Reports & Queries - Source : www.pcsoft-windev-webdev.com

4. DESCRIBING AND HANDLING A REPORT4.1 OverviewThe steps for creating a report have been explained in the previous chapters. Once a report was created, thedescription of this report can be modified at any time:• data source,• controls found in the report,•page layout, …Only the report type cannot be modified. Indeed, too many specific parameters are involved. To change thereport type, all you have to do is create a new report.This chapter presents:• how to view and modify the report description (defined when creating the report).• how to open, close and save a report.•the advanced modifications that can be made to a report (use of a form, modification of the skintemplate, …).4.2 Viewing and modifying the report descriptionThe main options of the report can be accessed in the report description.To display the report description, you can:• on the "Modification" pane, click the group button of the "Report" group .• select "Report description" from the popup menu of the report.Let’s take a quick look at the different tabs of the report description.Note: the main options of the report are also accessible via the "Modifier" pane.4.2.1 Managing the data sourceThe data source of a report can be configured and modified at any time. In most cases, these operations areperformed from the description window of the report.You can:• modify the data source of the report ("Data" tab of the report description):• by changing the type of the data source for the report (switching from a report based on a query to areport based on a data file or on a memory zone for example).• by changing the parameters of the selected data source (modify the query or the sort, implementbounds, …).• configure the operating mode of the report if the data source is empty ("Details" tab of the report description).If the data source is empty, the report editor gives you the ability to print the report or to display a warningmessage without printing the report. The warning message can be configured.Note: If the report is based on a query, the "Edit the query" button (found on the "Modification pane, in the"Report" group) is used to edit the query in the query editor. Then, this query can be modified.Part 1: Report editor 53