Limit number of records to print on report

[Tim Kiebert]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Tim,
I tested you suggestion in the zip you sent an earlier post in a different sample of my app. I didn't want to ruin my app that will be the finished product in cace I did someting wrong.
Or in case I did something wrong. :D
I entered some more data and ran a new report.
See attached example:

The weight is ok in that the last current "wtdate" is at the top (02/01/2050 1200)

You have injections and wormer sorting by "date" given. It should sort by "due" for injections and "wormer_due for wormer. Then the injection "due" for 01/01/2050 would be at the top and the "wormer Due" for 01/10/2050 would be moved to the top. Thats what I thought you wanted from your description. But I guess I got confused about what the PDF represented, I thought it showed how you wanted the order but I think I see now it was what you were getting with your test that was not what you wanted. (Everyone confused now. I tried changing these as you stated in your reply, but could not get it to work. Kept getting Invalid expression. I think we'll need some more exact details on the steps you took to diagnose what went wrong there. In the select records dialog I just pressed the xy button in the order field bringing up the expression buillder. Then using F2 chose a field. Pressed OK to close the builder and then chose descending just below the Order field.

I agree that this solution is the best.
Not sure if it is the best. It definately has its limitations. Namely the record selection is limited to the last six physical records as opposed to being able to use some other filter.(But I guess if that is allyou need it will do.) I kind a like Gabe and Tom's solution using table.external_record_content_get()

It is now 2 AM here--going to bed!
Thank you -Thank you
For your help Pleasure.
Jim

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Jim,

When you say to Tim:

You have injections and wormer sorting by "date" given. It should sort by "due" for injections and "wormer_due for wormer. Then the injection "due" for 01/01/2050 would be at the top and the "wormer Due" for 01/10/2050 would be moved to the top.

You are mistaken. When Alpha Five sorts records based on a date field it puts the lowest (earliest) record at top, and the highest (latest) record at BOTTOM. Just like a..z, it's January 1 to December 31.

Your Injections "due" field is a date field. Sorting the records by this field will put the earliest "due" date at the top, not the bottom as you say.

To reverse (invert) the sort sequence you use the Invert() function Alpha supplies.

Here's an updated example that sorts records as follows for each llama:

a) Weight table: top 7, sorted by invert(WTDATE)

b) Injections table: top 7, sorted by invert(DUE)

c) Wormer table: top 7, sorted by invert(WORMER_DUE)

If you plan to use this report layout and the included functions and calc fields in the app you deliver to your customer I recommend you study them line by line. Use the help file to learn about functions you're not familiar with. Otherwise you won't be able to maintain this code by yourself, and my volunteer time for you has run out. <grin>

Good luck with your project.

[jdoyle]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Tim, Tom, Gabriel
Don't mean to offend anyone but here is what I found.

Gabriel: on the last zip you posted the "Print all records" doesn't not print the
current last 6 records for an individual llama for me.

Tom : on the last zip 010511 you posted the report will only show 6 records for weight and wormer no matter have many records or in the table. The 6 records that print are not sorted with the most current "wtdate" at top of list or the wormer "due" -one that is in the future at the top of the list. I tried changing you code but no go. Brute force is above my head.

Tim: Your last zip worked after I change injection "date" to "due" and the wormer "date to "due. It keeps the most current dropping the rest and sorting with the correct records at the top just like it says in your code. The only item that I could not find to change was the number of records to print on the report. It now prints 6. How do I change it to 7 if I want 7 records to print?

Yes, I am new to Alpha 5 and I am a slow learner, but with this message board, help files and the individuals that have replied to my questions, I feel that I am expanding my understanding of Alpha 5.

I'am also assured that many others have learned something from this post as the number of views for this thread is one of the highest on the message board.

Best of regards to You
Gabriel, Tom and Tim
Thanks
Jim

[DaveM]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

May be wrong, but don't think so!

Most of the people on here will not just write your whole code for you, but will get you close enough that you can finish it yourself. That helps you learn. Some where in there is a place you can change it to 7. Finding will help you learn. Am I not right?

Some would have done the report completely different and got the same result. It may have been too confusing had they jumped in. Learn one way and the other may be a flash of light one day.

Good Luck to you.

Dave

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Jim,

Tim found a typo in two of my custom functions. I've corrected it and the buttons now seem to produce the correct results.

-- tom

[Elke]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Hi Jim,

I have attached a zip of your initial database with a modified version of your report named medical. I believe I have achieved what you wanted in the report. I have set it to show the top 5 records, if you want to show more, just change the conditional object properties in the subreport.

[jdoyle]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Elke,
Yes I had that version working also. but did not like the format of the report.
Did't look to good becaused the records were stair step down the page.

Looks for you input
Jim

[jdoyle]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Tim,
Your code would work as long as you did not mess with the records.
If you delete one the the report does odd things. I tried starting with empty tables, tables in set, packing and updating index then added new data. Every thing worked fine until you modifyed a record. The code looked simple enough and the reports printed fast.

Thanks for you past help
Jim

[jdoyle]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Tom,
I have studied your code and I understand what you mean by brute force. BUT IT WORKS! I have apply the code to my main app. and have done some testing and everything seems to work fine. I don't understand the 1 to 2 sec delay when rendering the report. My machine is 3.4 gig with 2 gig memory.
No big problem, but was just curious.

Now this may really be a dumb question, but you don't learn unless you ask.
In your code below for injections and wormer:
'Date Created: 10-May-2007 09:37:44 AM
'Last Updated: 13-May-2007 10:18:36 AM
'Created By : Test1
'Updated By : Jim

FUNCTION NextInjections AS C (vn_llamaid AS N )
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Returns crlf delimited string containing next 7 injections, sorted by
'inverted DUE field. [ earliest date at bottom, latest date at top ]
'
'Use: pass the numeric id for a llama to the function.
' NextInjections(0)
'
' or put the llamaid in a variable and pass it instead
' NextInjections(vn_curr_llamaid)
'--------------------------------------------------------------------------
dim x as c=""

x=TABLE.EXTERNAL_RECORD_CONTENT_GET("injections","dtoc(date)+' '+injection+' '+\
dtoc(due)"+crlf(),"invert(due)","llamaid = "+ vn_llamaid)
NextInjections = ""
if line_count(x) > 7 then
x = *line_remove(x,8,line_count(x)-7) 'keep top 7, discard others
end if
for each foo in x
NextInjections = NextInjections + foo + crlf()
next
'trace.writeln(NextInjections)
END FUNCTION


The code starting with "dtoc(dat) and code " = vn_llamaid are in red.
What is the reason. I though when the code was a good expression that the variables were in green

I do like what you suggested and have applied to my app and so far have had no problems.
I guess we might call this thread closed.
Thank so much for your time.
Jim

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Jim,

the delay in rendering pages in the report is because the data must be extracted from each child table and processed before each page can be produced. This is a fair amount of work since it involves three separate child tables each of which is being opened, queried, and then closed for each and every parent table record in your report. If your report covers 25 animals, each child table is being opened, queried, and closed 25 times.

I can't explain the colors you're seeing in the editor. Perhaps the line continuation character at the end of the previous line is the culprit. You might try removing it so that the entire expression is on one long line.

I'm glad you have it working acceptably. Good luck with your project.

-- tom

[Elke]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Did't look to good becaused the records were stair step down the page.

I'm sorry Jim, I don't get the same results. This is your report modified to filter the info you wanted.

[jdoyle]

Re: Limit number of records to print on report

Elke,
Sorry i was looking at then wrong report. Will check it out more.
Jim