Gold Medal Software 4/Gold Medal Software - Volume 4 (Gold Medal) (1994).iso/netutils/brir110e.arj/DOC.ZIP/CRYSTAL.TXT

Text File | 1994-06-11 | 160KB | 3,840 lines

Part Five: Crystal Reports


26.0 Introduction to Crystal Reports

This chapter introduces Crystal Reports, shows you how to start the
program, introduces you to some of the things the program can do, and
familiarizes you with some of the "nuts and bolts" of using the program.

26.1 About This Part of the Manual

This part of the manual contains all of the information you should need
for building reports quickly and easily using Crystal Reports. It is
divided into three chapters:

Chapter                                 Description
26.0 Introduction to Crystal Reports    Introduction gives you a brief
                    overview of Crystal Reports. It
                    familiarizes you with the Crystal
                    Reports screens, using the mouse,
                    error messages, and the help
                    facility.

27.0 Using Crystal Reports              This chapter conceptually leads you
                    through the process of creating a
                    report with Crystal Reports. It
                    suggests a methodology for creating
                    reports starting with nothing more
                    than a one sentence statement of
                    purpose for the report.

28.0 Practical Crystal Reports          Practical Crystal Reports is a
                    "How to" chapter. It contains a
                    variety of report creation topics
                    and additional information on the
                    practical aspects of using Crystal
                    Reports to solve typical reporting
                    problems.


For information on topics not found in these chapters, refer to the
Crystal Reports Help system.

This part of the manual assumes that you understand the basic concepts
and usage of Microsoft DOS or PC-DOS, and Windows 3.0 or higher. The
procedures also assume that you will be using a mouse in the creation of
your reports. While the instructions occasionally indicate keyboard
methods for using the program, the instructions are generally
mouse-oriented since most Windows users have a mouse.

26.1.1 Special Notations Used in this Part

The following notations are used throughout this part of the manual:

o  Delete means the Del key on your numeric keypad.

o  Escape means the Escape or Esc key on your keyboard.

o  Enter means the Enter, Return, or CR key, depending on which of these
keys appears on your keyboard.

o  Click means to click the left mouse button one time.

o  Double click means to click the left mouse button twice, in quick
succession.

o  The term Cursor Keys means the Pg Up, Pg Dn, and Arrow Up, Arrow Down,
Arrow Right, Arrow Left, Home, and End keys on your numeric keypad.

o  Ctrl+Key, Shift+Key, and Alt+Key are examples of the notation for two
key combinations. They mean to press the first key in the combination
(Control, Shift, or Alt), and, while keeping it depressed, to press the
second key in the combination (designated as Key).

o  Text enclosed in double brackets (for example, << information >>) is
intended to expand or explain the information that it follows.

o  Field names in formulas are italicized.

o  Insert|Formula means to select the Formula option from the Insert menu.

o  Drag, when used in talking about field boxes, means to position the
cursor on a field box, depress the left mouse button, and keep the button
depressed while moving the field to a new position.

o  Drag, when used in talking about text, means to depress the left mouse
button and, while it is depressed, move the I-beam cursor across the text
of interest to highlight and thus select it.

o  Computer type indicates data that you are to enter using the computer
keyboard. It is also used to show example formulas.


26.2 Starting Crystal Reports

You can start Crystal Reports in two ways:

o  from the DOS command line
o  from the Windows environment.

26.2.1 From DOS

To start Crystal Reports (and Windows at the same time) from the DOS
command line, type:

    cd

and the name of the directory into which you installed Crystal Reports.
For example, if you installed Crystal Reports in the default Crystal
Reports directory, type:

    cd \CRW

and then press Enter.

At the prompt, type:

    win CRW

and press Enter. Windows and Crystal Reports are both started.

26.2.2 From Windows

Once in Windows, select the group window that holds the Crystal Reports icon.

o  If you're using a mouse, double click on the Crystal Reports icon to
start the program.

o  If you're using the keyboard, use the arrow keys to select the icon and
then press Enter.

You can also start Crystal Reports from within Windows by double clicking
on the file name CRW.EXE in the File Manager.

26.2.3 The Crystal Reports Registration Dialog Box

The Crystal Reports Registration dialog box appears whenever you start
Crystal Reports unless you have registered your copy of the program with
the company, received a serial number, and entered it in the Enter serial
number... edit box to disable this opening dialog box.

There are two good reasons to register your copy of Crystal Reports:

o  Registration entitles you to technical support should you ever require
assistance in using the product.

o  Registration assures you that you will be notified whenever the
product is upgraded to offer new features, benefits, and efficiencies.

The Crystal Reports Registration dialog box options are as follows:

o  Enter serial number... edit box: Use this edit box to enter the
serial number that Crystal Services sends you when you register the
program. Be careful to enter the serial number correctly.

o  Proceed to Crystal Reports button:  Use this button to close out
the dialog box and go directly into the Crystal Reports program. The
button will be useful until you receive and enter your registration
serial number. At that time the Crystal Reports Registration dialog box
will no longer appear when you start the program.

o  Edit Registration Info button:  Use this button to enter/edit product
registration information. The Edit Registration Info button takes you to
the Crystal Reports Registration dialog box. Use this dialog box to enter
your name, company name, and phone and fax numbers. Crystal Reports stores
this information and displays it and/or prints it out automatically when you
print out the registration form, call up system information (via the
Help|System Information command), or send in a technical support request
(via the Help|Technical Support Request command).

o  Print Registration Form button:  Use this button to print a copy of
the completed registration form.

26.2.4 How to Register Your Copy of Crystal Reports

Use the following procedure to register your copy of Crystal Reports.

1.  Click the Edit Registration Info button.

    The Crystal Reports Registration dialog box appears.

2.  Enter your name, address, phone, and fax in the edit boxes provided,
    and click OK when finished

    You are returned to the Crystal Reports Registration dialog box.

3.  Click the Print Registration Form button.

    Crystal Reports prints out a copy of your completed registration form.

4.  Fax the form to Crystal Services at the number that appears on the
    form, or mail it to Crystal Services at the address that appears on
    the form.

5.  In a few days, the company will mail or fax you back your serial number.

6.  Enter the serial number in the Enter serial number... edit box, and
    click the Proceed to Crystal Reports button when finished.

    This takes you to Crystal Reports and disables the dialog box so it no
    longer appears when you start the program.


26.3 Quick Start

If you are an experienced Windows user who wants to get right into the
program, follow these steps to set up a Crystal Reports report for the
first time after you install the program.

1.  Start Crystal Reports by double clicking on the Crystal Reports icon
    in the Program Manager.

2.  Select New Report from the File menu.

3.  When the Choose Database File dialog box appears, select the first
    database you want to activate for your report and press OK when finished.

    The Crystal Reports Report Editor appears with Page Header, Details,
    and Page Footer sections set up on your report template. The sections
    are all blank initially.

    Create your report by inserting and formatting items in each of
    these sections.

4.  The Insert Database Field dialog box appears on screen with the Report
    Editor.

    The Insert Database Field dialog box displays a list of all of the
    fields in the active database. To speed the entry of multiple fields,
    the box remains on screen until you click on the Done button. You can
    move the dialog box to a new location if you wish.

5.  Select the first field you want to appear on the report.

    A rectangular insertion cursor appears.

6.  Position the cursor at the point in the Details section where you want
    your field to appear, and click the left mouse button to enter it.

    Crystal Reports marks the field position with a rectangular box. The
    characters in the box indicate whether the field is text (XXX...),
    number (555,...), dollar value ($555,...) date (YYYY-M...), or
    Boolean (T/F). The number of characters in the box indicate the
    number of characters allowed for the field in the database from which
    it came.

7.  Repeat Steps 5 and 6 until you have placed all the fields you want to
    place.

8.  To create a title, select Insert|Text Field, type in the information
    you want to appear, click Accept when finished, and position the field
    where you want it in the Page Header section.

    You can also insert database fields or special fields in that section
    from the Insert menu.

9.  To see how your results will print, select Print To Window from the
    Print menu. Close the window when you are finished with your review.

10. If you want to:

    o  change the placement or width of a field
    o  format the field
    o  insert a subtotal or grand total for a field
    o  delete a field

    click the field box for that field. Black handles appear on the right
    and left sides of the field box to indicate that it has been selected.

    o  To change the placement of the field, drag the field box to
    its new position using the mouse or the arrow keys. The arrow keys
    move the field box one grid position each time you press them.

    o  To change the width of the field, drag the right or left handle
    using your mouse or use a Shift-Arrow combination on your keyboard.

    o  To format or subtotal the field, click the right mouse button
    while the cursor is inside the field. A pop-up menu appears listing
    your various options.

        -  To change the font, select Change Font and refine
        your selection using the Font dialog box when it appears.

        -  To change the format (alignment within field; number,
        currency, or date display; etc.) select Change Format and
        refine your selection using the Field Format dialog box
        when it appears.

        -  To insert a subtotal, select Insert Subtotal and refine
        your selection using the Insert Subtotal dialog box when
        it appears. In this dialog box you select the field and the
        condition that triggers a new subtotal whenever the field's
        value changes, and you select the sort direction: Ascending
        (A to Z, 1 to 9) or Descending (Z to A, 9 to 1). The
        program creates a new section to hold the subtotal.

    NOTE:  The program automatically sorts the data (based on the field
    that triggers the subtotals) before it subtotals. Manually entering
    a subtotal sort is not necessary.

        -  To insert a grand total, select Insert Grand Total. The
        program creates a new section to hold the grand total.

        -  To delete the field, select Delete Field.

11. To create a formula to make data calculations or comparisons, select
    Formula Field from the Insert menu.

    Enter a name for your formula in the Insert Formula dialog box, and
    enter the formula itself in the Formula Editor when it appears. Enter
    fields, operators, and functions by selecting them from their respective
    scroll lists.

    You can get complete information on each available Function and
    Operator via the Help button, and you can check your formula syntax
    via the Check button. Entering a Crystal Reports formula is similar to
    entering a formula in a spreadsheet cell. When finished editing,
    select Accept and place the formula just like you do a database field.

12. To change the sort order, select Record Sort Order from the print menu.

    Select the field(s) you want Crystal Reports to use for sorting the
    report data.

13. To change the sort and group by field, select Group Section from the
    Edit menu.

    Select the group section of interest from the list that appears in the
    Edit Group Section (sections) dialog box, and select the new "trigger"
    field from the Edit Group Section (edit) dialog box when it appears.

14. If you want to limit your report to specific records (for example,
    the records of California customers that have YTD sales greater
    than $10,000), click the first field on which you want your selection
    to be based (in this case the State field) and choose Select Records
    from the Print menu or the right mouse button pop-up menu.

    Answer the questions that appear in the Select Records dialog box and
    click OK when finished. If your selection is based on more than one
    field, repeat the process with the remaining field(s) until you have
    completed entering your selection specifications.

15. When finished, you can print your report by selecting Print To Printer
    from the Print menu.


26.4 About Crystal Reports

Crystal Reports is a powerful yet easy to use program for creating custom
reports, lists, and form letters using data from your existing databases.
The program works by establishing connections with one or more of your
databases.

Using these connections as conduits, Crystal Reports draws in the values
from database fields you select and uses them in the report, either in
their original form or as part of a formula that generates more
sophisticated values.

Crystal Reports was designed to work with all kinds of data: numbers,
currency, text, dates, and Boolean (Yes/No) fields. It has a wide range of
built-in tools that you can use to manipulate that data to fit your needs.
Using these tools, you can:

o  make calculations and comparisons of data values,
o  calculate subtotals, and grand totals of field values,
o  calculate group averages, count the records in a group, and test
for minimum and maximum values,
o  test for the presence of specific values,
o  present data only if certain conditions are met,
o  evaluate logical relationships between values,
o  convert data from one type to another,
o  merge text with other text,
o  merge text with data field data, and
o  perform numerous other useful, data-related activities.

The data can be placed wherever you want it on the report, highlighted
with special fonts and font sizes. With Crystal Reports, your reports can
be as simple or as complex as your needs demand.

26.4.1 How Crystal Reports Prepares Reports

Crystal Reports prepares reports by reading data in the database files
you have selected and making that data available for use in your report.

o  If you wish to use data in a single data file, you simply choose that
file when you create the report.

o  If you wish to use data in multiple data files, you need to select the
files and also to indicate the field or fields in each file that Crystal
Reports is to use to match data.

NOTE:  Crystal Reports does not write data to your original data files.
Your original files remain unchanged using Crystal Reports, no matter how
much you might manipulate the data you select.

26.4.2 Databases that Work with Crystal Reports

Crystal Reports can build reports using the standard data files generated
by dBASE for Windows and Paradox for Windows as well as with DOS versions
of dBASE and Paradox.


26.5 The Crystal Reports Window

The Crystal Reports window is simple and easy to understand:
o  the Title Bar appears at the top of the window,
o  the Menu Bar appears just below the Title Bar, and
o  the Button Bar appears just below the Menu Bar.

26.5.1 Title Bar

The Title Bar displays the name of the program running in the window,
Crystal Reports. You can use the title bar to activate the window
(if the window is buried in a cascade of windows) or to move the window
(by depressing the left mouse button with the pointer on the title bar
and then, while the button is still depressed, dragging the window to a new
location), or to maximize the window (by double clicking on the title bar).

26.5.2 The Menu Bar

The Menu Bar is Crystal Reports' command center. Each option on the menu
bar calls up a drop down menu of commands that you can use to create,
modify, print, and save your reports.

Each menu is listed in the table below:

File    The File menu includes commands you can use to open, close, and
    save files, to save files under a different file name, print the
    file to a printer, and create new report files. It also includes
    a command you can use to exit Crystal Reports. Additionally it
    contains a command that allows you to configure Crystal Reports
    to your specifications.

Edit    The Edit menu allows you to modify aspects of your report. The
    menu includes commands you can use to edit formulas, to edit and
    delete group sections, and to change summary operations. It also
    contains commands for cutting, copying, and pasting text, clearing
    (deleting) report elements, toggling the display of field names on
    and off, and changing your report title.

Insert  The Insert menu is the central menu you use for creating reports.
    The menu includes commands you can use to insert database fields,
    text fields, and formula fields; subtotals, grand totals,
    summaries (counts, averages, etc.), and group sections; print date,
    page number, record number and group number fields; and graphics,
    lines, and boxes.

Format  The Format menu includes commands for changing the look of the
    elements in your report. It includes commands for changing fonts,
    and formatting fields, report sections, graphics, lines, and boxes.
    The menu also provides commands for adding field borders as well as
    background color and drop shadows for your fields.

Data-   The Database menu is used to select and delete databases for use
base    with your reports, to change the alias you use to identify the
    database, and to link and unlink databases. It also has a command,
    File Location, for directing Crystal Reports to look for database
    files in new locations. Two verify commands can be used to adapt
    your reports to minor changes in database structure.

Print   The Print menu includes commands that let you print your report to a
    print window, to a disk file, or to a printer, print the report
    definition (a report describing your report), select the records
    or groups to be included in your report, select the order in which
    report data is to be sorted (by record or by group), and select a
    printer if you want the report to print on something other than the
    default printer.

Window  The Window menu includes commands that let you rearrange icons and
    windows. It also lists the report windows that are open and includes
    a command that lets you close all report windows at once, if desired.

Help    The Help menu includes a command that takes you to Crystal Reports'
    main help index, a command that will give you information about the
    Crystal Reports version you are using, and other help-related topics.


26.5.3 The Button Bar

Crystal Reports groups several commonly-used commands on a Button Bar that
remains on screen at all times (unless you choose to turn it off).

Each command is represented by an individual button, and each button
displays a graphic that visually describes the command. You activate
Button Bar commands by clicking the appropriate button one time with the
left mouse button. The Button Bar eliminates some of the steps needed to
activate the included commands, and it can thus greatly speed your
work in creating reports.

26.5.4 The Status Bar

The status bar at the bottom of the report window displays valuable
information to help you use Crystal Reports more efficiently:


o  Button bar functions:  When the cursor is over a Button Bar button,
the Status Bar displays a short description of the button's function.

o  Menu command descriptions:  When you highlight a menu command, the
Status Bar displays a short description of the command. To highlight a
menu command, click the menu name and move to the command using the Down
Arrow key.

o  Current selections:  When you select or place a graphic, field, text
field, graphic line or box, special field, or formula, the status bar
displays the name of the item selected. It displays:

    -  the file name for a graphic,
    -  the alias and field name for a field,
    -  the text in a text field,
    -  the words Line for a line and Box for a box,
    -  the field type for special fields (PrintDate, RecordNumber, etc.)
    -  the formula name for a formula.

o  Graphic Coordinates:  When you select or create a bit-mapped graphic,
a graphic box, or a graphic line, the program displays the coordinates
for the left, right, top, and bottom sides of the graphic element.


26.6 Right Mouse-Button Capabilities

When you are working in the Report Editor, you can speed up your work
considerably using Crystal Reports' right mouse button capabilities. When
the cursor is positioned on a report element (a field, a group field, a
formula, etc.) and you click the right mouse button, Crystal Reports
displays a pop-up menu right next to the element. Unlike Crystal Reports'
standard menus that group commands by function (editing, inserting, etc.),
these pop-up menus are element-specific: that is, they contain only those
commands from Crystal Reports' primary menus that are available for
use with the selected element.

The pop-up menus are valuable because:

o  they display the name and source (alias) of the element at the top of
the menu so you can identify the elements on your report with a single
mouse click,

o  they appear right next to the selected element making them quicker and
easier to access than Crystal Reports' main menus,

o  they contain only the commands you need; you don't need to search for
commands on a more comprehensive menu,

o  they make it easier to learn Crystal Reports because:

    - they eliminate the need to remember where to find a command, and
    - they make it easier to pick the right command since you're dealing
    with only a compact list of, and

o  they spotlight the things you can do with an element making it an
easier system to use when you are under pressure or distracted.

Use the following procedure to use the right mouse button menus:

1.  Position the cursor on the element of interest.

2.  Click the right mouse button.

    The pop-up menu appears.

3.  Select the command of interest from the pop-up menu.

    These options work exactly like the corresponding options that appear
    on Crystal Reports' primary menus.

For information on using any of these menu options, see the corresponding
option in Crystal Reports Help.

NOTE:  If you have swapped left/right mouse buttons via the Control Panel,
the left mouse button will activate the pop-up menus.


26.7 Crystal Reports Report Windows

When a Crystal Reports report appears, it appears in a report window. A
report window has a title bar, minimize and maximize buttons, and a
control menu box like the Crystal Reports window.

Unlike the Crystal Reports window, the report window does not have its own
menu. Instead, the commands from the Crystal Reports menu remain visible and
are active for the document window.

Also unlike the Crystal Reports window, the document window has scroll
bars at the bottom and along the right hand edge. Usinh these scroll bars
you can reveal parts of the document that aren't immediately showing in the
window.


26.8 Getting Help with Crystal Reports

Crystal Reports offers a comprehensive help system to support you during
every step of the report development process.

26.8.1 Context Sensitive Help

Context sensitive help gives you immediate help with a screen element of
interest (menu command, dialog box, etc.). The program takes you directly
to the help information you seek without the need to traverse the indexing
system.

NOTE:  To get help on a specific menu command, click the menu name and
then use the Down Arrow key to highlight the command of interest. Once the
command is highlighted, press F1.

26.8.2 Indexed Help

Indexed help takes you to the help indexing system, a hierarchy of indexes
which is designed to help you target your topic of interest. Using the
indexing system, you can select a broad topic of interest from the first
index and then narrow your selection using the next index that appears,
then the next. etc.


27.0 Using Crystal Reports

This chapter provides a structured approach to preparing reports with Crystal
Reports.

27.1 Using Crystal Reports

The approach of this chapter in preparing reports with Crystal Reports
includes the following elements:

o  deciding on the content of your report,
o  developing a prototype on paper,
o  setting up the prototype using Crystal Reports,
o  manipulating the data with formulas and functions,
o  grouping, summarizing, and sorting your data,
o  editing and formatting the data,
o  specifying the records/groups to be included in the report, and
o  printing the finished report.

This is not a hands-on chapter, but an important introduction that can
make your report creation work more efficient and more satisfying. The
chapter has been designed to provide you with a conceptual understanding
of Crystal Reports as well as a brief introduction to Crystal Reports'
powerful features.


27.2 Deciding on the Content of Your Report

Before you do anything else, you should outline the information you want
your report to provide. Use the following list of questions as a guide in
making that outline:

o  What is the overall purpose of the report?
o  Who is going to read the report?
o  What is the report title going to be?
o  What information do you need besides the title to identify the report?
    - Where is that information to come from?
    - If the information exists in a database, what types of fields
    is the data stored in: number, text, etc.?
o  What identifying information do you want to appear at the bottom of
each page?
    - Where is that information to come from?
    - If the information exists in a database, what types of fields
    is the data stored in: number, text, etc.?
o  What specific data do you want to appear in the body of the report?
    - Where is that data to come from?
    - Does that data exist in data fields or does it need to be
    calculated from data field values?
    - What kind of fields is the data stored in: number, text, etc.?
    - Do you want to show totals?
    - What kind?
    - What do you want to total?
o  What information, if any, do you want flagged on the report?
    - How do you want it flagged?
o  What information do you want highlighted in some way so that it really
stands out?
o  Do you want the report to be based on all records in the database or
only on specified records?

27.2.1 Purpose

What is the overall purpose of the report?

Reports are management tools. Their purpose is to help individuals quickly
grasp the essential elements and relationships found in raw data so they
can make effective decisions. For a report to be effective, it has to
present the right data in a logical way. If it presents the wrong data or
if it presents the right data in a haphazard manner, the report may slow
the decision making process or even encourage incorrect decisions.

A good starting place in the development of a report is to write out the
purpose of the report in a sentence or two. The purpose statement helps you
focus on your primary needs, and it gives your report both a starting point
and a goal.

Here are some examples of purpose statements:

o  The purpose of this report is to show monthly and year-to-date sales
by sales rep, compare this year's numbers to last year, and flag reps who
are seriously deficient.

o  The purpose of this report is to show sales activity for each item in
inventory, and to suggest reorder quantities based on that activity.

o  The purpose of this report is to calculate bowling averages and
handicaps for each member of the bowling league.

Clarifying the purpose of the report before you start is a critical step in
the overall process. A report without a clear purpose is like a meeting
without a clear agenda; it rambles and accomplishes little.

27.2.2 Readers

Who is going to read the report?

A single report is often used by many individuals. A detailed, company-wide
sales report, for example, may be used by sales reps, the regional sales
manager, the national sales manager, and the Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Each of these individuals will be interested in different aspects of the
report.

o  A sales rep will use the report to evaluate his/her individual sales
performance and to compare that performance to that of other reps in the
region.

o  The regional sales manager will use the report to evaluate the reps in
his/her region and to compare the region's performance to that of other
regions.

o  The national sales manager will use the report to evaluate the
performance of his/her regional managers and to compare overall sales to the
current sales forecasts.

o  The COO will use the report to evaluate the performance of the Vice
President of Marketing and the sales department as a whole, and to project
such things as manufacturing needs, warehouse locations, etc.

Since each of the users of the report has different interests, it is
important to plan the report so it includes the information each of the
users is looking for.

27.2.3 Title

What is the report title going to be?

Write out a working title for your report. You may decide to change it
later, but at least you will have a title to use when creating your
prototype report.

27.2.4 Other Header Information

What information do you need besides the title to identify the report?

Are you going to include identifying information in addition to your
report title? You may wish to include the current date, information on
who prepared the report, a block of text to describe the purpose of the
report, the range of data covered, etc. If you are going to include such
information, write it down so you can use it in preparing your prototype.

27.2.5 Header Information Sources

Where is that information to come from?

The information can come from a variety of sources, depending on the kind
of information you plan to use. For example, the current date can be
inserted using the Crystal Reports Insert|Print Date Field command.
Information on who prepared the report might be drawn from individual data
fields in the database(s) used. (If it is to be drawn from a database, what
database? Or, what combination of databases?) A block of text can be
created and entered on the face of the report itself. As you begin to think
of where the information is to come from, you begin formally structuring
the report.

27.2.6 Data Types in the Header

If the information exists in a database, what types of fields contain the
data: number, text, etc.?

Crystal Reports uses different rules for working with different types of
data. You will find it helpful later if you note the data type of each
piece of data you plan to draw from a database.

27.2.7 Footer Information

What identifying information do you want to appear at the bottom of each
page (page number, report name, author's name, "Confidential," etc.)?

27.2.8 Footer Data Sources

Where is that information to come from?

27.2.9 Data Types in the Footer

If the information exists in a database, what types of fields is the data
stored in: number, text, etc.?

27.2.10 Report Body Data

What specific data do you want to appear in the body of the report?

When you think of a report, it is probably the body of the report that you
think of. The body should contain all the data that you need to fulfill the
statement of purpose you wrote for the report. It should also contain all of
the data needed by the various users that you have identified. You
might find it helpful to list first the basic data that is required to
fulfill the purpose statement, and then list the more specific kinds of data
needed by the various users.

27.2.11 Body Data Sources

Where is that data to come from?

This step requires you to look at the available databases. Crystal Reports
allows you to combine data from different databases to create your reports,
so you have a great deal of flexibility in your work.

o  Much of the data in a typical report will be taken directly from data
fields. Which data fields will you be using and where are they located?

o  Other data will be calculated based on data fields. Which data fields
will be used in the calculations?

o  Still other data will be input directly into the report (headings, text
blocks, etc.). Which data will you enter directly on the report, without
drawing it from data fields?

27.2.12 Existing or Calculated?

Does that data exist in data fields or does it need to be calculated from
data field values?

Some report information can be drawn directly from data fields (sales
information, for example); other information will have to be calculated
based on data field values (sales commission, for example, based on the
relationship of sales to quota). In your planning, it can be helpful to
segregate or flag data that needs to be calculated from that which can
be used directly.

27.2.13 Data Types in the Body

What kinds of fields contain the data: number, text, etc.?

While it is important to understand data types for all data you will be
using, it is of critical importance that you know the data type for data
fields that will be used in calculations. Functions and operators work with
specific kinds of data, so it's important to know the data type to
know which functions and operators you can use in your calculations.

27.2.14 Groups

Do you want your data organized into groups? How do you want it grouped? By
customer? By date?

27.2.15 Group Values

Do you want to show a subtotal at the end of each group? A count? An
average? Crystal Reports allows you to specify several kinds of group values.

27.2.16 Group Value Positions

Where do you want the group values to appear. With the group data? With the
group data but on a page separate from other groups? Only at the bottom of
the page?  Crystal Reports gives you all of these options.

27.2.17 Grand Totals, Grand Total Averages, etc.

Do you want to total (or average, count, or determine the maximum or
minimum value included in) all the values in any column on your report?

Crystal Reports allows you to do this and place the grand total (or the
grand total average, grand total count, etc.) at the bottom of the selected
column.

27.2.18 Flags

What information, if any, do you want flagged on the report?

You may want to call attention to some data by flagging it on your report.
For example, non-moving inventory items are often flagged on inventory
reports so they can be given special attention. If you want any information
flagged, identify the information and the parameters for flagging.

Using the inventory report example, you might want to flag each item that
has shown no activity during the last month, during the last three months,
or during some defined period.

27.2.19 Flag Options

How do you want it flagged?

You may want to flag items with an asterisk or some other symbol, or you
may want a word to appear as a flag. In any case, you should write out
flagging instructions so they are handy.

27.2.20 Highlights

What information do you want highlighted in some way so that it really
stands out?

Crystal Reports gives you the opportunity to underline report elements, or
to change the fonts or font size used for specific report items. All of
these formatting tools can be used to highlight key data on a report. If
you have data that you want highlighted, you should write down highlighting
instructions so they are handy too.

27.2.21 Record or Group Selection

Do you want the report to be based on all records or groups in the database
or only on specified records or groups?

Crystal Reports gives you the opportunity to base a report on all records in
a given database, or on a limited set of records from the database. Using
Crystal Reports you can select records based on simple date ranges or
comparisons, or you can create complex formulas to identify the records
to be included. Take a few minutes to determine the records needed for your
report and list the criteria to be used for selecting those records.

27.2.22 Sorting

Do you want your data sorted based on record or group values?
Crystal Reports gives you both alternatives.


27.3 Developing a Prototype on Paper

Graphic designers generally begin their work on a magazine cover,
brochure, or display advertisement with a rough pencil sketch. They often
use boxes, circles, or other symbols to represent the graphic elements they
intend to include in the final product, and they often use lines or
scribbles to represent text. Doing the rough design on paper, in pencil,
helps them create a "look" for each page. It helps them find a balanced
way of positioning the various elements before they begin working with
sophisticated graphics tools. We think you will find a similar exercise
helpful in designing your Crystal Reports reports.

While a paper prototype is useful regardless of your expertise with Crystal
Reports, it is particularly valuable when you are first learning to use the
Crystal Reports program. With the paper prototype at hand, you can put your
full effort into learning and using the Crystal Reports commands instead of
trying to design and learn at the same time.

Use the following procedure to design a paper prototype with Crystal Reports:

o  Get paper of the size you'll be using for your finished report.
o  Position your title and other descriptive header information, using
boxes or lines to represent report elements.
o  Position your footer information.
o  Review the page for balance.
o  Look at the information you intend to include in the body of your report.
    - Count the number of fields you will be using and estimate the
    appropriate spacing between fields.
    - Use rectangles to pencil in the fields using your estimated spacing.
    - Change the spacing if necessary.
    - Decide on a logical sequence for presenting the report data.
    - Label the fields to indicate that sequence.
o  Use small boxes to indicate group values and totals.
o  Place some random flags where you want the flags to appear.
o  Darken any elements you want highlighted so they stand out from the
rest of your prototype.
o  Review your finished product for look and balance, and make changes as
needed.


27.4 Setting Up the Prototype Using Crystal Reports

Once you have completed your paper prototype, it is a straightforward
process to recreate that prototype in the computer, using Crystal Reports.
Before you do, it is important to understand how Crystal Reports' report
editing process works.

NOTE:  This section assumes that you are new to Crystal Reports and that
you plan to build a simple report using data from a single database. No
advanced topics are covered in this section.

When you want to begin a new report, Crystal Reports displays the Choose
Database File dialog box.  You use this dialog box to select the database
file(s) that contain the data you want to use in your report. You will
first select the directory and, once in the directory, you can select the
database file you identified earlier in Deciding on the Content of Your
Report.


27.5 The Report Editor

Once you select your database, Crystal Reports displays the Report Editor
screen. You use this screen to insert and format data and to watch your
report take shape.

When you open a new report, Crystal Reports automatically creates three
sections in the Report Editor:

o  A Page header section - this section is generally used for the report
title, field headings, and other information that you want to appear at the
top of each page.
o  A Details section - this section is the body of the report. The bulk of
your report data will generally appear in this section.
o  A Page footer section - this section usually contains the page number
and any other information that you want to appear on the bottom of each page.

The name of each section appears in the gray area to the left of the Report
Editor edit box.

o  You build your report by inserting data fields, formulas, and other
report elements (record counts, record numbers, etc.) in the Details
section of the editor. You use the Insert menu, in most cases, to select
or create the elements you want to insert on the report. The Report Editor
uses rectangular element markers to indicate the size, position, and data
type of the report elements you have inserted.

o  You add subtotals (and other group values) by selecting a field to
subtotal and then telling Crystal Reports the conditions that are to
generate a new subtotal or group value (change of customer number, change
of sales rep, etc.). Crystal Reports creates group value sections as
needed and places the group value in the section. Again, Crystal Reports
uses rectangular field boxes to represent the group values.

o  You insert grand totals in the Grand Total section. This section appears
when you select the field to total and then select Insert|Grand Total.
Crystal Reports uses a rectangular field box, this time to identify the
field in the Grand Total section of the Report Editor.

o  You can add freeform text anywhere on the report by positioning the
text cursor in the section in which you want the text to appear, typing in
the text, and then using the Tab key to move it into position. You can also
type freeform text in a text field; this allows you to avail yourself of
additional formatting options (alignment, hide options, etc.).

27.5.1 Auto-Scrolling Capabilities

The Report Editor has auto-scrolling capabilities. That is, whenever the
cursor hits one of the edges of the Report Editor when you are placing,
resizing, or moving a field or drawing a graphic line or box, the Editor
automatically scrolls to reveal more workspace (if more is available).

27.5.2 Resizing Sections

The Report Editor first appears with default section sizes. You can expand
or reduce report sections by dragging the lines that separate the sections.
When you position the I-beam cursor over one of those lines, the cursor
changes to a double-arrow resizing cursor. Once that cursor appears,
you can resize as needed. Alternately, to expand a report section, you can
click the section of interest and press Enter as many times as needed. Once
you've expanded a section, you can reduce it by deleting unneeded lines with
the Backspace key.

27.5.3 A Word about Databases, Records and Fields

Before we go any further, a discussion of databases, records, and fields
is in order. A record is the basic building block of a database. Each record
contains data about a single entity (a customer, an order, etc.), and each
database contains at least one record. The data in each record is stored in
fields (holding spaces). Each field holds one piece of data known as a value.
The database from which you will create a report is a collection of related
records. A customer database, for example, is a collection of records that
each contain data on a single customer.

27.5.4 Records and Fields in Row/Column Reports

Think of the data in a database as being stored in horizontal rows and
vertical columns.

CustNumber              Fname           Lname
01034456                Bill            Brown
01034457                Jane            Doe
01034458                Bob             Jackson
01034459                Mary            Jones

The table above shows field values for four records from such a database
(in this case a customer database).

o  Each row represents one record. All of the data in that row is about a
single customer, but the data is broken into three distinct pieces: customer
number, first name, and last name. Each of those pieces represents a
value found in a field on that record, the CustNumber, Fname, and Lname
fields respectively (as indicated by the column headings).

o  Each column represents one field. All the data in a given column
represents the values that appear in that field on each of the records in
the database.

The structure of a row/column report corresponds to the structure of a
database with rows representing individual records and columns
representing individual fields.

27.5.5 Records and Fields in Data Block Reports

Some reports don't follow the row/column format, however. Instead, some group
related data in data blocks. A mailing list, for example, typically uses
several rows for each record: a row for the company name, a second row for
the street address, a third row for the city, state and ZIP code, etc. In
such a report all the data for a given customer in the list appears
in a block. Each block represents a single record even though the data in
the block spans several rows.

27.5.6 Data Types

The data type of a field, (string, number, currency, date, Boolean, or memo)
determines the type of information that can be stored in that field and
which will print in the report column.

Fields of each data type display on your screen like this:

XXXXXXX         String - for example, a company name, account description
        or customer name.

$5,555,555.55   Currency (Paradox/Btrieve files only) - for example $500.00
        or $50,000,000.00-.

5,555,555.55    Number - for example 120 or 5555.

YYYY-MM-DD      Date - for example Oct 10 90.

YES/NO          Boolean (YES/NO) data fields - for example, the result of a
        formula which compares a customer's credit limit to see if
        it is greater than $5000 and prints YES if the credit limit
        is more than that amount; NO if it is less than that amount.

XXXXXXX         Memo - a paragraph describing a piece of property,
        comments regarding a job applicant, a summary of a movie
        plot, etc.

27.5.7 Formatting, and Record and Group Selection

While formatting, and record and group selection will be covered in depth
later, there are a few things about those subjects that are worthwhile to
cover here:

o  Currency, date, and Boolean fields are shown above in the default format.
This format is used for both the element markers (in the report editor) and
for the report elements themselves (in the report). If you want your data
to appear in a different format on your report, you can make the desired
changes using the Format|Field command.

NOTE:  The characters in the element markers change to reflect font changes
and many formatting changes (alignment, etc.).

o  The width and position of a field (when you place it in the Report Editor)
determines the initial spacing between fields and the order in which the
fields will print across the report page.

o  When you insert a data field in your report, Crystal Reports assumes that
you want to pull data from all the data records in the selected database.
To limit the records (or groups of records) used in your report, you need
to tell Crystal Reports how to identify the records or groups of records
you want to include. Using Edit Record Selection Formula or Edit Group
Selection Formula on the Print menu, you can build the selection formula
that fits your needs.


27.6 Building Your Prototype

To build your report you will follow these steps:

o  Select the database(s) you wish to use in your prototype report.
o  Enter and position the data fields, text, and titles you want included
in the header, footer, and body of your report.
o  Print your report to the Print Window and review your work.
o  Make whatever changes are called for.
o  Insert your totals, subtotals and other group fields.
o  Enter and position any formula fields that will calculate or
manipulate data or create flags.
o  Print your report to the Print Window and review your work.
o  Format the report elements that you want to stand out in some way from
the others.

27.6.1 Selecting the Database(s)

You use the File|New Report command to begin a report from scratch. That
command leads you to a dialog box from which you can select the first
database you wish to use. To select additional databases, you use the
Database|Add File to Report command.

27.6.2 Entering and Positioning Data Fields

Enter and position data fields using the Insert Database Field dialog
box that lists available fields in the selected database. Make your
selections from the list, and then place the field in your report using
the rectangular field placement cursor that appears.

27.6.3 Adding Text

You can add text to your report by typing it at the text cursor and then
moving it into place. Move the I-beam cursor to the line on which you
wish to enter text and click the left mouse button to set the text cursor
at the left edge of the Report Editor. Then, simply type in your
text, move the I-beam cursor in front of it, and push it into position using
the Tab key or Space Bar. You can also add text by inserting text fields and
positioning them as you would any other field.

27.6.4 Entering Field Titles

By default, Crystal Reports automatically inserts a field title whenever
you insert a new field or formula field. The title is a text field that can
be edited. The left edge of the title field comes aligned with the left edge
of the field it identifies. To toggle this feature off you use the
File|Options command.

27.6.5 Printing and Reviewing

You can print and review your work in progress at any time using the
Print|Print To Window command. When you select this command, Crystal
Reports prints your report to the print preview window.

27.6.6 Making Changes

Move a database field drag it to a new position with the mouse, or by
selecting it and using the Arrow keys. You can move a field within
its originating section or to other sections of your report if you wish.
To delete a field select it and then press the Delete key or select
Edit|Clear.

NOTE:  To select multiple fields at one time, press the Shift key and,
while keeping it depressed, click the various fields you want to select.
Handles will appear on each field selected. When finished, you can
move or delete the selected fields as a group.

27.6.7 Placing Totals, Subtotals, and Other Group Values

To place grand totals select the numeric or dollar field you want to total,
and then select Insert|Grand Total from the Menu Bar.

Select group values (subtotals, group averages, group counts, etc.) by
first selecting the field you want grouped. Then select the kind of
group value you want, using the Insert|Subtotal or Insert|Summary commands.
Select the kind of group value you want (if you selected Insert|Summary).
Then select the field that the program uses to sort and group your data
by and the sort direction.

27.6.8 Moving Group Values

To move a subtotal or summary drag it to a new position with the mouse, or
select it and move it with the Arrow keys. You can move subtotals and
summaries only within their originating sections, or from the group footer
section to the group header section for the subtotal or summary of interest.

27.6.9 Entering Formulas

Enter formulas using the Insert|Formula command. This command calls up
the Formula Editor. Using the Formula Editor, build your formula using
fields, functions, and operators, and check your work using the built in
formula checker.

27.6.10 Formatting

You can change the font or point size using the Format|Font command. You
can change the alignment and printing characteristics of field data using
the Format|Field command, and you can change the conditions that trigger
subtotals, add page breaks, suppress blank lines, hide selected sections,
etc. using the Format|Section command.

Once you have built a prototype report, you have a working model that you
can customize to meet your specific needs.


27.7 Manipulating the Data with Formulas and Functions

Crystal Reports uses formulas and functions to help you create reports more
quickly and easily. It uses them also to allow you to do the kind of
"number crunching" and data manipulations that are necessary for advanced
reporting.

27.7.1 Formulas

A formula is a set of instructions that may be used to calculate
information you can't obtain directly from database data fields.

For example:
o  A database record may have a Qty1 field and a Qty2 field but no field
that sums both quantities. If you want the sum of these two fields to
appear on your report, you need a formula that adds the value in one field
to the value in the other.

o  A database record for a sales rep may contain the field GrossSales and
you want to use 120% of that gross as the sales quota for the following year.
To accomplish this you need a formula that multiplies GrossSales by 120%.

o  A database record for a one product company may contain a field Revenue
that expresses total dollar sales for the year. You're interested in
determining the number of units sold based on an average price of 49.95 per
unit. To accomplish this you need a formula that divides Revenue by 49.95.

All of these examples require simple formulas: {file.Qty1} + {file.Qty2},
1.20 * {file.GrossSales}, and {file.Revenue}/49.95 respectively. These
formulas all use Crystal Reports operators (+, * [multiply], / [divide])
and they're all easy to create and understand.

But not all of your information needs can be reduced to simple formulas;
some needs require extensive calculations or manipulations. For example:

o  You want to determine your average monthly unit sales for the last year,
rounded to the nearest unit.

o  You want to convert ounces of inventory to pounds and ounces, and have
it appear in the format x pounds y ounces.

The formulas required to accomplish these activities require a fair amount
of data manipulation: rounding, averaging, converting numbers to text,
calculating remainders, etc. While some of the manipulations (averaging,
calculating remainders) can be done using Crystal Reports operators alone,
others can't be done without the use of functions. And even the ones that can
be done without functions can be done more quickly and efficiently with them.
(For additional information on formulas, see Crystal Reports Help.)

27.7.2 Functions

A function is a preset procedure or subroutine used to evaluate, make
calculations on, or transform data. For example:

o  the NumericText function evaluates the contents of a text field to see
if it is a number, and

o  the UpperCase function transforms all lowercase characters in a string
to uppercase.

When you specify a function, Crystal Reports performs the set of operations
built into the function without requiring you to specify each operation
separately. For example:

o  the Average function sums a list of values and divides the sum by the
number of values in the list.

o  the DayOfWeek function extracts the day component of a date, determines
the day of the week the date falls on, and converts the day of the week to
a number (1-7) where Sunday is the first day of the week.

By performing multiple operations with a single command, these kinds of
functions are a kind of shorthand that make it easier and less time
consuming for you to create reports.

But not all functions involve lengthy calculations; some simply allow you
to do things that you couldn't do easily without them while others take the
drudgery out of report creation. For example:

o  the ToNumber function converts a number that has been stored as text,
to a number that can be used in calculations, and

o  TrimRight removes all the spaces to the right of a string of data
stored left-justified in a database.

27.7.3 How Functions are Used

Functions are used in formulas. In fact, a single function and its
required argument(s) may include the entire formula. For example, Abs
({file.TestResult}) is a perfectly acceptable, stand-alone formula for
calculating the absolute value of the field TestResult.


27.7.4 Function Syntax

Each function comes with its own set of usage rules (syntax). These rules
must be followed for the function to perform correctly. If they are not,
Crystal Reports displays a Formula Compiler Error message.

As an example, the correct syntax for using the Average([array]) function is:

    Average ([array])

    << where array is an array of constants, field values or calculation
    results, separated by commas.>>

Translated, this means that to use the Average([array]) function correctly,
you should enter:

    Average

followed by a list of numeric values, separated by commas, with the list of
values enclosed in brackets, and with the array enclosed in parentheses.
Thus:

    Average ([1,2,3,4,5])

is an example of the correct way to use the Average([array]) function.

If you try to use the function:

o  without separating the values by commas,
o  without enclosing the values in brackets,
o  without enclosing the array in parentheses,
o  while including any unnecessary characters, or
o  with values that are not numeric,

Crystal Reports won't accept the formula and will display a Compiler Error
message identifying your error.

27.7.5 Entering Formulas and Functions

Formulas and functions are entered via Crystal Reports' Formula Editor.

The Formula Editor is a dialog box that contains all the tools you need to
create and check the correctness of formulas. Using the Editor, you:

o  assign a name to your formula,
o  enter the formula,
o  check it to make sure you have entered it correctly, and then
o  accept it for use in your report.

When you accept it, Crystal Reports places the formula in your report in the
position you selected for it. Then, when you print the report, Crystal
Reports prints the results of the formula instead of the formula itself.

27.7.6 The Fields Box

You can enter fields into your formulas in two ways: via the Fields box, or
manually.

o  To enter a field via the Fields scroll box, you move the I-beam cursor
to the place you want to insert the field and click the left mouse button to
set the text cursor at that point. Then you locate the field you wish
to insert from the Fields scroll box list.

    - Fields already in use in the report are grouped at the top of the
    list; other available fields follow.

    - Formulas you have entered are listed next, their names preceded by
    the @ sign.

    - All other fields available in the active databases are listed
    last, grouped by database.

Select a field. Crystal Reports inserts the selected field (complete with
the required syntax elements) at the text cursor.

NOTE:  You select an item from the Formula Editor scroll boxes (Fields,
Functions, or Operators) by double clicking it, or by clicking it once to
highlight it and then clicking the Select button at the bottom of the
Editor to complete the selection process.

o  To enter a field manually, you locate the text cursor in the appropriate
position and type in the field name as you would any text.

o  The correct syntax for a database field name is:

    {file.fieldname}
If you:

    - don't include the file name,
    - leave out the separating period, or
    - fail to surround the expression in braces,

Crystal Reports will generate a Formula Compiler Error message detailing
your error.

o  The correct syntax for a formula field is:

    {@formulaname}

27.7.7 Operators and Functions Boxes

You can also enter operators and functions into your formula in one of two
ways: manually or via the Operators and Functions scroll boxes.

o  To enter an operator or function manually, locate the text cursor in
the appropriate position and type in the operator or function as you would
any text.

o  To enter an operator or function via the lists in the Functions and
Operators scroll boxes, set the text cursor where you want the entry
to appear in the formula.
    - Then select the item of interest from the scroll box lists.
    Crystal Reports inserts the selected item in your formula, complete
    with any parentheses, brackets, or commas required.

    NOTE:  For an array of items, only the first comma is included. As
    you enter additional items into an array, you will need to type in
    commas to separate the items.

27.7.8 Order of Precedence

When entering formulas that contain different kinds of operators, it is
important to consider order of precedence, the order in which Crystal
Reports performs the operations in your formula.

You learned simple order of precedence in high school math: when performing
calculations, do multiplication and division first, then addition and
subtraction. Thus:

    5 + 10 X 3 = 35

The calculation 10 x 3 is performed first to get 30. 30 is then added to
5 to arrive at the final answer.

Now if your intention is to add 5 to 10 and then multiply the sum by 3,
you have to modify the order of precedence with parentheses. You can do
that thus:

    (5 + 10) x 3 = 45

It's clear that parentheses have a higher precedence than the add,
subtract, multiply, and divide operators. They redirect the order of
calculation.

You learned all of this in school and Crystal Reports follows the same
rules of precedence. But Crystal Reports uses many additional operators,
and it's important for you to understand the precedence Crystal Reports
assigns to each so you can write your formulas to perform as expected.

o  In the following list, Crystal Reports performs the top level operations
first, then the second level, then the third, and so forth.

o  When it encounters two or more operations that are on the same level,
it performs them left to right.

Level 1         Parentheses, Array, IfThenElse
Level 2         Call, Subscript
Level 3         Identity, Negate, Dollar, Not
Level 4         Multiply, Divide, Percent
Level 5         Add, Subtract
Level 6         To
Level 7         Less than, Greater than, Greater than or equal, Less than
        or equal, In
Level 8         Equal, Not equal
Level 9         And
Level 10        Or

27.7.9 Using Dates in Formulas

Crystal Reports includes many useful functions for including dates and
date ranges in formulas; you will learn more about those functions in
Crystal Reports Help. At this point, however, it's useful to know how to
enter any date into a formula.

You enter a date simply by entering the Date function (manually or via the
Function button) and then providing the date of interest in the parentheses
that follow in the form YYYY,MM,DD (1992,01,01 = January 1, 1992).

27.7.10 The Formula Checker

The Formula Editor also contains a formula checker which checks the syntax
of your formula. If the syntax is incorrect, the formula checker points out
the location of the problem and tells you what the problem is. You activate
the formula checker by selecting the Check button. Crystal Reports also
checks the formula automatically when you choose Accept. When debugging
formulas, especially if you have entered them manually, look carefully for:

o  missing quotation marks around text strings,
o  missing database name accompanying field names,
o  missing braces around database name/field name combinations,
o  missing closing parentheses to match opening parentheses,
o  case differences (the Formula Checker is case sensitive),
o  if-then-else formulas that use different data types for the then and
else actions, and
o  using X instead of * for multiplication.

The Formula Editor is easy to use and can be called up by selecting Formula
from the Insert menu.

27.7.11 Developing Complex Calculations with Formulas

Crystal Reports allows you to combine fields, functions, and operators to
create complex calculations and manipulations of data. For example, to test
the drawing power of two different offers, you can use a single Crystal
Reports formula to send one offer to all customers with an even customer
number and a second offer to all customers with an odd customer number. You
can do some remarkable manipulations using Crystal Reports formulas.


27.8 Grouping, Summarizing, and Sorting Your Data

Crystal Reports allows you to group, summarize, and sort your data to
achieve the reporting results you want.

27.8.1 Grouping the Data

A group is a set of records that are related to each other in some way.
In a customer list, for example, a group could consist of all those
customers living in the same ZIP code, or in the same state. In a sales
report, a group could consist of all the orders placed by the same customer,
or all of the orders generated by a specific sales rep.

Breaking data into groups (and then doing something to evaluate the group
data, if you wish) is a key part of effective reporting. In fact, it's what
separates a report from being merely a presentation of raw data and a
valuable communication tool.

Crystal Reports allows you great flexibility in grouping data. It also
gives you the ability to create a number of different kinds of group values.

27.8.2 Group Values

A group value is the value generated as the result of an evaluation, a
tally, or a calculation performed on data from a single group. A subtotal
is one kind of group value; it is the sum of all of the values from a single
field, from all the records in a group. In a sales report, for example, if
you subtotal sales by sales rep, Crystal Reports gathers all the records
that belong to the sales rep and totals the sales amounts from all the
records. In a group average, Crystal Reports averages the values in a group
of records; in a group count, it counts the values in a group of records,
etc. Group values are important tools for creating powerful reports.
Crystal Reports gives you several alternatives for working with group data.
It enables you to:

o  calculate the sum of values,
o  calculate the standard deviation or variance of the values,
o  average the values,
o  count the values,
o  determine the highest value, and
o  determine the lowest value in the group.

27.8.3 Grouping Data with Crystal Reports

While there may be many data fields on a report, there is typically only
one field for which you are interested in grouping the data. In a sales
report, for example, it would probably be the field listing the amount of
sales; in a commission report, it would probably be the field listing the
amount of commission, etc. To group data you first select the field you
want to group together.

Once the field is selected, you select the action you want to take on each
group of data from that field:

o  If you want to simply group the data and take no further action, you
can select Insert|Group.
o  If you want to subtotal it, you can select Insert|Subtotal.
o  If you want to average, count, determine the maximum or minimum value,
etc., you can select Insert|Summary.

Subtotals and summaries make up the category of group fields.

NOTE:  The Insert|Subtotal command is simply a shortcut for setting up
a summary that adds the values in each group.

Once you have selected the group field and the action, you select another
field (a sort and group by field) that triggers a grouping whenever its
value changes. In grouping your data by state, for example, you would use
the state field to create a new group (and generate a group value if
selected) whenever the state changes. Likewise, the ZIP code field would
trigger a grouping whenever the ZIP code changes.

Once you've made these simple selections, Crystal Reports does the rest.
Your data will be grouped, and the group value (if you have selected one)
will be calculated and will accompany each group.


27.9 Summarizing the Data

Crystal Reports provides three easy-to-use summarizing options:

Grand Total     A grand total adds all values in a field for the entire
        report and prints the sum on the last page.

Subtotal        A subtotal is a partial total, a total of a specific,
        limited group of data in a field.

Summary         A summary summarizes field data from a specific, limited
        group of records. It can total the data like a subtotal,
        but it can also average the values, count the values, or
        determine the highest or lowest value in each group or field.

All of these options are available on the Insert menu.

27.9.1 The Summarizing Process

The process of summarizing the data on your report follows these steps:

1.  Selecting the field you want to summarize.

2.  Selecting the summarizing option you want from the Insert menu.

    Finally, if you select Subtotal or Summary as a total type, the
    process will also include the following step:

3.  Selecting the data field that triggers a new subtotal/summary
    whenever its value changes.

27.9.2 Selecting a Field to Total

To select the field you want to summarize, click on it with a mouse.
Crystal Reports puts handles on the selected marker to highlight it as
selected.

27.9.3 Selecting a Total Type

To select a total type, select it from the Insert menu or pop-up menu.

27.9.4 Selecting a Field to Trigger a New Subtotal

If you select Subtotal or Summary as a total type, Crystal Reports asks
you to indicate the field that is to trigger a new subtotal/summary
whenever its value changes.

NOTE:  For additional information on subtotaling data (with examples),
please see section 28.2.32 entitled "Sorting Your Data."


27.10 Sorting

There is a logic to the way values are arranged when they appear in a
column on your report. Initially, they are arranged in the same order as
the data appears in your database. But data can be sorted in a variety of
ways:

o  A mailing list, for example, could be sorted in ascending order, on
the ZIP code field; that is, the customers would be sorted so that those
with the lowest ZIP codes would appear first and those with the highest
ZIP codes would appear last.

o  It could also be sorted in ascending alphabetical order, on the last
name field; that is, customers with last names beginning with A would
appear first and those with last names beginning with Z would appear last.

o  It could also be sorted by street address or customer first name if
you had some practical reason for doing so.

Crystal Reports gives you the opportunity to change the existing sort order
using the Print|Record Sort Order and Print|Group Sort Order commands.

27.10.1 Sorting by Record

When you use the Print|Record Sort Order command, Crystal Reports asks you
to select two things:

o  the field you want your sort to be based on (sort field), and
o  the sort direction.

27.10.2 Sort Field

A sort field is a field that determines the order in which data appears on
your report. Crystal Reports sorts field data using Windows' sort
comparison algorithms, and it uses rules specific to the Country you
select in the International section of the Windows Control Panel.

You can use any field as a sort field. A field's data type determines the
method in which the data from that field is sorted:

Text            Text fields are sorted in the following manner:
        One character values are sorted so that blanks have the
        lowest value, then punctuation, then numbers, then
        uppercase letters, and finally lowercase letters.
        Then two character values are sorted, then three, etc.
        using the same rules. As a result: "BOB" comes before "bob",
        "123" comes before "124", " " (blank) comes before "a",
        and "aa" comes before "aaa"

Dollars         Dollar fields are sorted in numeric order.

Number          Number values (120, or 5555) are sorted in numeric order.

Dates           Date fields are sorted in chronological order.

Booleans        Comparison fields are sorted so that false values come
        first, then true.

When you select a sort field, Crystal Reports sorts the values from
that field.

27.10.3 Sort Direction

Direction refers to the order in which the values are printed, once sorted.

o  Ascending order means smallest to largest, 1 to 9, A to Z, False to True.
o  Descending order means largest to smallest, 9 to 1, Z to A, True to False.

27.10.4 Single Field Sorts

Single field sorts are sorts in which all the data in the report is sorted
based on the values in a single field. Sorting an inventory report by stock
number and sorting a customer list by customer number are examples of single
field sorts.

27.10.5 Multiple Field Sorts

In multiple field sorts, Crystal Reports first sorts the entries
(alphabetic or numeric) in the first field selected, putting them in
ascending or descending order as specified. Then it sorts any entries in
the second field that can be sorted without disturbing the sort order of
entries in the first field. It then sorts any entries in the third field
that can be sorted without disturbing the sort order of the entries in the
first two fields. It follows the same pattern for sorting additional fields.

27.10.6 Sorting Groups

Crystal Reports allows you to change the order in which groups appear on
your report. You can:

o  base the sort on any group (subtotal or summary) in your report, and
o  sort your report so that group field values appear in ascending or
descending order.

You change the sort order using the Print|Group Sort Order command. When
you sort by group, nothing happens to the sort order of the records within a
group; only the relative positions of the groups themselves change.

NOTE:  For additional information on sorting and examples of single field,
multiple field, and group sorts, please see section 28.2.32 entitled
"Sorting YourData."


27.11 Editing and Formatting the Data

Crystal Reports makes it easy to edit and format your data. The
editing/formatting process follows these steps:

1.  Selecting the data you want to edit or format.

2.  Selecting the editing or formatting action you want to take place.

3.  Entering the specifics of the action in the dialog box/editor
    if/when it appears.

27.11.1 Selecting the Data

To select the data element you want to edit or format, you click on it
with your mouse. Crystal Reports draws handles on the element marker to
highlight it as selected.

27.11.2 Selecting the Action

Once the element is selected, you select the editing or formatting action
from Crystal Reports' Edit or Format menus. For example:

o  to change the font used to print the data, select Font from the Format
menu,
o  to hide the field when printing, select Field from the Format menu, or
o  to modify a formula, select Formula from the Edit menu.

27.11.3 Entering the Specifics

In those cases where a dialog box or editor appears after you've selected
an action, you enter the specifics of that action in the window that appears.
For example:

o  in the Font dialog box, you enter the font and point size you wish to
use, and indicate whether you want the data to appear in boldface or italics,
or whether you want it to be underlined or overprinted with the strikeout
character, and

o  in the Formula Editor, you make the changes you want to the formula that
appears, check those changes if you wish, and accept the revised formula
when you're finished.

Crystal Reports takes it from there and performs the action you selected.

NOTE:  In some cases you have to specify a second action to complete the
editing change desired. For example, to move some text in your report, you
first cut the text from its current position, and then you paste it in its
new position. In such a case you select the data and then the action (Cut)
to cut the text to the clipboard. Then you mark the new position using the
insertion pointer and select Paste to insert the text in the new position.


27.12 Specifying Records/Groups to be Included

When you select a field to appear on your report, Crystal Reports, by
default, prints field values from every record in the selected database.
But in many cases you may not want to include all the values, but only a
specific range of values. For example, you may want to include only a
specific group of customers or a specific range of account numbers out of
the total number of values in the database. Or you may want to include
values from only those records that fall within a particular date range.
With Crystal Reports this is easy. The program includes four commands on the
Print menu for restricting your report to specific records or groups of
records as described in the following sections:

27.12.1 Select Records

This option allows you to limit your report to specific records that fit a
condition or conditions you specify. It automatically builds a record
selection formula using your responses to dialog box questions. This option
requires no knowledge of the Crystal Reports formula language.

27.12.2 Edit Record Selection Formula

This option also allows you to limit your report to specific records that
fit a condition or conditions you specify. It takes you to the Formula
Editor where you can manually build a record selection formula to fit
your needs. This command is intended for users who are familiar with the
Crystal Reports formula language.

27.12.3 Select Groups

This option allows you to limit your report to specific groups that fit a
condition or conditions you specify. It automatically builds a group
selection formula using your responses to dialog box questions. This
option requires no knowledge of the Crystal Reports formula language.

27.12.4 Edit Group Selection Formula

This option also allows you to limit your report to specific groups of
records that fit a condition or conditions you specify. It takes you to
the Formula Editor where you can manually build a group selection formula
to fit your needs. This command is intended for users who are familiar with
the Crystal Reports formula language.

You select the command, specify the records or groups of records you want
included, and your report prints using only the selected records or groups.


27.13 Printing the Finished Report

When you want to print your report or when you want to see what your report
will look like when printed, use Crystal Reports' three printing options:

o  printing to the printer for hard copy output
o  printing to a print window to review your work
o  printing to a disk file for use with other applications

All of these options are available on the Print menu.

When you are creating a report, you will find yourself printing to the
print window often, in order to check placement and formatting of the
various report elements. The print window even includes a print preview
function that lets you see each page of your report as a whole, top to
bottom. Then, when you want to print a final or interim copy of the report
for hands-on review, you can print to the printer for hard copy output.

If you want to use your report data in another application (in a spreadsheet
or word processor for example), you can print the report to a disk file in
any of a variety of popular file formats. Once in a disk file, you can import
the data into your other application following the importing procedures
established by the receiving application.



28.0 Practical Crystal Reports

This chapter contains a number of topics on the practical aspects of using
Crystal Reports to solve typical reporting problems.


28.1 Practical Crystal Reports

This chapter contains a number of topics on the practical aspects of
using Crystal Reports to solve typical reporting problems. The topics
are broken down into the following groups:


Creating a report               Topics on a variety of report creation skills.

Manipulating text and data      Topics that show you how to manipulate (copy,
                delete, move, etc.) text and data on your
                report.

Working with graphics and       Topics that show you how to size, scale,
graphic enhancements            crop, and fine tune the placement of
                bit-mapped graphics, and how to create, size,
                and position lines, boxes, and tables on
                your report.


28.2 Creating a Report

This section leads you through the following report creation topics:

o  Selecting a database
o  Selecting additional databases
o  Linking the databases
o  Understanding the invisible grid
o  Creating margins
o  Inserting fields
o  Selecting fields to move, format, etc.
o  Spacing fields
o  Inserting text
o  Selecting text (to delete, change the font, etc.)
o  Aligning text with fields
o  Inserting blank lines
o  Deleting blank lines
o  Changing field and text fonts
o  Highlighting fields with borders and drop shadows
o  Centering text, field values
o  Inserting page headers and footers
o  Inserting page numbers and other special fields
o  Grouping data
o  Summarizing grouped data
o  Creating group headers
o  Sorting your data
o  Hiding parts of the report when printing
o  Selecting records and groups you want included on your report.
o  Selecting page orientation and paper size

28.2.1 Selecting a Database

Begin the report creation process by selecting (activating) a database.
Once activated, the database serves as a source from which you can select
fields to appear on your report and to be included in report formulas.

Select a database using the New Report command on the File menu.

28.2.2 Selecting Additional Databases

Crystal Reports allows you to draw data from multiple databases for use in
a single report. Select the first database you want to use from the Choose
Database File dialog box that appears when you select New Report from the
File Menu. Select the second and each additional database using the Add File
to Report command on the Database menu.

28.2.3 Linking the Databases

You link databases so that records from one database will match up with
records from another. For example, if you activate a Customer database and
an Order database, you link the databases so that orders in the Order
database can be matched up with the customers who placed the orders (from
the Customer database).

Links are fields that are common to the two databases. The fields don't
have to have the same name; but they must have the same structure (size,
data type), and contain the same kind of data.

o  When you activate additional databases using the Database|Add File to
Report command, Crystal Reports takes you directly to the Define Link dialog
box. You use this dialog box to establish the link between the database
you are activating and a database which is already active.

o  If you later wish to create new links, or update or delete existing
links, you use the Database|Links command which takes you to the Links
dialog box. Use this dialog box for a variety of linking activities.

28.2.4 Understanding the Invisible Grid

The Report Editor looks very freeform. It looks like you can place anything
anywhere and hope for good results. But that is not the case. The Editor
contains an invisible grid which directly affects the placement of data
fields and text fields.

Think of the grid as a series of row and column coordinates. Crystal Reports
allows you to place fields and text only at these coordinates, not between
them. In this way it makes it very easy for you to place and space data on
your report, and to align text and fields as needed. If you attempt to
place a report element between grid coordinates, Crystal Reports "snaps" the
element to the grid (i.e., it moves the element automatically to the
nearest coordinate).

o  When you place a data field in the Report Editor, Crystal Reports
"snaps" it to the nearest coordinate. Use the arrow keys or the mouse
to move the fields once they have been placed.

    - When you use the arrow keys to move the field, each time you
    press the arrow the field moves one grid position.
    - When you use the mouse to drag the field to a new location,
    Crystal Reports "snaps" the field to the nearest coordinate as the
    field moves.

o  When you type text in the Report Editor, Crystal Reports always begins
the text at a grid coordinate.

    - Use the Tab key to move the text; each time you press the Tab
    key the text moves six grid positions

NOTE:  Crystal Reports uses a four pixel horizontal grid and a vertical
grid that is variable, based on the line height assigned to the largest
font used within a report section.

28.2.5 Creating Margins

Set margins in Crystal Reports using the Print|Set Printer Margins
command.

o  Crystal Reports uses a dashed line to display your margins in the
Report Editor and Label Editor.

o  The displayed margins are active: they define the outer printing
limits of the report or label. Crystal Reports will not allow you to place
or move a field or text so it extends beyond the margins.

o  The numeric margin settings appear in both the Mailing Labels dialog
box and in the Printer Margins dialog box.

o  When you create a new report, Crystal Reports uses the non-printing
areas established for your printer as default margins. For example, if
your printer specifications indicate that the left quarter inch of a
page is a non-printing area, Crystal Reports sets the default left margin
at .25 inches. While you can set margins that fall inside the non-printing
areas, parts of your report may be clipped off if you do.

o  All margins are calculated from the paper edge. Thus, a left margin
of .25 inches causes the printing to start exactly one quarter inch in
from the edge of the paper.

28.2.6 Inserting Fields

Insert fields on your report using the Database Field command on the
Insert menu.

28.2.7 Selecting Fields to Move, Format, etc.

To do many things with a field (change the font, move it, etc.), first you
must to select it. Select means to point to the element with the mouse
and then to click the left mouse button to choose the element as the
object of the next menu selection. For example, to change font size, you
first select the element for which you want to change the font size. Then
you select the Font option from the Format menu (or Change Font from the
right mouse button menu) to select the new font size. The new font size
applies only to the field you selected.

When you select a field, black handles appear on the field box. These
handles indicate that the field is selected, and therefore active.

28.2.8 Selecting Multiple Fields at One Time

To select multiple fields at one time, press the Shift key and, while
keeping it depressed, click the various fields you want to select. Handles
will appear on each field selected. You can then move or delete the fields
as a group. You can also change the font or formatting or add borders
for all selected fields.

28.2.9 Spacing Fields

Set spacing between data fields by placing the fields where you want
them in the Report Editor (using the mouse or Arrow keys), checking your
spacing using the Print|Print to Window command, and then fine-tuning the
spacing, again in the Report Editor.

28.2.10 Spacing Considerations

The following items that can affect column spacing:

o  Field size - The amount of space allotted for a field may be much greater
than the size of the value that appears in the field.

    - In a number or dollar amount field (which is right justified
    by default), this can create a large number of leading blank
    spaces which can impact field spacing.
    - In all other fields (which are left justified by default), it
    can create a large number of trailing blank spaces which can
    impact field spacing.

You can reduce the amount of space allotted for a field by selecting the
field and then resizing it using the mouse or a Shift-Left Arrow or
Shift-Right Arrow key combination.

o  Mouse - To reduce the size of a field in the Report Editor using the
mouse, select the field and then drag either of the handles to make the
field box smaller.

o  Shift-Left Arrow key - To reduce the size of a field in the Report
Editor using the Shift-Arrow key combination, select the field, press the
Shift key, and, while keeping it depressed, press the Left Arrow key enough
times to reduce the field to the desired size.

NOTE:  If you have set up a data block of fields in the Report Editor
(i.e., Customer/Address/City in a customer list report), you can resize
all of the fields simultaneously once. First, click each of the fields while
holding down the Shift key. Then resize the fields by dragging on one of the
sizing handles from any of the selected fields (using the mouse) or by using
the Shift-Arrow key combination.

o  Alignment - Number and dollar amount fields are right justified by
default; all other data types are left justified. A right aligned field
following a left aligned field may appear to be spaced properly in the Report
Editor. You may need to fine tune the spacing, however, once you review
the report in the Print Window.

28.2.11 Inserting Text (Titles, Labels, etc.)

You can add text to your report by typing it at the insertion point and
then moving it into place or, by using the Insert|Text Field command.

Use the following procedure to insert text directly on your report:

1.  Move the I-beam cursor to the line on which you wish to enter text.

2.  Click the left mouse button to set the insertion point at the left
    margin of the Report Editor.

3.  Type in your text.

4.  Move the I-beam cursor in front of the text, click to set the insertion
    point and push the text into position using the Tab key.

Use the following procedure to insert text using a text field:

1.  Select Insert|Text Field.

    The Edit Text Field dialog box appears.

2.  Enter your text in the Enter Text edit box, and click OK when finished.

    A rectangular placement cursor appears and changes into a field box
    when it enters the Report Editor.

3.  Position the field box where you want the text field to appear and
    click the left mouse button to place it.

NOTE:  By default, Crystal Reports automatically places a title in the
Page Header section to identify each field or formula field you insert in
your report. These titles are simply text fields. As such, they can be
moved, formatted, deleted, resized, or edited to change the text.

o  For fields, the default title is the name of the field.
o  For formulas, the default title is the name of the formula.

The left edge of each title aligns with the left edge of the field
it identifies.  Automatic titles can be toggled off and on via the Insert
Detail Field Titles option in the Options dialog box.

28.2.12 Selecting Text (To Delete, Change the Font, etc.)

To do many things with text (change the font, delete it, etc.), first you
must to select it. Select means to highlight the text by dragging the
I-beam cursor over it while holding down the left mouse button. Your next
action (changing the font, selecting Edit|Cut, etc.) acts upon the text
selected.

NOTE:  When text is in a text field, you select it as you would select
any field.

28.2.13 Aligning Text with Fields

Often in reporting, you may find yourself wanting to align text with column
data (that you entered as fields or formula fields). To do this, place
your fields, type your text, and then move the text into position using the
Tab key. It is important to understand why you use the Tab key to perform
this function and not the Space Bar. Spaces on the screen take up a
different amount of space than spaces on the printer. Thus, what looks like
it is aligned on screen (using the Space Bar) may not be aligned when you
print. If text and fields are aligned to a given tab stop on screen, however,
the elements will also be aligned when you print. Since both elements are
aligned to the same tab stop, a tab expansion can affect only the absolute
position of the elements on a page, not their alignment relative to each
other.

To align text with fields, you move the text, the field, or both.

o  Move the text with the Tab key. Each time you press the Tab key the
text moves six grid positions.

o  Move the fields with the Arrow keys. Each time you press one of the
Arrow keys, the text moves one grid position.

NOTES:  a - If you want to center the text over a field, or right or
left align it, you can type the text into a text field and use the
Format|Field alignment commands to set the alignment of the text within
the text field.
b - Text can be moved right and left (with the Tab and Backspace keys) as
can fields (with the Right Arrow and Left Arrow keys). By moving text and
fields in concert, you should be able to get good alignment easily.
c - To align field titles with fields, working from left to right is best.
Make certain the first title is aligned with its field, then align the
second title with its field, etc. Aligning, in this case, consists of
aligning the left edge of the title with the left edge of the field.
d - For the best (and easiest) alignment of text and field data, enter
your text elements as text fields using the Insert|Text Field command
(instead of entering the text directly onto the report).

28.2.14 Inserting Blank Lines

To insert a blank line, move the I-beam cursor to the section in which
you want to enter the blank line, click the left mouse button to set the
insertion point, and press Enter one time for each blank line you want to
insert.

Considerations:

o  If you place the insertion point before text and then press Enter,
the blank lines will appear above the text.

o  If you place the insertion point after text and then press Enter,
the blank lines will appear below the text.

o  If you place the insertion point before or after a field and then
press Enter, the blank lines will always appear below the field. If you
want to insert blank lines above the field, insert the number of blanks
you need below the field as indicated, and then move the field down to
the bottom blank line you have just created.

NOTE:  You can also add blank lines by dragging the section boundary to
increase section size.

28.2.15 Deleting Blank Lines

By default the Report Editor allots three lines for the Page Header section
and three lines for the Page Footer section of your report. The defaults
may allot more lines than you need for those items on your report.

Additionally, you may expand a section on your report by a random number
of lines prior to inserting text and data, just to make sure you have
enough room for your entries. You may find that you have added more lines
than necessary.

Printing the report without first deleting the unneeded blank lines can
leave gaps in your report that make the report less attractive visually
and more difficult to read.

To delete unneeded blank lines:

o  If an entire section is blank (i.e., if you aren't putting anything
into the Page Footer section of your report), you can eliminate the
allotted blank lines by eliminating the entire report section via the Hide
Section option of the Format Section command.

o  If you have text and/or data in a section and just want to remove the
extraneous blank lines, click the I-beam cursor on the blank line you want
to delete. This sets the insertion point. Once the insertion point is set,
press the Backspace key (the key that deletes the previous character);
Crystal Reports deletes the line on which the insertion point is set.

NOTE:  You can also delete blank lines by dragging the section boundary to
decrease section size.

28.2.16 Changing Field and Text Fonts

You can change fonts quickly for any field value or text string in your
report using the Font dialog box.

Use the following procedure to change fonts for a field value.

1.  Select the field(s) for which you want to change the font.

    o To select a single field, click the field.
    o To select multiple fields, hold the Shift key down while you
    click the fields.

    Handles appear on the selected field(s).

2.  Select Format|Font or click the right mouse button and select Change
    Font from the pop-up menu.

    The Font dialog box appears.

3.  Make the font, style, size, color, and/or effects changes you want
    and click OK when finished.

Use the following procedure to change fonts for a text string:

1.  With the left mouse button depressed, drag the I-beam cursor over the
    text of interest to select it.

2.  Select Format|Font or click the right mouse button and select Change
    Font from the pop-up menu.

    The Font dialog box appears.

3.  Make the font, style, size, color, and/or effects changes you want and
    click OK when finished.

28.2.17 Highlighting Fields with Borders and Drop Shadows

Crystal Reports makes it easy for you to highlight your data with borders
and drop shadows, and color.

Use the following procedure to create borders, drop shadows, and add field
color:

1.  Select the field(s) you want to highlight.

    o  To select a single field, click the field.
    o  To select multiple fields, hold the Shift key down while you
    click the fields.

    Handles appear on the selected field(s).

2.  Select Format|Border and Colors or click the right mouse button and
    select Change Border and Colors from the pop-up menu.

    The Format Border and Colors dialog box appears.

3.  Set up the text color, fill (field color), border, and drop shadow you
    want.

4.  Click OK when finished to return to the Report Editor.

    The selected fields will be highlighted to your specifications.

NOTE:  If you selected multiple fields, the same highlights will be applied
to all fields. If you want to highlight different fields differently, you
must select and highlight each unique field individually.

28.2.18 Centering Text, Field Values

To center text and field values, you use the Crystal Reports' alignment
command.

Use the following procedure to center text under a title, over the body of
the report, etc.

1.  Select Insert|Text Field and create a text field that contains the
    text you want.

2.  Place the text field in the approximate position you want it to appear
    on the report.

3.  Change the font, font size, and font style for the text field if you
    wish.

4.  Resize the text field box so it matches the margins within which you
    wish to center the text.

    For example, if you want to center text beneath a report title, expand
    the field box so it's the same size as the report title (or report
    title field box). If you want to center a header entry over the body of
    the report, expand the header entry field box so it's the same width as
    the data in your report.

5.  Select Format|Field, and then select centered from the Alignment box in
    the Field Format dialog box when it appears.

6.  Select OK when finished; Crystal Reports centers your text within the
    expanded field box.

Use the following procedure to center a field value within the space
allotted for the field:

1.  Select the field whose value you want to center.

2.  Change the font, font size, and font style for the field if you wish.

3.  Select Format|Field, and then select centered from the Alignment box
    in the Field Format dialog box when it appears.

4.  Select OK when finished; Crystal Reports centers the field value within
    the space allotted for the field.

28.2.19 Inserting Page Headers and Footers

In many cases, you may want to include information at the top and bottom
of each page of your report.

o  At the top of the report (page header) you may want to include such
things as the report title, the report date, the range of dates covered by
the report, etc.

o  At the bottom of the report (page footer) you may want to print the page
number, the author's name, "Confidential," etc.

Crystal Reports makes it easy for you to include such header and footer
information.

28.2.20 To Insert Page Headers and Footers

You insert page headers and footers by placing the desired information in
the appropriate section of the report editor.

o  header information goes in the Page header section
o  footer information goes in the Page footer section
o  Any information you place in these sections prints on each page of the
report (unless you take special steps to prevent some printing).
o  You can use text, fields, or formulas in these sections just as you can
in the Details section.

28.2.21 To Format Page Headers and Footers

You can format each element in a header or footer in the same way you
would format that element if it appeared in the details section:

o  you can change the font for text, fields, or formulas (see Format|Font),

o  you can center the values horizontally on the page, center them over
your report data, or align them flush left, centered, or flush right
within the space allotted for them,

o  you can change the way dates, numbers, and currency appear when they
print, (see Format|Field) and

o  you can suppress any blank lines that occur in the section (see
Format|Section).

To format a header or footer element, select the element and then select
the formatting option of interest.

28.2.22 Inserting Page Numbers and Other Special Fields

Crystal Reports lets you insert special fields in your reports (in addition
to the data fields you draw from databases). These special fields allow you
to insert dates, page numbers, and group and record numbers in your report.

Print Date Field        Use Insert|Print Date Field to insert a field
            that prints whatever is the current date when
            the report prints.

Page Number Field       Use Insert|Page Number Field to insert a field
            that prints the current page number.

Record Number Field     Use Insert|Record Number Field to have Crystal
            Reports number each record printed in the Details
            section of your report.

Group Number Field      Use Insert|Group Number Field to have Crystal
            Reports number each group in your report.


When you select any of these special fields, a rectangular placement cursor
appears. Move the cursor to the point where you want to insert the field and
click the left mouse button to place it.

28.2.23 Grouping Data

Grouping data means breaking your data into meaningful groups before it
appears on your report. Crystal Reports makes it easy:

o  to group your data, and
o  to evaluate or perform calculations on the data in each group should
you so wish.

28.2.24 Simple Grouping

Simple grouping means breaking the data into groups without performing any
additional action (totaling, averaging, etc.) on the grouped data.

o  On a customer list, for example, you may want to group your data by
state for use by your customer service or telemarketing personnel. Crystal
Reports can quickly organize your data into state groups so that each group
contains only customers from a single state.

o  On a sales report you may want to group data by salesrep (each group
containing only sales made by a single salesrep) or by customer (each group
containing only sales made to a single customer). Crystal Reports
gives you the flexibility to group data in a variety of ways.

NOTE:  Whenever Crystal Reports groups data, it first sorts the data, and
then it breaks the sorted data into groups. For example, if you want to
group a customer list by state, Crystal Reports first sorts the data by
state. Then it begins a new group whenever the state changes. The following
data shows that process.

If all you want to do is group your data, you can do this easily with
Crystal Reports using the Insert|Group command.

Use the following procedure to do simple grouping:

1.  Select the field you want to group.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state, select the field
    that contains the company name, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer, select the
    field that contains the order amount.

2.  Select Insert|Group Section. The Insert Group Section dialog box appears.

3.  In the top scroll box, select the field that you want to trigger a
    grouping, whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state, select the state
    field, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer, select the
    field that contains the customer name or customer number.

4.  In the second scroll box, select the sort direction (in ascending order
    = A to Z, 0 to 9, in descending order = Z to A, 9 to 0).

5.  If you selected a date or Boolean field in the top scroll box, a third
    scroll box appears near the bottom of the dialog box. In this
    scroll box, select the date or Boolean condition that finalizes your
    subtotal specification.

6.  Select OK when finished. Crystal Reports sorts the data and then breaks
    it into groups according to your specifications.

NOTE:  You can tell that the data is grouped because two new sections
appear in the Report Editor bracketing the Details section.

28.2.25 Nesting Groups

You may also want to nest groups of data: group data within a group.
For example, on a customer list, you may want to group your data by state,
and then, within each state group, break the data down further, by city.

Crystal Reports lets you do this easily: you use the Insert|Group Section
command two times, first to set up the state group and then to set up the
city group.

NOTE:  You can add additional nesting levels as needed; there is no
practical limit to how many nesting levels you can set up.

Use the following procedure to group using nesting groups.

1.  Select the field you want to group.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state and then, within
    each state group, group the list by city, select the field that
    contains the company name, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer and then,
    within each customer group, group the list by date, select the
    field that contains the order amount.

2.  Select Insert|Group Section.

    The Insert Group Section dialog box appears.

3.  In the top scroll box, select the field that you want to trigger a
    grouping, whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state and then by city,
    select the state field, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer and then by
    date, select the field that contains the customer name or customer
    number.

4.  In the second scroll box, select the sort direction (in ascending order
    = A to Z, 0 to 9, in descending order = Z to A, 9 to 0)

5.  If you selected a date or Boolean field in the top scroll box, a third
    scroll box appears near the bottom of the dialog box. In this
    scroll box, select the date or Boolean condition that finalizes your
    subtotal specification.

6.  Select OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports groups the data according to the first set of
    specifications.

7.  Select the same field you selected in Step 1.

8.  Select Insert|Group Section again.

    The Insert Group Section dialog box appears.

9.  This time select the field you want to trigger the second group (the
    group within the group) whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state and then by city,
    select the city field, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer and then by
    date, select the date field.

10. Select the sort direction (ascending = A to Z, 0 to 9, descending =
    Z to A, 9 to 0).

11. Select OK when finished. Crystal Reports groups the data, this time
    using both sets of specifications.

12. Repeat Steps 6 to 10 for each additional group you want to set up.

28.2.26 Summarizing Grouped Data

Sometimes you may want to go beyond mere grouping of data. You may want to
first group the data and then evaluate or perform calculations on the data
in each group. You may want to sum, average, or count the values, calculate
the variance or standard deviation of the values, or determine the highest
(maximum) or lowest (minimum) value in each group.

o  You can sum the data using the Insert|Subtotal or Insert|Summary commands.

o  You can sum, average, count, calculate the variance or standard
deviation, or determine the maximum or minimum values using the
Insert|Summary commands.

NOTE:  Not all summary options are available for every data type. For
example, you cannot sum or average string fields.

28.2.27 Grouping and Summarizing Grouped Data

1.  Select the field you want to group.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state and then count the
    number of values in each group, select the field that contains
    the company name, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer and then
    determine the average sized order for each customer, select the
    field that contains the order amount.

2.  Select Insert|Summary.

    The Insert Summary dialog box appears.

3.  In the top scroll box, select the action you want to take on the
    grouped data.

    For example:

    - if you want to count the number of values in each group, select
    Count, or
    - if you want to average the values in each group, select Average.

4.  In the next scroll box, select the field that you want to trigger a
    grouping, whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state, select the state
    field, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer, select the
    field that contains the customer name or customer number.

5.  In the next scroll box select the sort direction (ascending = A to Z,
    0 to 9, descending = Z to A, 9 to 0).

6.  If you selected a date or Boolean field in the top scroll box, a
    third scroll box appears near the bottom of the dialog box. In this
    scroll box, select the date or Boolean condition that finalizes your
    summary specification.

7.  Select OK when finished. Crystal Reports sorts the data, and then groups
    and summarizes it to your specifications.

28.2.29 Grouping and Summarizing Using Nesting Groups

1.  Select the field you want to group.

    For example:

    - if you want to group and count a customer list by state and then,
    within each state group, group and count the list by city, select
    the field that contains the company name, or
    - if you want to group and sum an orders report by customer and
    then, within each customer group, group and sum the list by date,
    select the field that contains the order amount.

2.  Select Insert|Summary.

    The Insert Summary dialog box appears.

3.  In the top scroll box, select the action you want to take on the grouped
    data.

    For example:

    - if you want to count the number of values in each group, select
    Count, or
    - if you want to average the values in each group, select Average.

4.  In the next scroll box, select the field that you want to trigger a
    grouping, whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group a customer list by state, select the state
    field, or
    - if you want to group an orders report by customer, select the
    field that contains the customer name or customer number.

5.  In the next scroll box select the sort direction (ascending = A to Z,
    0 to 9, descending = Z to A, 9 to 0).

6.  If you selected a date or Boolean field in the top scroll box, a third
    scroll box appears near the bottom of the dialog box. In this scroll box,
    select the date or Boolean condition that finalizes your summary
    specification.

7.  Select OK when finished. Crystal Reports groups and summarizes the data
    to your specifications.

8.  Select the same field you selected in Step 1.

9.  Select Insert|Summary.

    The Insert Summary dialog box appears.

10. Select the action you want to take on the grouped data.

11. This time select the field you want to trigger the second group (the
    group within the group) whenever its value changes.

    For example:

    - if you want to group and count a customer list by state and then
    by city, select the city field, or
    - if you want to group and sum an orders report by customer and
    then by date, select the date field.

12. Select the sort direction (ascending = A to Z, 0 to 9, descending = Z
    to A, 9 to 0).

13. Select OK when finished. Crystal Reports groups and summarizes the data
    to your specifications.

14. Repeat Steps 8 to 14 for each additional group you want to set up.

NOTE:  Group values (subtotals, summaries) and grand totals are
automatically formatted to match as closely as possible the formatting of
the field they are summarizing.

28.2.30 Creating Group Headers

Just as Crystal Reports allows you to place a header at the top of each
page, it also allows you to place incremental headers above each group in
your report. This feature allows you to give your reports a polished,
professional appearance.

Whenever you group your data, or insert a subtotal or a summary, Crystal
Reports creates two new sections on your report.

o  One section, the Group Footer section, appears below the Details section.
This section holds the group value field itself.

o  A matching section, the Group Header section appears above the Details
section. Anything you place in this section will appear as a header for your
group.

NOTE:  Both sections are given the same designation so you can tell that
they are tied together. The two sections are also tied together visually.

o  If you put text in the Group Header section, the same text will appear
as a header for each group on the report.

o  If you put the field in the Group Header section that you use for the
sort and group by field, Crystal Reports will create a "live" header for
each group. For example, if you have a subtotal that groups your data by
Customer, putting a duplicate copy of the Customer field in the Group Header
section for that subtotal heads each group with the customer name. You can
then format this header field to make it stand out if you wish, using a
larger point size, bold face or italics, etc.

NOTE:  You can hide either the Group Header section or the Group Footer
section for any group by activating the Hide Section option available via
the Format|Section command.

28.2.31 Multiple Groups for the Same Field

When you set up a second group for the same field, Crystal Reports creates
a second group section on your report beneath the first group section.
Likewise, it creates a second Group Header section above the first Group
Header section. For each new group field section on an existing field,
Crystal Reports creates a pair of sections that effectively "bracket" the
existing sections. Each section is clearly marked so you can easily tell
which header section goes with each group section.

If you place headers in each of the Group Header sections, you produce a
report that is extremely easy to read. For example, if you have grouped your
data by State and then by City within each state, each new State section will
be headed by a State header, and each City section within the State section
will be headed by a City header.

28.2.32 Sorting Your Data

Crystal Reports allows you to sort your data by record and by group. This
section discusses each of the sorting procedures in depth.

NOTE:  Crystal Reports sorts your data using the sorting rules appropriate
to the country that you have selected in the International dialog box in the
Windows Control Panel.

28.2.33 Sorting by Record

Crystal Reports gives you the ability to sort your data on one or more sort
fields. Single and multiple field sorts will be covered in this section.

Single field sorts are sorts in which all the data in the report is sorted
based on the values in a single field. Sorting an inventory report by stock
number and sorting a customer list by customer number are examples of single
field sorts.

In a multiple field sort, Crystal Reports first sorts the entries
(alphabetic or numeric) in the first field selected, putting them in
ascending or descending order as specified. Then it sorts any entries in
the second field that can be sorted without disturbing the sort order of
entries in the first field. It then sorts any entries in the third field
that can be sorted without disturbing the sort order of the entries in the
first two fields. It follows the same pattern for sorting additional fields.

Use the following procedure to sort by record:

1.  Select Print|Record Sort Order.

    The Sort Order dialog box appears.

2.  Select the Sort Field(s) and Sort Direction you want and click OK
    when finished.

    Crystal Reports sorts the records to your specifications.

NOTE:  If you group your data using the Insert|Group, Insert|Subtotal,
or Insert|Summary command, Crystal Reports sorts your data automatically,
as part of the grouping process. For example, if you sort a customer
list by state, Crystal Reports first sorts the list alphabetically by state,
before breaking it into state groups. In such a case, you do not need to use
the Print|Record Sort Order command to generate the sorting.

28.2.34 Sorting Groups

Crystal Reports allows you to change the order in which groups appear on
your report. You can:

o  base the sort on any group (subtotal or summary) in your report, and
o  sort your report so that groups appear in ascending or descending order.

When you group data, Crystal Reports first sorts the data by record and
then groups it according to your specifications. Here is some data typical
of that found in the {file.STATE} field of a customer list:

In order to group the data by state, Crystal Reports sorts the original
data alphabetically by state, on the first pass, and then it breaks the
data into groups (whenever the value in the state field changes) on the
second pass. The resulting groups appear in ascending alphabetical order;
the group containing all the customers from Arizona comes before the group
containing all the customers from Colorado. Now this is fine if you want
the groups appearing in that order. But let's assume we want the data
grouped so that the group containing the most records (the state with the
most customers) appears first, then the state with the second highest
number of records, then the third, etc. Crystal Reports lets you do this
easily using the Print|Group Sort Order command.

Use the following procedure to sort groups.

1.  Select the Print|Group Sort Order command.

    The Sort Order dialog box appears, listing all the groups that you have
    set up in your report. In our example above, since customer data is
    grouped by state and the number of records in each state group is
    counted, a group name similar to this will appear in the Summary Fields
    box:

    Group #n:customer.STATECount of customer.CUSTNAME

    Translated, this means that the {customer.CUSTNAME} field (the field
    that contains the customer name) is grouped and counted every time the
    value in the {customer.STATE} field changes.

2.  Select this group, click the Add button.

    Crystal Reports places it in the Sort Fields box and activates the Sort
    Direction options.

3.  Since you want the largest groups (by count) to appear first and the
    smallest last, select Descending. If you wanted the smallest groups
    to appear first, you would select Ascending.

4.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports sorts the groups to your specifications.

NOTE:  When you sort by group, nothing happens to the sort order of the
records within a group; only the relative positions of the groups
themselves change.

28.2.35 Hiding Parts of the Report when Printing

Crystal Reports has four formatting commands that suppress (hide) various
parts of a report. Each of these commands is discussed individually in
Crystal Reports Help. The purpose of this section is to show the differences
between the commands and how you can use them together to achieve
sophisticated report formatting.

The four commands are:

Suppress if Duplicated  Suppress if Duplicated (Field format dialog box)
            prevents a field value from printing if it is
            identical to (a duplicate of) the value that comes
            immediately before it. The value doesn't print but
            the space in which it would have printed remains.

Suppress if Zero        Suppress if Zero (Format Number/ Currency dialog
            boxes) prevents a value from printing if it is a
            zero value. The value doesn't print but the space
            in which it would have printed remains.

Suppress Blank Lines    Suppress Blank Lines (Format Section dialog box)
            eliminates nonessential blank lines from your report.

Hide when Printing      Hide when Printing (Field format dialog box) prevents
            a field from printing. The field doesn't print but
            the space allotted for the field remains.

28.2.36 Selecting Records and Groups to Include on Your Report

You can include all records in your report, or you can restrict your
report to specific records or groups of records. For example, you can
print a sales report showing year to date sales for all sales reps in the
country, or you can print a report that presents nationwide sales but only
for the last month, or even a report that shows year to date sales but
only for those sales reps in Texas and California. Your reports can be as
inclusive or exclusive as you wish.

Crystal Reports includes four commands on the Print menu for selecting
records and groups.

    -  Select Records
    -  Select Groups
    -  Edit Record Selection Formula
    -  Edit Group Selection Formula

o  Using the first two commands, Crystal Reports generates a selection
formula for you automatically, based on your specifications.

o  Using the last two commands, you create your own selection formula
using the Formula Editor.

28.2.37 Generating a Selection Formula Automatically

The Select Records and the Select Groups commands automatically generate
record selection formulas based on your responses to dialog box questions.
These commands require no knowledge of the Crystal Reports formula language.

When you're using these commands, you select a field/group value and
respond to questions about how you want to limit that field or group value.
For example, if you want to prepare a report limited to Texas customers,
you first click the state field in the customer database. Then, you select
Print|Select Records (or choose Select Records from the right mouse button
menu). When the Select Records dialog box appears you enter your selection
criteria in the dialog box.

Use the following procedure to have Crystal Reports generate your selection
formula:

1.  Select the first field/group value you want Crystal Reports to use
    for determining the records/groups to be included in the report.

2.  Select Print|Select Records or Print|Select Groups, whichever is
    appropriate.

NOTE:  Alternately, you can select a field or group value and click the
right mouse button menu. Select Records appears on the right mouse button
menu whenever a field is selected, and Select Groups appears on the right
mouse button menu whenever a group value is selected.

The Select Records or Select Groups dialog box appears, depending on your
selection.

3.  Enter your selection criteria in the dialog box and click OK when
    finished to return to the Report Editor.

4.  Repeat Steps 1-3 for each additional field/group value you want the
    program to use for selecting records/groups.

    Crystal Reports will generate a selection formula based on your
    specifications and limit the report to the records or groups you have
    specified.

NOTE:  To view or edit the selection formula generated by Crystal Reports,
select Print|Edit Record Selection Formula or Print|Edit Group Selection
Formula, whichever is appropriate to your selection.

28.2.38 Creating a Selection Formula Manually

The Edit Record Selection Formula and Edit Group Selection Formula commands
take you to the Formula Editor so you can manually create your own
selection formula. Both of these commands require some understanding of the
Crystal Reports formula language.

Using the Formula Editor, you can build a formula that restricts your
report to the records or groups you specify. For example, to limit your
report to those records with a customer number greater than 099999, you
would build a record selection formula similar to this:

    {file.CustNumb} >> "099999"

To limit your report to those groups with a subtotal on the Amount column
(triggered by changes in the CustNumb field) less than $10,000, you would
build a group selection formula similar to this:

    Sum({file.Amount},{file.CustNumb}) << $10000

NOTE:  If you select:

    Grouped by file.CustNumb
    Sum of file.Amount

(the group field of interest in this example) from the Field list, Crystal
Reports automatically inserts everything into the formula with the exception
of <<$10000.

You can also restrict the records used in the report by date. For example,
to restrict an invoice report to invoices from a specific month, May 1991
in this case, you would build a record selection formula similar to this:

    {file.Date}>>=Date(1991,05,01) and
    {file.Date}<<Date(1991,06,01)

or this:

    {file.Date} in Date(1991,04,30) to Date(1991,06,01)

or this:

    Month({file.Date}) = 5

You can make your selection formulas as simple or complex as you wish.
You can use most of the functions and operators available for building any
formula. Your only restrictions are:

o  your record or group selection formula must be Boolean (i.e., it
must return a Yes (True) or No (False) value). If you build a selection
formula that isn't Boolean, you get a Formula Compiler Error that says,
"The result of the selection formula must be a yes/no value."

o  it cannot use the PageNumber, GroupNumber, or RecordNumber functions,
and it cannot use a Subtotal, Grand Total, or Summary.

28.2.39 Selecting Date Ranges

When you wish to select records based on a range of dates, you can use any
of Crystal Reports' preset date ranges, or you can build a custom range to
fit your needs. For a complete list of Crystal Report date ranges, please
see Crystal Reports Help.

28.2.40 Generating Your Own Selection Formula

1.  Select Print|Edit Record Selection Formula or Print|Edit Group Selection
    Formula.

    The Formula Editor appears.

2.  Create your selection formula.

3.  Click Accept when you are finished.

    Crystal Reports will limit your report to the records/groups specified.

NOTE:  You will find a number of selection formula templates in the Help
facility under Edit Record Selection Formula. These templates cover a wide
range of typical record selection needs, and they can be pasted into the
Formula Editor via the Windows clipboard. Once they're in the Formula Editor,
you can change the formulas to fit your data.

28.2.41 Selecting Page Orientation and Paper Size

You can use Crystal Reports with a variety of paper sizes and with portrait
or landscape page orientation. You select paper sizes and page orientation
via the Print Setup dialog box which appears when you select Print|Select
Printer.

Use the following procedure to select a new paper size/page orientation:

o  To select a new paper size and/or page orientation, you select
Print|Select Printer.

o  When the Print Setup dialog box appears, you activate the printer you
want to use if it is not already the default printer.

o  You select your page orientation (Portrait or Landscape) in the
Orientation box, and you select your paper size and source in the Paper
box. Your choice of paper sizes depends on the capabilities of the printer
you have selected, and the choice changes from printer to printer.
For example, the HP LaserJet driver (PCL) offers a choice of letter, legal,
executive or A4 paper sizes whereas the PostScript printer driver lets you
choose from letter, letter small, legal, A4, A4 small, B5, and note paper
sizes. When you make your selection and return to Crystal Reports, the paper
you have selected is active.


28.3 Manipulating Text and Data

This section outlines the various procedures to use for manipulating
(copying, deleting, moving, etc.) text and data on your report.

28.3.1 Adding Text

To add text, set the insertion point where you want the new text to begin,
and type in your addition, or use a text field (Insert|Text Field command).

28.3.2 Copying Text

Use the following procedure to copy text.

1.  Select the text you want to copy by dragging the I-beam cursor over the
    text.

2.  Select Edit|Copy.

    Crystal Reports moves a copy of the selected text to the Clipboard
    without disturbing the highlighted text.

3.  Set the insertion point where you want to insert the copied text and
    select Edit|Paste.

    Crystal Reports copies the text at the selected point.

NOTE:  You can also copy text to the Clipboard using the fifth button on
the Button Bar. You can also paste text into your report from the clipboard
using the sixth button on the Button Bar.

28.3.3 Deleting Text

Use the following procedure to delete text.

o  set the insertion point where you want to begin deleting, and press the
Delete key enough times to delete the unneeded text, or

o  select the text you want to delete by dragging the I-beam cursor over it,
then:
    - select Edit|Clear (or press Delete) to delete it permanently, or
    - select Edit|Cut (or press Shift-Delete) to cut the text to the
    clipboard for later use, or

o  set the insertion point at the beginning of a line of text you want to
delete and press Shift-End to select the entire line. Then:

    - select Edit|Clear (or press Delete) to delete it permanently,
    - or select Edit|Cut (or press Shift-Delete) to cut the text to
    the clipboard for later use.

28.3.4 Editing Text

Delete, edit, and/or add text as needed following the techniques described
above.

28.3.5 Moving Text

You can move text in Crystal Reports in two different ways:

o  By pushing or pulling it to a new position using the Tab key.
o  By cutting it to the clipboard and then pasting it in a new position.

28.3.6 Using the Tab Key

Set the insertion point immediately in front of the text you want to move.

o  Press the Tab key to move the text to the right. All text to the right
of the insertion point moves each time you press the Tab key.

o  Press the Backspace key to move the text to the left. All text to the
right of the insertion point moves each time you press the Tab key.

NOTE:  If you want to move several pieces of text on a given line into
position (i.e., aligning titles with data fields), begin at the left. Move
the leftmost text into position, reset the insertion point to the left of
the second text element and move it into position, reset the insertion
point to the left of the third text element, etc.

28.3.6 Using Cut and Paste

1.  Select the text you want to move.

2.  Select Edit|Cut.

    Crystal Reports moves the text to the Clipboard.

3.  Set the insertion point to the new text position.

4.  Select Edit|Paste to paste the text at the new insertion point.

28.3.7 Moving Fields

You move a database field by dragging it to a new position with the mouse,
or by selecting it and using the Arrow keys.

28.3.8 Moving Fields with a Mouse

1.  Select the field you want to move.

    o  To select a single field, click the field.

    o  To select multiple fields, hold the Shift key down while you
    click the fields. Handles appear on the selected field(s).

2.  With the cursor on the field (on one of the fields if you have selected
    multiple fields) and the left mouse button depressed, move the field to
    its new position.

3.  Release the mouse button when the field is in place.

28.3.9 Moving Fields with the Arrow keys

1.  Select the field you want to move.

    o  To select a single field, click the field.
    o  To select multiple fields, hold the Shift key down while you
    click the fields.

    Handles appear on the selected field(s).

2.  Use the Arrow keys to move the field to its new position.

The field moves one grid position each time you press the Arrow key.

NOTES:  a - Crystal Reports allows you to move fields across other fields
without affecting the placement of the bottom fields.
b - You can move fields between sections with the following exceptions:
    - grand totals cannot be moved outside the Grand Total section, and
    - a subtotal or summary can be moved only within its initial
    section or to the header portion of its initial section.

28.3.10 Deleting Fields

You can delete a database field from your report by selecting it and:

o  pressing the Delete key on the keyboard,
o  selecting Delete Field from the right mouse button pop-up menu, or
o  selecting Clear from the Edit menu.

Each of these methods has the same effect: deleting the selected field. You
may find one alternative to be more convenient at one time while a different
alternative is more convenient at another.


28.4 Working with Graphics and Graphic Enhancements

This section leads you through the following graphics-related topics:

o  Bit-mapped graphics concepts,
o  Inserting and moving graphics,
o  Sizing and scaling graphics,
o  Cropping graphics,
o  Creating, moving, and formatting graphic lines
o  Creating, moving, and formatting graphic boxes
o  Using graphic boxes to highlight data
o  Creating tables using graphic lines and boxes
o  Graphic elements and the Status Bar
o  Using the status bar when positioning a graphic element

28.4.1 Bit-mapped Graphics Concepts

Bit-mapped graphics are the kind of graphics (pictures, logos, etc.) that
are generally produced by paint programs and scanners. They are composed
by the graphic designer as a pattern of tiny dots (pixels) on screen, and
they are printed as a pattern of tiny dots on your report. Even though
there are some limitations to what an individual can create with dots, a
skilled graphics designer can nonetheless achieve some stunning effects
that can add visual impact to your report.

Crystal Reports allows you to use bit-mapped graphics in your reports
from a wide variety of sources:

o  scanners,
o  paint programs,
o  video capture cards,
o  screen capture programs,
o  CompuServe,
o  commercial graphics developers, and
o  shareware and public domain graphics suppliers.

As long as the graphic is stored in one of the popular graphics formats
that work with Crystal Reports, you can use it in your report.

    - Most paint, scanner, screen capture, and video capture programs
    can save graphics in one of the compatible file formats (.bmp,
    .pcx, .gif, .tif, and .tga).

    - Additionally, many programs (paint programs, graphics conversion
    programs, screen capture programs, draw programs) will allow you to
    import a graphic in a different format and save it in a format that
    is compatible with Crystal Reports.

    - There are, in fact, many low cost shareware programs or free
    public domain programs that allow you to easily convert a bit-mapped
    graphic stored in one format to another.

Crystal Reports was designed for maximum graphics compatibility.

NOTES:  a - When you select a graphic for inclusion in your report, Crystal
Reports stores a copy of the graphic in the report file. Any changes you
make to the graphic affect the copy; they do not alter the original.
b - When you click the right mouse button with the cursor over a graphic,
a graphic options menu appears with the name and extension of the originating
graphic file at the top. The file name is for information only since the
graphic in your report is only a copy of the original. That copy is stored as
part of the report and no longer has a separate file name. Any changes you
make to the graphic affect the copy only; they do not alter the original.

28.4.2 Inserting, Moving, and Deleting Graphics

Crystal Reports enables you to insert, move, and delete graphics with ease.
You can insert graphics anywhere you want them to appear on your report.

Use the following procedure to insert a graphic.

1.  Select Insert|Graphic (or click the Insert Graphic button on the
    button bar).

    The Choose Graphic File dialog box appears.

2.  Select the graphic you want to enter in your report, and click OK when
    finished.

    Crystal Reports returns you to the Report Editor, and an outline the
    size of the graphic appears as an aid in placement.

3.  Position the outline where you want the graphic to appear and click the
    left mouse button to place it.

    Crystal Reports displays the graphic where you placed it.

You can move a graphic in one of two ways:
o  using the mouse
o  using the dialog box

Move a graphic with the mouse if you want to determine its final placement
visually.

o  To move a graphic using the mouse, click the graphic and, keeping the
left mouse button depressed, drag the graphic to the place you want it.

NOTES:  a - You can move the graphic within its current section, or move
it to a new section if you wish. The position of the upper left hand corner
of the graphic (not the position of the arrow) determines the section in
which the graphic will appear.
b - Make sure you don't click the graphic on the handles. If you do, you
will resize the graphic when you drag it.

Move a graphic using the dialog box if you want the graphic to appear at
an absolute position on your report.

1.  Select the graphic you want to move and select Format|Graphic to call
    up the Graphic Format dialog box. (Alternately you can double click
    the graphic to call up the dialog box or select the graphic and then
    select Change Format from the right mouse button menu.)

2.  Click the Position button.

    The Graphic Position dialog box appears. This dialog box indicates the
    position of the graphic relative to the top left corner of its section.

    o  To position the graphic even with the top left corner (the top
    flush against the top of the section, the left side flush against
    the left side of the section), enter the following settings:
    Top 0.00, Left 0.00.

    o  To move the graphic to the right, increase the Left setting. For
    example, to move the graphic in two inches from the left edge of the
    section, enter 2.00 for the Left setting (assuming you're working
    in inches).

    o  To move the graphic down in the section, increase the Top setting.
    For example, to move the graphic down two inches from the top of
    the section, enter 2.00 for the Top setting.

NOTE:  Crystal Reports automatically resizes the section to accommodate
the new graphic location.

3.  Click OK when finished to return to the Graphic Format dialog box, and
    click OK once there to return to the Report Editor.

Your graphic will be positioned according to your specifications.
Crystal Reports makes it easy for you to delete a graphic from your report.

Use the following procedure to delete a graphic.

1.  Select the graphic you want to delete.

2.  Select Edit|Clear, press the Delete key, or select Delete Graphic from
    the right mouse button menu.


28.4.3 Sizing and Scaling Graphics

Size and Scaling are two interrelated options that appear in the Graphic
Format dialog box.

o  Size refers to the absolute length and width of a graphic. If the original
graphic is one inch wide, it has an absolute width of one inch. If you double
the width of the graphic it has an absolute width of two inches.

o  Scaling refers to the length and width of a graphic as a percentage of
the original length and width. If the original graphic is one inch wide, it
has a width scaling value of 100%. If you double the width of the graphic,
it has a width scaling value of 200%.

o  When you first place a graphic, Crystal Reports presents it in its
original size (the size in which it was saved).

    - When you change the size values in the Graphic Format dialog box,
    Crystal Reports adapts the scaling values to the new height and/or
    width.

    - When you change the scaling values in that dialog box, the
    program adapts the size values to the new height and/or width.

    - When you resize the graphic using the mouse, the program adapts
    the size values and the scaling values in the dialog box to the new
    height and/or width.

When you select a graphic for placement, Crystal Reports presents an
outline that indicates the original size of the graphic (the size in which
it was saved). When you place the outline, the graphic replaces the frame.
You can then enlarge or reduce the size of the graphic to fit your needs.

You have two options for doing this:
o  using the mouse, and
o  using the Format|Graphic command.

You can expand or reduce the size of the graphic using a mouse via the
sizing handles that appear on the sides and corners of the graphic when you
select it. (To select a graphic, you click it with the left mouse button.)

The sizing handles provide you a very straightforward means of resizing
your graphic:

o  The handles on the right and left sides of the graphic expand or reduce
the width of the graphic without affecting the height. For example, if your
graphic was a square initially, it becomes a rectangle with the top and
bottom becoming longer than the sides (if expanded) or shorter than the
sides (if reduced). This kind of sizing results in a graphic that has
different proportions than the original.

o  The handles on the top and bottom of the graphic expand or reduce the
height of the graphic without affecting the width. For example, if your
graphic was a square initially, it becomes a rectangle with the sides
becoming longer than the top and bottom (if expanded) or shorter than the
top and bottom (if reduced). This kind of sizing also results in a graphic
that has different proportions than the original.

o  The handles on the corners of the graphic expand or reduce the height
and width of the graphic equally. If your graphic was originally a square,
it remains a square even though it has been resized. This kind of sizing
results in a graphic that retains the same proportions as the original.

Use the following procedure to resize using a mouse.

1.  Click the graphic to select it. Handles appear on the sides and the
    corners.

2.  Resize the graphic by dragging on the appropriate handle.

    You can resize your graphic in two different ways using the Graphic
    Format dialog box:
    o  resizing a graphic to an absolute size, and
    o  scaling a graphic to a percentage of its original size.

Use the following procedure to resize a graphic to an absolute size.

1.  Click the graphic to select it and then select Format|Graphic to call
    up the Graphic Format dialog box.

    (Alternately you can double click the graphic to call up the dialog
    box or select the graphic and then select Change Format from the right
    mouse button menu.)

2.  Enter the new height and/or width in the Size box.

3.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports resizes your graphic to your new specifications.

Use the following procedure to resize a graphic as a percentage of its
original size:

1.  Click the graphic to select it and then select Format|Graphic to call
    up the Graphic Format dialog box.

    (Alternately you can double click the graphic to call up the dialog box
    or select the graphic and then select Change Format from the right mouse
    button menu.)

2.  Enter the new scale value for the height and/or width in the Scaling box.

3.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports resizes your graphic to your new specifications.

NOTES:  a - When you change the Size values, the Scaling values won't
change while the dialog box is open. Also, when you change the Scaling
values, the Size values won't change while the dialog box is open. The
changes will appear the next time you open the dialog box.
b - Crystal Reports automatically resizes the appropriate report section
to accommodate the resized graphic.

28.4.4 Cropping Graphics

Cropping refers to "cutting away" those portions of your graphic that you
don't want to print. If, for example, when you scanned your company logo
from a letterhead you also scanned in some extraneous material (company
address, corporate officers, etc.), you will probably want to "sanitize"
the logo before you use it. Using Crystal Reports cropping capability, you
can easily cut away the extraneous material leaving only the logo to print.

There are two ways to crop a graphic:
o  using the mouse
o  using the dialog box

Using the mouse is the easiest way to crop a graphic. It doesn't require
any guesswork and you see your results immediately on screen.

You crop by dragging the resizing handles while depressing the Shift key.

o  When you drag the top handle down, you cut off part of the top part of
the graphic.
o  When you drag the bottom handle up, you cut off part of the bottom part
of the graphic.
o  When you drag the right side handle to the left, you cut off part of the
right side of the graphic.
o  When you drag the left side handle to the right, you cut off part of the
left side of the graphic.
o  When you drag one of the corner handles into the graphic, you cut off
part of two sides of the graphic at once (the top and a side, or the bottom
and a side).
o  When you drag any of the handles away from the graphic (dragging the top
handle up, the left handle to the left, etc.) you expand the frame and put
white space between the graphic and the frame.

Use the following procedure to crop a graphic using the mouse.

1.  Select the graphic you want to crop.

    Sizing handles appear on the graphic.

2.  With the Shift key depressed, crop your graphic by dragging the
    appropriate sizing handle(s).

3.  When finished, release the Shift key, resize the graphic if needed,
    and move the cropped graphic into place.

NOTE:  Resizing a graphic does not undo the cropping. It simply resizes
that portion of the graphic that remains after cropping.

When you crop a graphic using the dialog box, you specify (in inches or
centimeters) the piece of the graphic that Crystal Reports is to cut from
the top, bottom, right, and/or left side.

NOTE:  This method of cropping can be particularly useful if you want to
take a specific sized piece off each side of your graphic. For example, if
you want to cut exactly one inch off all four sides of your graphic, you
can do it more quickly and accurately with the dialog box than the mouse.

Use the following procedure to crop a graphic using the dialog box.

1.  Select the graphic you want to crop and select Format|Graphic to
    call up the Graphic Format dialog box.

    (Alternately you can double click the graphic to call up the dialog
    box or select the graphic and then select Change Format from the right
    mouse button menu.)

2.  In the Cropping box, enter the amount you want to crop from the Top,
    Left, Bottom, and/or right sides of your graphic.

    o  Enter positive numbers to cut parts off your graphic.
    o  Enter negative numbers to expand the frame, leaving white
    space between the frame and the graphic.

NOTE:  All cropping settings apply to the size of the original graphic.
If the graphic has been resized before cropping, make certain you use the
Original Size settings as guidelines when entering your new cropping
instructions. As a general rule, when you are going to crop and resize a
graphic, crop the graphic first, and then resize it.

3.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports returns you to the Report Editor with the Graphic
    cropped to your specifications.

NOTE:  While there are many options in the Graphic Format dialog box, to
crop a graphic you only need to concern yourself with the cropping
instructions. Crystal Reports automatically maintains the scale and
adjusts the absolute size of the graphic so it will display and print to
your specifications.

    -  To restore a cropped graphic to its original size and shape,
    change all of the Cropping of original settings to 0.00.

    -  To restore a resized graphic to its original size and shape,
    change both Scaling settings to 100%.

    -  To restore a cropped and resized graphic to its original size
    and shape, change both the cropping and the scaling settings as
    described above.


28.4.5 Creating, Moving, and Formatting Lines

Crystal Reports enables you to create freeform lines that you can use to
highlight field data, blocks of data, or entire sections of your report.

Use the following procedure to create a line.

1.  Click Insert|Line.

    A pencil cursor appears.

2.  Set the tip of the cursor (the pointed end) where you want the line to
    begin and drag the cursor horizontally or vertically with the left
    mouse button depressed.

    The line appears as you drag the cursor.

3.  Release the mouse button when the line is the length you want it.

NOTE:  To format the line (set line style, width, and color), you use the
Format|Line command.

28.4.6 Moving a Line

You can move a graphic line using the mouse, or with the keyboard using the
arrow keys.

Use the following procedure to move a line using the mouse.

1.  Click the line to select it.

NOTE:  When selecting a line or other graphic, the mouse cursor must be an
Arrow. Make sure the cursor changes to an arrow before you attempt to
select a line.

2.  Drag the line where you want it.

    Make sure to keep the left mouse button depressed as you move it.

3.  Release the mouse button once your line is in position.

Use the following procedure to move a line with the arrow keys.

1.  Click the line to select it.

2.  Use the arrow keys to move the line up, down, right, or left and
    position it where you want it.

NOTE:  Crystal Reports displays line coordinates in the Status Bar to help
you adjust the size and position of a line. Using the status bar readings,
you can easily place a line at a specific location on your report, or
align two or more graphic elements with each other.

28.4.7 Formatting a Line

Crystal Reports allows you to specify the style, width, and color for each
graphic line you include in your report. You enter your line formatting
specifications in the Line Format dialog box.

Use the following procedure to format a graphic line.

1.  Select the line of interest and then select Format|Line. (Alternately,
    you can double click the line or select Change Format from the right
    mouse button menu.)

    The Line Format dialog box appears.

2.  Enter your formatting instructions for the line.

3.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports returns you to the Report Editor with the line formatted
    to your specifications.

28.4.8 Resizing a Line

Once you have created a line, you can adjust its length using either the
mouse or the keyboard arrow keys.

Use the following procedure to resize a line using the mouse.

1.  Select the line you wish to resize.

2.  Move the mouse so that the cursor is over one of the square sizing
    handles at the endpoints of the line.

NOTE:  When the mouse cursor is over one of the sizing handles, it changes
to a double headed arrow (the Resizing cursor).

3.  Drag the handle until the line is the length you want.

Use the following procedure to resize a line using the arrow keys.

1.  Using the mouse, select the line you want to resize.

2.  While holding down the Shift key, press:

    o  the Right Arrow key to lengthen a horizontal line,
    o  the Left Arrow key to shorten a horizontal line,
    o  the Down arrow key to lengthen a vertical line, or
    o  the Up arrow key to shorten a vertical line.


28.4.10 Creating, Moving, and Formatting Boxes

Crystal Reports enables you to create free-form graphic boxes that you can
use to highlight field data, blocks of data, or entire sections of your
report.

You can also use graphic boxes by themselves, as stand-alone graphic
elements, to add visual interest to your report.

Use the following procedure to create a box.

1.  Click Insert|Box. A pencil cursor appears.

2.  Set the tip of the cursor (the pointed end) where you want to anchor
    one corner of the box and drag the cursor towards the opposite corner
    with the left mouse button depressed.

    The box appears as you drag the cursor.

3.  Release the mouse button when the box is the size you want it.

NOTE:  To format the box (set line style and width, line color, etc.),
you use the Format|Box command.

28.4.11 Moving a Box

You can move a graphic box using the mouse, or with the keyboard arrow keys.
Use the following procedure to move a box using the mouse.

1.  Click the box to select it.

NOTE:  You can select a box only with an arrow cursor. Position the I-beam
near the box edge until it changes to an arrow and then click the edge of
the box (not the center) to select it.

2.  Drag the box where you want it.

    Make sure to keep the left mouse button depressed as you move it.

3.  Release the mouse button once your box is in position.

Use the following procedure to move a box with the arrow keys.

1.  Click the box to select it.

2.  Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to move the box up, down, right, or
    left until it is in the position that you want.

NOTE:  Crystal Reports displays box coordinates in the Status Bar to help
you adjust the size and position of a graphic box. Using the status bar
readings, you can easily place a box at a specific location on your report,
or align two or more boxes with each other.

28.4.12 Formatting a Box

Crystal Reports allows you to change:

o  the box style (the kind of line that outlines the box: single solid
line, single dashed line, etc.),
o  the width (thickness) of the line that outlines the box, and
o  the color of the line that outlines the box.
o  Additionally, you can specify the fill for the box (whether the box
is filled with a color or empty).

You enter your box formatting specifications in the Box Format dialog box.
Use the following procedure to format a box.

1.  Select the box of interest and then select Format|Box.

    (Alternately, you can double click the box or select Change Format
    from the right mouse button menu.)

    The Box Format dialog box appears.

2.  Enter your formatting instructions for the box.

3.  Click OK when finished.

    Crystal Reports returns you to the Report Editor with the box formatted
    to your specifications.

28.4.13 Resizing a Box

Once you have created a box, you can adjust its size using either the
mouse or the keyboard arrow keys.  Use the following procedure to resize a
box using the mouse.

1.  Select the box you wish to resize.

2.  Move the cursor over one of the square sizing handles.

NOTE:  When the cursor is over one of the sizing handles, it changes to
a double headed arrow (the resizing cursor).

3.  Drag the handle until the box is the size you want:

    o  If you want to change the height of the box, drag the handle at
    the top or the bottom.
    o  If you want to change the width of the box, drag the handle at
    the right or the left side.
    o  If you want to change both the height and the width at the
    same time, drag one of the handles at the corners of the box.

Use the following procedure to resize a box using the arrow keys.

1.  Using the mouse, select the box you want to resize.

2.  While holding down the Shift key, press:

    o  the Right Arrow key to make the box wider,
    o  the Left Arrow key to make the box narrower,
    o  the Down arrow key to make the box taller, or
    o  the Up arrow key to make the box shorter.