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Reporting - Is there an equivalent

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    #1

    Reporting - Is there an equivalent

    I am new to Alpha Five and the forum, this is my first post.

    Up to this point I have been a VB.Net developer who uses Crystal Reports for reporting. What I am wondering (I have unsuccessfully searched the help and forum) whether A5 has an equivalent to the Crystal Reports - Command Object? For those who do not use CR the command object is a container that runs a SQL statement to return data. You can have multiple Command Objects in a single report.

    What I would like is use (in concept) multiple sets or tables in a single report. At this point all I can find is the ability to use a single table or set in a single report. Reporting is a huge part of my business so I hope A5 has a method to make this happen. The CR Command Object is a powerful tool in report creation.

    My hope is to use A5 a my front end against my customers db's but again reporting is key.

    Failing that has anyone been able to successful use CR (ActiveX or otherwise) in A5?

    Thanks and I apologize for the newbie questions but we all started from this point as some time.

    Regards,

    John W.
    www.CustomReportWriters.net
    Regards,

    John W.
    www.CustomReportWriters.net
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

    What I would like is use (in concept) multiple sets or tables in a single report.
    You can't use multiple sets. You can use a set constructed of multiple tables. In a report based on a set you can insert subreports which present data from multiple tables at the same level in the set.

    Subreports might be functionally equivalent to command objects.
    There can be only one.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

      Thanks for the quick response Stan, you have affirmed my initial suspicions.

      I suspect subreports will not provide the same functionality. They will not allow me the free form placement of fields I need for some custom reports. I imagine the answer will be creating a fairly complex set of tables. That will likely challenge my SQL skills. It won't be as forgiving as Crystal has been.

      Still is there away to use the CR ActiveX object in A5? That may allow me to build the report in CR and display them in A5. That would actually seem to be a nice feature to add to A5 if it does not already exist. I have been able to add the control to a form. I have been able to see the Viewer properties in the XBasic dialog. I am unable to find the way to set the report source so the form/control appears to be blank when viewed. I also do not see any of the options on the viewer such as toolbar and grouptree, etc. So something is not working as it should.

      Thanks for the information.
      Regards,

      John W.
      www.CustomReportWriters.net

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

        John,
        free form placement of fields
        From this statement I take it you want to have some fields that have nothing to do with other data in the set the report has been based on...So Alpha also lets you add tables to a set even if they have not actual connection via the expression link. That way any field from any table can be added to a report. Just something I have had to do on occaision where a common field could not be found to link two tables data to each other.

        But then I may be reading what you want completely incorrect!!! :)
        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

          #5
          Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

          Mike

          I believe that is the answer I was looking for; sometimes I need unrelated data. I will give it a try. I tend to use groups more than subreports. I dont have experience with the A5 report writer, but in Crystal subreports can impact performance. It has to do with the way Crystal creates reports and then makes multiple passes in creating the subreports.

          One final question, a newbie one, can you add sets to sets or can sets only be comprised of tables? I am thinking that sets are like views in other db systems but maybe I am way off.

          Still, it would be a nice feature to add to A5 to allow it to use the CR components as an addin. I still cant get the ActiveX control to work. However, I am going to try an older version this morning to see it will work.

          Thanks to everyone for the suggestions. I more fully appreciate the comments about what a great resource this forum is to the A5 community.
          Regards,

          John W.
          www.CustomReportWriters.net

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

            John,

            I can do anything in Alpha's report writer I ever did with Crystal. That is not to say I am doing the same as you though.

            You should try the reportwriter though.

            .
            Dave Mason
            [email protected]
            Skype is dave.mason46

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Reporting - Is there an equivalent

              Thanks for the encouragement, I plan on working to learn the Alpha report writer. Its just after so many years of working with Crystal the learning curve is something I need to get through.

              I wanted to add A5 to my solution offerings to my customers which are primarily small businesses.

              I have been a VB,Visual Basic, and .Net developer. However the cost of keeping the technology current with them is too great. Then I have to keep up my Crystal Reports and between the two, well you know...

              I tried the older versions of the CR activex viewer control without success. But it looks like I can add many of the MS components and controls which may be useful.

              Again thanks,
              Regards,

              John W.
              www.CustomReportWriters.net

              Comment

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