Advanced Report Writer

Form:  Create Custom Report

Use the Orb > Report > Advanced Report Writer command to access the Create Custom Report form and create a report that contains an existing Access database(s), an Excel spreadsheet(s), or plain text (.b2k format) exported from CSiBridge, or use the Create Custom Report form to create a new table(s) in Access database format.

Use the Create Custom Report form to specify that the resulting report be accessible using Microsoft Word, a text editor, or Internet Explorer. The report created using the Create Custom Report form can pull together tables from one or more database files that can be from the same or different models.

The report can contain section headings, arbitrary text between the tables, and pictures using many different file formats. The Create Custom Report form has options that control the format of the tables, page setup, and fonts.

The Create Custom Report form has the following buttons, options, and display areas:

• Select the Current Database File: Use one of the following buttons to initiate the report creation process:

• • Find Existing DB File button.

    Use this button to locate the database file for a bridge model file for which the report is being created. This button can be used to add data from different model files into a common report.

    Click the Find Existing DB File button to access the Microsoft Access Database form and select the MS Access file (*.mdb) to be included in the report.

  • Convert Excel File button.

    Use this button to locate an Excel file that will be converted to a DB file.

    Click the Convert Excel File button to access the Select Microsoft Excel Workbook to Convert form and select the MS Excel file (*.xls) to be used to initiate the report creation process.

  • Convert Text File button.

    Use this button to locate a text file that will be converted to a DB file for inclusion in the report.

    Click the Convert Text File button to access the Save Text File to Convert form and select the CSiBridge  text file (*.b2k; *.$br) to be used to initiate the report creation process.

  • Create New DB File button.

    Use this button to select the data tables (i.e., types of data) to be included in a report and then save them in an Access database from which a report can be generated. This can be helpful by reducing the volume of data to be managed during report generation when the model is complex.

    Click the Create New DB File button to access the Choose Tables to Export for Access form and select the data tables to be used in creating a new Access database file and initiate the report creation process.

• File display box. This box will display the path and filename of the file selected or created using the above button.

Note:  The Access, Excel or Text file accessed using the Create Custom Report form must have been created by exporting it from CSiBridge using the appropriate Orb > Export command. See Export - Access, Export - Excel and Export - Text for information about creating export files.

• Report File Type. Choose the format for the generated report.

• • RTF

    When this option is selected, CSiBridge will create the report with an RTF (rich text format) extension using the path and filename you specify after clicking the Create Report button.

    • Open report in Microsoft Word check box. When this check box is checked, Word will automatically open and display the report after the report has been set up and the Create Report button has been clicked.

  • TXT

    When this option is selected, CSiBridge will create the report with a TXT extension using the path and filename you specify after clicking the Create Report button.  

    • Open report in default text editor check box. When this check box is checked, the default text editor will automatically open and display the report after the report has been set up and the Create Report button has been clicked.

    • Send data directly to printer check box. When this check box is checked, CSiBridge will automatically send the report to the default printer after the report has been set up and the Create Report button has been clicked.

  • HTML

    When this option is selected, CSiBridge will create the report with an HTML (hype-text markup language) extension using the path and filename you specify after clicking the Create Report button.

    • Open Report in Internet Explorer check box. When this check box is checked, Internet Explorer will automatically display the report after the report has been set up and the Create Report button has been clicked.

Note:  The .RTF, .TXT, and .HTML files are saved when the Create Report button is clicked; those files can then be edited using the appropriate program. The settings selected in creating the report are not saved until the Save Named Report button has been clicked. Saving the settings makes it possible to use the Create Custom Report form to edit the report after it has been generated (e.g., add additional files to the report from other models). Use the Save Named Report button and the Open Named Report button to save the settings specified on the form and then open/use the saved settings to generate reports, allowing multiple reports to have consistent layouts/formats.

• Report Setup

• List of Tables in Current Database File.

  When an existing Access database, Excel spreadsheet, or text file is selected for inclusion in the report, the various tables in the file are listed in this area of the Create Custom Report form.

  1. Highlight the name of a table in the list. Use standard Windows selection methods (i.e., hold down the Shift key or the Ctrl key while clicking the left mouse button) to make multiple selections.  

  2. Click the Add Selected DB Table(s) to Report button to specify that the table be included in the report. The name of the selected table(s) will appear in the Items Included in Report display area of the form.

• Add Additional Items to Report

• 1. • Section button.

       Click the Section button to access the Report Item - Section form.

     • Text button.

       Click the Text button to access the Report Item - Text form.

     • Picture button.  

       Click the Picture button to access the Report Picture form.

     • Page Break button.

       Use the Page Break button to insert a page break at any point in the report. A notation identifying the location of the page break relative to the other items in the report will appear in the Items Included in Report display area of the form.

     • Blank Line(s) button.  

       Click the Blank Line(s) button to access the Report Item - Blank Lines form.

• Insertion Point for Items Added to Report

• 1. • After Selected Item option.

       Use this option to add items to a report at a location other then the end of the report.

       1. In the Items Included In Report display area, highlight the heading, text, picture, page break, or blank line(s) that is to precede the item(s) to be added.

       2. Click the appropriate button in the Add Additional Items to Report area of the form.

     • At End of List option.

       The At End of List option is the default. When this option is used, any items added to the report using the buttons in the Add Additional Items to Report area of the form will be added to the end of the report.

• Apply to Entire Report

• 1. • Report Setup button.

       Click the Report Setup button to access the Report Setup form and specify various setup options.

     • Apply Formats button.

       Click the Apply Formats button to select a previously defined style sheet file (*.fmt) and apply it to all tables in the report. After clicking the Apply Formats button, select the .fmt file from the Database Table Formats File form.

       See the description for the Save Formats button with respect to saving style sheet files.

     • Save Formats button.

       Click the Save Formats button to specify a filename and save the table format specified using the options on the Modify/Show Database Table Format form.  Use the Modify/Show Database Table Format form as follows:

       1. Highlight a table name in the Items Included in Report area of the Create Custom Report form.

       2. Click the Modify/Show button to display a database table form.

       3. On the table form, click the Format command to display the Modify/Show Database Table Format form.

       4. Set the options on the Modify/Show Database Table Format form and then click the Save Table Format to File button.

       5. Specify a name for the file and click the OK button to return  to the Create Custom Report form.

       6. Repeat the process as necessary for additional tables.

       On the Create Custom Report form, click the Save Formats button to save any or all of the formats specified for the tables in the report in a single style sheet.

     • Default Formats button.

       Click the Default Formats button to apply program default style sheets to the tables included in the report.

     • Clear Filters Only button.

       Click the Clear Filters Only button to remove any field filtering criteria established using the Modify/Show Database Table Format form.

       See the description for the Save Formats button with respect to saving style sheet files.

     • Clear Sorts Only button.  

       Click the Clear Sorts Only button to remove any table sorting criteria established using the Modify/Show Database Table Format form.

       See the description for the Save Formats button with respect to saving style sheet files.

• Items Included in Report (Table Formats File for Added Tables:  Program Default)

• • Modify/Show button.

    Use the Modify/Show button to modify a previously added item.

    1. Highlight the item to be modified.

    2. Depending on the type of item highlighted (table, section heading, text, picture, blank lines), a form will appear that can be used to modify the selected item.

       • The Modify/Show Database Table Format form will appear when a table has been selected.

       • Report Item - Section form.

       • Report Item - Text form.

       • Report Picture form.

       • Report Item - Blank Lines form.

  • Remove button.

    Use the Remove button to delete previously added items form the report.

    1. Highlight the item to be removed.

    2. Click the Remove button to delete the item from the report.

  • Arrow buttons.

    Use the Arrow buttons to move the items listed in the Items Included in Report display area of the form up or down to rearrange the order of the presentation of the data in the report.

    1. Highlight the item to be moved.

    2. Click the Up arrow to move the item up in the list (present the data earlier in the report). Click the Down arrow to move the item down in the list (present the data later in the report).

  • Show Table button.

    Highlight a table name in the Items Included in Report display area and click this button to display that table.

• Save Named Report button.

  Click the Save Named Report button to access the Named Report form.

• Open Named Report button.

  Click the Open Named Report button to access the Select Named Report form.

  1. Highlight the name of a previously named report.

  2. Click the OK button to open the previously saved named report template.

• Change Source DB button.

  Click the Change Source DB button to display the Report Item - Filenames form. Use the form to change the source for the data being used in the report.

• Create Report button.

  After the items to be included in the report have been selected, and the format for the report has been established, click the Create Report button to generate the report in the specified .RTF, .TXT, or .HTML format. The report file will be available in the specified subdirectory for manipulation using the appropriate program.

• Done button.

  Click the Done button to close the Create Custom Report form.

See Also

Report Item - Filename