! :)

        regarding
        Ideally, I would think, it would be great to be able to create individual sub-reports based on individual tables and just paste them into the report, linking them via a filter.
        How about using the drill-down feature to do this? That is, have however many reports created, based upon whatever tables you want, and then call them up via the "links" you can create on the report. Not the same as having all the report data visible at all times but maybe workable??

        Wish I had more SQL experience (or even just loaded up) to help on this.:(
        Mike
        __________________________________________
        It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
        It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
        Henry David Thoreau
        __________________________________________



        Comment

          #19
          Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

          Mike,

          You comment got me thinking . . . . I will have to play with this but couldn't you also just use a calculated field to do an SQL lookup to the desired table, returning the string, then just use that string in the main report? I am not sure how I would write that just let but if that would work, that would be fast and relatively simple . . . but I get the feeling that there is more to this . .I will report back.

          Thanks for the stimulating thought!

          Comment

            #20
            Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

            I have used lookups like that with dbf tables in a report....and even though any lookup still has to open a table, you will be only getting a specific fields data which I would think would be fairly fast. Looking forward to your results.
            Mike
            __________________________________________
            It is only when we forget all our learning that we begin to know.
            It's not what you look at that matters, it's what you see.
            Henry David Thoreau
            __________________________________________



            Comment

              #21
              Re: SQL, Alpha and MS SQL Reporting Services

              I have two problems that I need to find a way to over come:

              1) When I use the sql_lookup on a xbasic page, I would do something like the following:

              Code:
              filterstring = "Patient_id = " + s_quote(patient_id)
 result=SQL_lookup("::Name::USMON","pedicle",filterstring,"spine_level1")
              I have not been able to get "filterstring" to work in the SQL_lookup with the report variable - I can't find a way to manage the filterstring so that the report variable will accept it. If I hard code it with: "Patient_id=389", it works but of course I have to have the actual patient_id be dynamically filled in for the report.

              2) The other problem which I am just not experienced enough with I guess would be xbasic (or would it be sql??): - how would I write an Alpha report variable to generate a "while_End" loop on the child table to create a string pulling several item per row?

              I have a feeling that this could all work but would love for someone to jump in and say "yes" or "no". (if yes then be willing to show us how)

              I have a number of new reports that I have generate with many child tables - if I could do it in Alpha, that would solve MANY problems. Thanks!

              Comment

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