The Original Shareware 1.1/The Original Shareware (WeMake CDs)(Volume 1.1)(CDs, Inc)(1993).iso/9/d_report.zip/DREPORT.DOC

Text File | 1991-09-09 | 6KB | 99 lines

                        dSHAREWARE dBASE REPORTER


        dShareware Reporter requires very little from the user beyond
  pointing at a desired action and hitting the ENTER key. It was designed
  this way from the start.

        After selection the REPORT EXECUTION option from the MAIN MENU the
  user can choose a report definition he or she has created from a scrolling
  list.  The report description is reviewed by moving the light bar to the
  desired report definition and hitting ENTER.  Fields from the primary file
  are displayed along with the active query if one was created for use with
  the report.  Report parameters and the query can be edited before running
  the report again.The report definition can then be run or deleted.  Output
  can be sent to the printer, screen, or to a disk file.  It's as simple as
  that!

  CREATING A REPORT DEFINITION FOR THE FIRST TIME:

      You must first select the REPORT CREATION option from the MAIN MENU.
  A screen where you may enter parameters for the current report will appear.
  You can control things like the left margin, spaces between printed fields
  on the report, page width, page length, etc.  The only parameter that may
  be confusing to the new user is the subtotal parameter.

      Say, for example,you have a file of customer purchases like ORDER.DBF.
  It is indexed on customer number and you are trying to total the purchases
  for each customer and want a a grand total of all purchases.  If you choose
  the subtotal option on the report parameter screen  dShareware Reporter will
  print and sum all of the purchases for customer 100, display a subtotal,
  space,and then begin printing and summing the purchases by customer 200 and
  so forth.  Create a report with the subtotal option for ORDER.DBF.  Total
  the QTY and SELL fields for practice.  The subtotal option's use will
  then become clear.

      Next all of the fields from you database file will be presented to you
  in a scrolling list.  Simply select any or all of the fields in your file to
  include in your report by moving the lite bar to the field name and hitting
  ENTER.  The fields will appear on your report in the order in which they are
  chosen.  Stike F10 or ESC when you are done choosing fields.

      You will now be given a chance to provide a column heading for each
  field you have selected.  If you do not enter a value the field name will be
  used as a column heading.  In the following screen you select the numeric
  fields you may wish to total. A check mark will appear next to the ones you
  select.

      Next you will have the opportunity to create 3 calculated fields if you
 desire.  You can select a numeric field in your report to perform a calculation
 on.  Simply select a numeric field from the list and then define your calculation
 by respoding to the simple prompts.  You must provide a column heading for each
 calculted field you define.  The maximum number of calc fields is three.

      You are now given the opportunity to create a Query for you report.  This
 is an extremely powerful feature of dShareware dBASE Reporter.  The query you
 define will select a subset of your records for your report.  For example, you
 may only want to create a report of your customers with a zipcode of "97051".
 In this case you would select your ZIPCODE field and then select the EQUAL TO
 query option.  Finally, you would enter 97051 at the value prompt.  Experiment
 with the query function.  It is extremely powerful and useful!

      The last step in the report creation process is to save your report
 definition.  Simply give the report definition name and strike enter.  If you
 already have a report definition with the name you enter you will be warned.
 You can change the name you enter or choose to write over the old defintion
 you have by that name on disk.   Now all that is left to do is to choose where
 you want to send the report, to printer, disk, screen, or to a file.  If you
 choose to send your output to a file a file named REPORT.TXT will be created
 on your disk.  The program will pop up a viewer for this file as soon as the
 report completes.  You can view the file again with any public domain list
 program or an ASCII editor.

      Thats all there is to using dShareware dBASE Reporter!  You choose your
  primary file from a scolling list.  You choose the fields you wish to include
  in the report from a scrolling list.  You are prompted for everything!
  Nothing could be easier!  Just remember the following:

  1. A MAXIUM OF 27 FIELDS FROM EACH FILE MAY BE USED IN THE REPORT.

  2. THREE CALCULATED FIELDS MAY BE DEFINED PER FILE.

  3. MEMO FIELD PROCESSING IS LIMITED TO ONE MEMO FIELD IN A SINGLE FILE
     REPORT.

  4. FIELDS APPEAR ON THE PRINTED REPORT IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY WERE
     SELECTED.

  5. IF YOU DO NOT ENTER A COLUMN HEADING FOR A FIELD THE FIELD NAME WILL
     BE USED AS A COLUMN HEADING ON THE REPORT.

  6. IF YOU ARE USING TOTALS, SUBTOTALS, AND/OR CALCULATED FIELDS EXPECT
     YOUR REPORT TO BE WIDER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SELECTED FIELDS ALONE.
     EXTRA SPACE IS ALLOCATED TO A FIELD BEING TOTALLED AND TO A CALC FIELD
     BEYOND THAT WHICH IS DISPLAYED BY THE FIELD SELECTION SCREEN.

     Enjoy using dShareware dBASE Reporter and share it with others.
 Please read READ.ME which describes dINFO Professional 3.1, a COMPLETE
 data managment system for all your dBASE files!