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- AD HOC FOXRPT WRITER MODULE
-
-
- Ad Hoc FOXRPT Writer 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.
-
- Reports and mail label definitions created with FOXRPT Writer
- can be saved, edited, and rerun at will. All output can be
- sent to the printer, screen, or to a disk file. Custom indexes
- can be built from within FOXRPT for your report and label runs.
- Theses index files can be created with conditional expressions
- through the use of a very powerful online Query builder.
-
-
-
- ( ** VERY IMPORTANT ** ) FOXPRO 2.0 COMPATIBILITY
-
- FOXRPT Writer is completely compatible with Foxpro 2.0
- DBF and FPT files. The present version is ONLY COMPATIBLE WITH
- Foxpro 2.0 COMPACT .IDX and COMPACT structural .CDX files!
-
- You can create these index files with Foxpro 2.0 with the following
- syntax:
-
- .IDX - INDEX ON <field> TO <index file name> COMPACT
- .CDX - INDEX ON <field> TAG <tag name> COMPACT
-
- FOXRPT Writer creates these COMPACT indexes by DEFAULT with its
- Index Builder module!
-
- The LOG_USEIDX field in the configuration database FOXRPT.DBF will
- determine whether FOXRPT.EXE will use COMPACT .IDX or COMPACT structural
- .CDX index files. IF LOG_USEIDX is set to .T. COMPACT .IDX indexes are
- used. IF LOG_USEIDX is set to .F. COMPACT structural indexes are used.
- Report definitions created while using COMPACT .IDX files will have the
- "RPI" extension. Report definitions created using COMPACT structural
- indexes will have the "RPC" extension. FOXRPT automatically displays the
- correct report definitions for selection. FOXRPT will also correctly
- diplay either .IDX files or structural index file TAG information during
- the index selection phase of report creation. Both types of indexes for
- the same files may reside in the same directory. Both types of report
- definitions may reside or be created in the same directory. You only
- have to remember one thing:
-
-
- USE ONLY COMPACT INDEXES WITH THIS PROGRAM!
- USE ONLY COMPACT INDEXES WITH THIS PROGRAM!
- USE ONLY COMPACT INDEXES WITH THIS PROGRAM!
-
-
-
- ENVIRONMENT VARIABLE
-
- FOXRPT Writer is written in Clipper 5.01. Since Clipper will
- use expanded memory for indexing purposes it is standard practice to
- include the following statment in your AUTOEXEC.BAT file if you should
- experience corrupt indexes:
-
- SET CLIPPER=E:0
- (or) SET CLIPPER=//E:0
-
- Unlikely index corruption of this sort can occur with incompatible
- expanded memory managers. This should alleviate any problems with
- expanded memory you might encounter.
-
-
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------*
- MAIN MENU
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------*
-
- CREATING A REPORT DEFINITION FOR THE FIRST TIME
-
- Ad Hoc Report Writer creates three distinct types of reports.
- A single file report uses just one primary file. A relational report
- type one uses both a primary and secondary file. There is one record
- in the secondary file for each primary record. A relational report
- type two uses both a primary and secondary file. There are multiple
- secondary records for each primary record. Your data detemines which
- type of report you will need to create.
-
- Creating a report is essentially the same process for all report
- types. First, the report type is chosen and then report parameters
- are entered. 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 you 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 grand total of all
- purchases. If you choose the subtotal option on the report parameter
- screen Ad Hoc Report Writer 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
- single file report for ORDER.DBF with the subtotal option. Total the
- QTY and SELL fields for practice. The subtotal option's use will then
- become clear.
-
- You choose your primary and secondary files from a scolling list.
- You choose the fields you wish to include in the report from scrolling
- lists. 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.
-
- 7. WHEN CREATING RELATIONAL REPORTS OR WHEN SELECTING THE SUBTOTAL
- OPTION BE CERTAIN TO SELECT KEY FIELD OF PRIMARY FILE AS FIRST
- PRIMARY FIELD SELECTED! (** Very Important **)
-
- 8. PRIMARY & SECONDARY FILE KEYS MUST BE COMPATIBLE WHEN CREATING
- RELATIONAL REPORTS. (** Very Important **)
-
- 9. ALL OUTPUT CAN BE STOPPED WITH THE ESC KEY IF YOU DESIRE.
-
-
- EXECUTING A REPORT DEFINITION
-
- Simply select the report definition from the scrolling list by
- striking enter. You will have an opportunity to edit the report
- parameters you entered when you created it. You can also edit or
- create a query for the report and save it under the same or differ-
- ent name. Output for all reports can go to the printer, screen, or
- to a disk file.
-
-
-
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------*
- MAIL LABELS
- *-------------------------------------------------------------------*
-
-
- CREATING A MAIL LABEL DEFINITION FOR THE FIRST TIME
-
- Ad Hoc Report Writer permits the creation of standard, large,
- or cheshire format mailing labels. Simply take the Mailing Label
- Print option from the Main Menu. You will be asked to choose a
- primary file and primary file index. Next you will be given the
- opportunity to query the primary file if you desire. In this manner
- you can select to filter out certain zipcodes or cities according to
- your preferences and needs.
-
- You will then enter the label module. Choose the create option from
- within the label module. Assign the label file a unique and meaningful
- name. Select the modify contents option. Press F2 to choose field names
- for each line of the label you wish to create. BE SURE TO PLACE THE
- CURSOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LINE TO WHICH YOU ARE APPENDING FIELD
- NAMES! Follow the prompts and press F10 when you are done. Be sure to
- choose the proper format and dimensions from within the dimensions
- selection.
-
- By experimenting with the other options you'll find that you can
- tag select records and print only them if you choose. You can now print
- your mail labels and recall the new label definition you've just created
- whenever you wish. Just remember the following:
-
- 1. Be certain to choose the proper format and dimension from within
- the dimension option. You can make adjustments to the default
- sizes as you wish. Maximum label size is 24 X 60.
-
- 2. Create index files keyed on the fields by which you want to order
- your label printout. If you want labels to be printed in zipcode
- order then be sure to create an index file keyed on zipcode etc.
-
- 3. Make use of the test pattern and correct your alignment before
- beginning a large label run. (** Very Important **)
-
- 4. Make use of the query builder to select or filter your primary
- file when printing labels if you don't wish to create a label for
- every record in your file.
-
- 5. You can pause printer output with ALT-C if your label run jams in
- the printer. It's not the most sophisticated way to do so, but
- it certainly works. ESCAPE will ABORT a label printout.
-
- 6. A sample label definition (MAIL.LBL) is provided on your diskette.
- You can experiment with changes and printing by selecting it. First
- you select the Process Mailing Labels option from the Main Menu.
- Then select MAIL.DBF and MAIL.IDX as your primary file and index.
-
- 7. The copies parameter will determine how many labels for each record
- are printed.
-
- 8. The blank lines parameter will control the printing of blank lines
- in your label definition. Blank lines can be useful for spacers
- when printing large labels.
-
- 9. If you build a new label or edit an existing one and utilize the
- automatic field name selector, be sure to place the cursor at the
- BEGINNING of the line you are appending field names to! Experiment
- with this and you'll see why!
-
-
-
- CREATE A NEW INDEX FILE
-
- ( ** VERY IMPORTANT ** )
- FOXRPT Writer is compatible with Foxpro 2.0 .IDX COMPACT INDEXES ONLY!
-
- Simply select this option from the Main Menu. Select a primary file.
- Then select the field(s) you wish to index on. If you wish to enter a
- conditional expression for your new index you may do so at this time with
- the use of the powerful online query builder. If you build a query such
- as LAST # "ADAMS" .AND. AMOUNT # 500 your new index will only contain
- records that meet these criteria. The last step in creating a new index
- is giving the new index file a name. That's all! The FOXRPT Writer
- does the rest!
-
- ( ** VERY IMPORTANT ** )
- 1. FOXRPT converts numeric and date fields to character values when
- you build an index with them. FOXRPT ensures the proper ordering of
- values in this manner. Character indexes are completely compatible and
- need not be rebuilt. This conversion of numeric & date fields to string
- values is standard practice and enables you to build compound keys with
- mixed data types. These indexes are not backwards compatible with Foxpro,
- but it is a simple procedure to rebuild an index file using Foxpro if you
- must for reasons of compatiblity with other programs which access your data
- files.
-
-
-
- CHANGE THE DIRECTORY
-
- This option enables you to select any directory on your disk
- in which you you might have database files. FOXRPT will ask you
- which directory you'd like to enter. Enter the name. If you make
- a spelling error FOXRPT will report that it is not possible to
- enter the directory you keyed in.
-
-
-
- ** END OF FILE ***
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