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README.TXT
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1995-08-22
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ReportSmith Version 2.5.2 Release Notes
=====================================================================
Contents
I. New Features in this Version
II. Borland Database Engine (BDE) Installation Notes
III. BDE Driver for InterBase and Informix
IV. ODBC Installation Notes
V. BDECFG.EXE and BDE Connections for Paradox
VI. Customizing Sorting
VII. Warnings and Known Problems
VIII. International Issues
IX. Changes since last version
=====================================================================
I. New Features in this Version
ReportSmith 2.5 introduces new features to create more types of reports, as
well as to simplify building reports.
This version allows you to perform the following tasks:
-Create master/detail reports to combine multiple reports in one using
heterogenous data.
-Choose to group, sort or summarize data locally or on a database server.
-Access data using Borland's BDE drivers.
-Include columns in a report for query-only or value-only.
-Utilize an updated ReportBasic macro language.
-Place page totals to display summary values for each page in a report.
-Create data dictionaries to use with the PC or SQL versions of ReportSmith,
to simplify the view of the data.
Undocumented New Features
-------------------------
A. Source Database Name Editor
------------------------------
The Data Dictionary administrative tool now contains a Source Database
Name Editor. The feature allows you to edit the name assigned to database
sources within Data Dictionary views. To edit database source names,
follow these steps:
1. Choose File|Edit source database names and the Source Database
Editor dialog box appears.
2. Select the dictionary on which you want to change the source name. If
the dictionary was created on a local database such as dBASE or Paradox,
the source names will be displayed. If the dictionary was created on
a remote database, you must first log in to the database before the
source is displayed.
3. Select the source name that you want to edit and enter the new name
in the Add New Source Database Name edit box.
4. Press Rename and the new source name appears in the source list.
5. Press Done.
B. Preloading Records
---------------------
ReportSmith now offers the option of preloading records in the
Tools|Options dialog box. When the Preload Records option is unchecked
ReportSmith loads only the number of records necessary for display.
When checked, this option will load all records in a query. When performing
queries with multiple modifications this option may be preferable.
C. New local SQL String Functions for BDE
------------------------------------------
Two string functions are now available: upper and lower. The following
example shows their use. These can be used in either the Selection criteria
or Derived Fields.
select *
from customer
where upper(Name) = "TODD JONES"
=======================================================================
II. Borland Database Engine (BDE) Installation Notes
Note: The Borland Database Engine (BDE) may be referenced as IDAPI
in some parts of the product and documentation.
ReportSmith automatically installs the BDE drivers for dBASE and Paradox.
The BDE drivers support the following Borland table types:
- dBASE for DOS types 3 (III) and 4 (IV)
- dBASE for Windows type 5 (5.0)
- Paradox for DOS types 3 (version 3.5) and 4 (version 4.0)
- Paradox for Windows type 5 (version 5.0)
Note: ReportSmith does not currently support the new data types BLOB.
You can still use ODBC drivers to connect to dBASE table types 3 (III)
and 4 (IV) and Paradox table types 3 (version 3.5) and 4 (version 4.0).
======================================================================
III. BDE Driver for InterBase and Informix
ReportSmith requires the appropriate BDE drivers and Borland's
SQL Links to connect to an InterBase and Informix data sources.
ReportSmith will recognize InterBase and Informix data sources
during the install. Use the BDE configuration utility (BDECFG.EXE)
to configure and set up additional InterBase and Informix aliases.
=======================================================================
IV. ODBC Installation Notes
During the ReportSmith installation you can choose to install the
ODBC 1.0 drivers that are shipped with the product. If these drivers
are newer than the drivers you have installed on your machine, the install
will overwrite them. Otherwise, the install program will not overwrite
your existing ODBC drivers.
The ReportSmith installation also creates data source names for each
ODBC driver that you choose to install. Each name is given the prefix
RS_ followed by the database name (e.g. RS_dBASE.) These names appear
in the data type list in ReportSmith. If you do not wish to keep these
data source names, you can easily delete or rename them through the ODBC
administrator located in the Windows Control Panel.
This version of ReportSmith supports Microsoft ODBC 1.0 and 2.0 drivers.
========================================================================
V. BDECFG.EXE and BDE Connections for Paradox
- ReportSmith will not correctly build Paradox SQL if the location of
the NETDIR item of the BDECFG.EXE is incorrect or missing.
To correct or enter the NETDIR setting, select Paradox in the Driver
Name list box in the BDE Configuration Utility, browse to locate the
pdoxusrs.net file. Ask your Systems Administrator if you're unsure
of the location of this file. After selecting a valid directory for
this file, press return and File | Save before exiting the BDE
Configuration Utility.
- You should also set the Paradox Network Control File Path in the
Paradox Engine Network Configuration utility (PXENGCFG.EXE), and
a valid User Name.
- If you are running Paradox in a Network environment and want to
share data files, then all users MUST set the same Network Control
File Path. See HELP in PXENGCFG.EXE.
========================================================================
VI. Customizing Sorting
With this version of ReportSmith, sorting is performed locally whenever
possible. ReportSmith automatically determines whether sorting should
occur locally or on the server based on available memory or disk space.
To disable local sorting, put the following entry into the [OptionsSection]
of the RPTSMITH.INI:
LocalSort=0
========================================================================
VII. Warnings and Known Problems
a. When connecting to InterBase through BDE, each InterBase server and
each userID must have a separate alias.
b. Best fit cannot be performed on fields in headers.
c. Text and FoxPro ODBC drivers cannot be used as a data source in a
named connection.
d. Some third party components may not be available under Windows95
for client/server connectivity. Check with your third party vendors
for availability.
e. The new Microsoft ODBC 2.0 text driver does not support file names
with extensions. To open text files, either rename the files so
they do not have extensions, or within ReportSmith, use table aliases.
f. For Oracle connections, if using any lowercase for column or table names,
then put the following entry into the RS_SQLIF.INI under the [Oracle]
section:
IDQUOTE="
Data Dictionary
-----------------
a. ODBC and BDE connections for dBASE are treated as entirely different
connections by the Data Dictionary, as are Paradox ODBC and BDE
connections.
b. If a Data Dictionary view is created with a drive or directory mapping
in a source database that is different than the connection with which
it is associated in ReportSmith, the dictionary view will not be
applied. To apply the view, create an additional source database within
the first view, or create an additional view.
c. Apostrophes are not permissable in the name of a Data Dictionary view.
d. InterBase columns that have the same name as the table (such as
Country.Country) cannot be included in a Data Dictionary after an
exclude all is performed, and vice versa.
e. Data Dictionaries cannot be created in dBASE using the Microsoft
ODBC 2.0 dBASE driver. NOTE: Entries in a data dictionary can refer to
the 2.0 driver.
f. Database grouping does not function properly using data dictionaries.
Macro Language
---------------
a. The CloseReport and CloseRS commands will no longer return non-zero if
the user selects Cancel when prompted to save a report. The functions
will now return zero when executed successfully, or non-zero on error,
(such as no report open for the CloseReport command).
b. Str2Date, Date2Str, and DateField are now obsolete commands. These
commands are still supported for compatibility. The new Date/Time
commands should be used in place of these commands.
c. It is not valid to use the LoadReport command in the "Before Report
Open" event or the "After Report Open" event.
d. The LoadReport command cannot be used to initialize report variables
in the detail section of a master/detail report.
e. To disable a menu item for all reports, execute the macro command to
enable macros in the Application Startup event, or, place a '!' before
the menu to be disabled.
For example: EnableMenu "!File|New"
f. SelectReport cannot be run from the macro dialog box.
========================================================================
VIII. International Issues
A. To enable OEM<==>ANSI character translation for a native SQL ORACLE
connection, update the RS_SQLIF.INI to include:
[Oracle]
LD=ldname
where ldname is the name of the language driver used to perform the
translation. See BDECFG online help or The Borland SQL Link User's
Guide for a list of language driver names.
B. To enable OEM<==>ANSI character translation for a native SQL Server type
connection including Sybase, update the RS_SQLIF.INI to include:
[SQL Server]
LD=ldname
where ldname is the name of the language driver used to perform the
translation. See BDECFG online help or The Borland SQL Link User's
Guide for a list of language driver names.
C. To enable generation of SQL that conforms to that of a server configured
for a localized date format update the appropriate RS_SQLIF.INI section to
include a DateTimeFormat specification. For a server expecting dates in
dd/mm/yyyy format the following line would be added to the appropriate
connection section:
DateTimeFormat=""'"dd\/mm\/yyyy hh:mm:ss"'""
========================================================================
IX. Changes since 2.5.1
A. BDE aliases are now available for use in the connections type combobox.
The information for the alias is read from the IDAPI.CFG file, and
fields such as Server Name and User Name are filled in
automatically.
B. Negative money fields for SQL Server are now displayed correctly.
C. Improved speed of record retrieval for all databases.
D. Crosstab currency formatting in a style remains constant. For
example, a report with a crosstab created in the US with $ that is
sent to another country will retain the $ format. It will not
change to the local currency format that's set in the control panel.
NOTE: the date/time format and decimal seperator will change to reflect the
current control panel setting.
E. The macro dataset object Connect now properly recognizes named
connections.
F. Fixed GPF with dragging columns to a header/footer, then deleting
the header/footer, and inserting that field again.
G. Fixed problem with GDI memory leak after printing reports. For example,
printing the same report 50 times in a single ReportSmith session
would cause GDI memory to decrease significantly.
H. A new Oracle setting was added to ReportSmith so that it will not qualify
synonymns with its owner in the SQL statment.
Add the following item in the [Oracle] section of the RS_SQLIF.INI:
QualifySynonymsWithOwners=0
I. In the RunTime product, can now enable/disable toolbar buttons
from the macro language.
J. In the RunTime product, reports will never come up in draft mode.
K. Fixed problem with custom sort order in a crosstab with international
numeric format.
L. Fixed display problem when 2 graphs are in the same section.
M. Macros linked to the "Before SQL is Executed" application event will
now execute.
========================================================================