Signature line in page footer

[ken shaver]

I have an a5v7 report that prints the results of laboratory analyses -- detail sections for as many as six samples can fit on each page of the report. Although it is common that all of the samples were analyzed by the same analyst, in some cases two, three, or more analysts worked on some of the samples reported on the same page. Government regulations stipulate that each page of the report must be signed by each analyst who worked on any of the samples on that page. How can I create a signature line in the page footer that shows the name of each analyst responsible for at least one analysis on that page (without repeating names)? I can use the page_maximum and page_minimum functions in a calculated field to make it work if only two analysts are involved, but this breaks down if three or more people are involved.

[Raymond Lyons]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Try doing the report with "Groups" (or adding them) at least one of which is the analyst. That way the analyst's name appears only once and his/her samples are all together.

Hmm, do any samples get worked on by more than one analyst?

Ray Lyons

[ken shaver]

Re: Signature line in page footer

The detail section is already grouped by 'sample number'. These are samples of building materials - one sample might consist of a layer of drywall, a layer of joint compound, a layer of surface texture material, and a layer of paint. Results for each layer are reported in sequential order, and a 'composite' analysis is also printed for each sample (the composite values ares followed by the individual layer analyses - each of these appear in a detail section that is approximately one-inch high). I think this would make it difficult to also group by analyst, since the grouping by sample number and ordering by layer sequence is of prime importance.
Yes, some layers are analyzed by more than one analyst (this is part of the standard quality control procedure), but only the 'analyst of record' is considered for the signature line in the report.

[Raymond Lyons]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Ken,

If the "analyst of record" is identifiable in some way (separate field or a flag) you should still be able to use grouping by "analyst of record" within your main "sample number" group. You can have subgroups within groups almost as much as you want or need. Play with a copy of your report and see. I think it should work. However, if there is no way to identify the "analyst of record" you may have to go down some other road.

Ray Lyons

[Mike Wilson]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Kenneth,

This is quite an interesting scenerio.

First is the question of 'does the signature have to be a bottom of the page footer'? If it does not, then what Raymond wrote would group reporting of tests by analyst and a group footer-signature line might easily apply.

But if you want the order of the tests to take priority, and the bottom of the page footer to have the signature lines for the analysts of the tests listed in the body, only for the analysts for those tests, and unduplicated, this is an order of magnitude or more of sophistication. But interesting.

Mike W

[MoGrace]

Re: Signature line in page footer

What if your calling script that will print the report ran a query on the records to be selected and set an array to gather the names of the analysts. Then you could test for dupes and set other variables for each unique name. If six is your max, then use 6 variables to get the signature lines for the report but only 3 will display a name and the others will be blank if they are dupes. You could use a calculation in the report to test which variables are blank and not print them. Somebody help me here...

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Ken:

I think this would make it difficult to also group by analyst, since the grouping by sample number and ordering by layer sequence is of prime importance.

Not at all. Ray gave you the right idea. The grouping by analyst will be the outermost group.

As to the signature:
Create an image field in the table. Scan analysts's signature in that. Place that field at the footer of the analyst' s group.

The real question is:
Does the government accept such signature? or would it require an original?

[MoGrace]

Re: Signature line in page footer

The problem with adding a group for analyst is that it will split the report:

Sample 1
Detail
Analyst1

Sample2
Detail
Sample3
Detail
Analyst2

What he wants is this:

Sample 1
Detail
Sample2
Detail
Sample3
Detail

Analyst1
Analyst2

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Robin:

The problem with adding a group for analyst is that it will split the report

It will split the report like this:

If Analyst1 & Analyst2 worked on 2 different layers:
Analyst1
Sample 1
Detail

Analyst2
Sample 2
Detail

Assuming both Analyst1 & Analyst2 worked on the same layer:
Analyst1
Sample 1
Detail

Analyst2
Sample 1
Detail

So, in either case, it will break first by the analyst, then by the inner group and so on until it reaches the inner-most group then it displays the details.

[MoGrace]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Hi Gabriel,
That is even worse than I thought! You would get repeats of the same sample data when 2 or more analysts worked on it. I still think a query run before the report could work.

Hey Ken - can you zip up us a sample table to play with?

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Robin:

That is even worse than I thought! You would get repeats of the same sample data when 2 or more analysts worked on it

No.

You get the part of sample1 that analyst1 worked on under analyst1 and you get the part of sample1 that analyst2 worked on under analyst2.

No repetition.

It's like a child to a parent: the parent being analyst and child is sample.

Remeber, you break from outside inword.

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Exapmle.

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

With the signature at the end of each analyst's report...

[G Gabriel]

Re: Signature line in page footer

...and with the signature of each analyst's at the end of each page by the analyst...

[MoGrace]

Re: Signature line in page footer

Uh Gabe, how come there is a password on your file? It won't let me play with your report!