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Report Generator

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    Report Generator

    Still not highly familiar with X-basic, so it may not be possible without going over the learning curve, but . . .
    I'm attempting to build a "report generator" that will allow a user to select multiple criteria for a report based on a set.

    Seems like every road I take runs me around in a circle without moving on to higher functions.

    Is there a way (semi-easy way, that is) to build a report run off user selected criteria in multiple levels of a set? (and I do mean MULTIPLE levels)?

    In essence, if you've used QuickBooks, my boss is looking for something similar to the report generator in QB. Extremely interactive in content and layout.

    Any possibilities?
    THANKS
    Brian

    PS. am working on a file to zip and upload for viewing.

    #2
    RE: Report Generator

    Brian,

    In "Alpha Speak" the kind of thing you are describing can be achieved by:

    1) designing your report layout to use 'currently selected range of records'; and

    2) teaching your users how to use Query By Form to select the desired records.

    Once they use QBF to filter the set or table, you have them push a button to run the report.

    -- tom

    Comment


      #3
      RE: Report Generator

      Thanks.
      I was aware of the QBF capability, but I have very "limited skill" users and I need something more powerful.

      Comment


        #4
        RE: Report Generator

        Brian,

        I think time spent training them would pay big dividends. The new QBF genie is about as easy as it gets.

        Bottom line for me is that you face a huge task just to duplicate what's already available to you.

        If this doesn't square with your application or the needs of your users, tell us a lot more about the kinds of queries you want them to be able to do easily.

        -- tom

        Comment


          #5
          RE: Report Generator

          Brian:

          I completely agree with Tom's advice, the QBG genie is as easy as it gets. I don�t think you should underestimate the power and flexibility of the QBF genie. Just because it's easy to use doesn't mean you're giving up anything. That's the genius of Alpha Five, you can accomplish complicated tasks using easy to learn and operate techniques.

          Robert T

          Comment


            #6
            RE: Report Generator

            I will retry the QBF. If I (and the users) master that, I still need multiple types of reports. I can create multiple types, but it doesn't give the end user the freedom to specify format and particular details.
            Will press on . . .
            THANKS for the input

            Comment


              #7
              RE: Report Generator

              Tom gave you good advice on the QBF but I suspect that you want a lot more than the mere selection of records.
              Designing your own report generator that allowed a user to basically build a report(add and position fields, create totals and subtotals as well as select records) might be such a daunting task that it would never give you a return on your time investment.
              Keep in mind that ODBC connectivity allows third party software to talk to Alpha data. This opens the door to Crystal Reports, Excel and other productivity software.

              Comment


                #8
                RE: Report Generator

                Thanks -- we've looked at Crystal Reports before and will be looking again. Catch may be licensing. What I'm working on may become a nationalized application in Runtime and I haven't seen details on CR yet.
                THANKS AGAIN.

                Comment


                  #9
                  RE: Report Generator

                  Hello Brian:

                  You can create several different reports/report styles. Design all of them to use the current record selection. Once you have a full complement of reports,

                  [1] Run a query to select a subset of data.

                  [2] Have an Xdialog box [created by the genie] pop up asking the user to select a particular type of report.

                  Is the above pretty much what you're looking for?

                  Robert T

                  Comment


                    #10
                    RE: Report Generator

                    Yes and no.
                    The QBF is a powerful tool if you have some idea what you're looking for. What I really need is something more like a combination of the QBF and the "Creating a Script to Print a report for a selected record" function. Creating the script allows me specify check boxes (or other input type) for a given parameter. The user doesn't have to have any clue about what to look for or enter because the list is set before him to choose from. Unfortunately, that function only allows for a limited number of lists in one dialog. I could include all lists, but with the various kinds of reports needed, the user needs to be able to select from multiple options. I.e. in the current set:
                    Prospect
                    Category (one to many)
                    Donation (1-many)
                    Giving (1-1)
                    Basics2 (1-1)
                    Pledge (1-many)
                    Contacts (1-many)
                    I may want to select from a list a group of records with a particular account donation preference (category) who live in a given city (Prospect) and whose year-to-date giving (Giving) exceeds $100.
                    I need to be able to select from a "list" on any given field in any of the associated tables before running the query and/or printing the report.
                    A more recent and specific example would be the need for a list of records in a given Category who have given 2 or more gifts in the last 13 months OR who have given a gift of $500 or greater.
                    The combination of QBF and the ability to select from various lists would be very close to what I'm needing.
                    The bonus would be for a user to take a report (say the above report with detail showing on each record) and modify it by eliminating the detail to show totals only -- flipping easily back and forth between the two formats.
                    I hope that makes sense.
                    THANKS for the input. Pressing on . . .

                    Comment


                      #11
                      RE: Report Generator

                      Hello Brian:

                      Although I haven�t read everything you�ve written in this thread, based upon what you've described so far, it sounds as if QBF can do everything you want. As I stated before, you can have a variety of reports designed and ready to run as soon as the user makes all of their selections.

                      As for showing/not showing the details in A5 report, you can do this more than one way. You can of course two identical reports with one difference, one shows all of the details and the other one only shows the totals. The user can simply select the report he/she wants.

                      Your other option is to use one report where a button pops up asking the user if he/she wants to show �All Details� or "Totals Only and process the report accordingly.

                      Brian, it appears as if all of the things you've asked about so far are relatively easy to do in Alpha Five.

                      Robert T

                      Comment


                        #12
                        RE: Report Generator

                        I've done some more playing and I like what I see except for two things I haven't figured out.
                        1) How do I determine in the QBF if my criteria are AND/OR and how do I determine groups of AND/OR
                        i.e. Lifetime Giving "= 500 OR YeartoDate Giving "=500 AND City = Chicago
                        2) How do I query on child records and parent records (child being 1-many) simultaneously?
                        Help?

                        Comment


                          #13
                          RE: Report Generator

                          Take a look at the bottom of the genie just below the main selection area. You will see some buttons there for adding parenthesis and choosing to AND or OR the next condition.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            RE: Report Generator

                            Sorry, that wasn't very clear. When you add a condition, the AND or OR choice will show up as radio buttons under the field selection box.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              RE: Report Generator

                              I see that in the Query Genie, but not in the QBF.
                              The QBF seems a bit more user friendly for my group since it appears all on the form and sort of "step-by-step"
                              But I still have not discovered how to QBF on child records.
                              Am done for today.
                              Will check back tomorrow.
                              THANKS for the help!

                              Comment

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