RBBS in a Box Volume 1 #2/RBBS_vol1_no2.iso/003z/r_r.rv

Text File | 1989-01-04 | 8KB | 170 lines

      R&R RELATIONAL REPORT WRITER CREATES dBASE REPORTS -
                      WITHOUT PROGRAMMING!
                         by Norman Neher

R&R Relational Report Writer for dBase
Concentric Data Systems, Inc.
18 Lyman Street
Westboro, MA 01581
800-325-9035
List Price: $149.00; Clipper and FoxBASE Plus module, $49.95; not
copy protected
Requires:  Any configuration that can operate dBase III or DBase
    III Plus.  Designed to work on dBase files only.

    R&R Relational Report Writer is an add-on program for use
with dBase III or dBase III Plus which plugs the holes in report
generation facilities that come with the language.

    dBase has essentially three methods of generating reports
from its files: you can output what amount to unformatted records
from the "dot prompt"; this lets you view the contents of a file
on the screen or printed on paper, but it good only for showing
what records are in the file.  You can use the internal report
generator, which allows you to define simple headers and footers
and to do calculation in the form of expressions; but you have to
know how to do it and the results are limited.  Finally, you can
use the dBase command language.  To use this you should be a
programmer with a lot of experience in the ins and outs of the
command language. You can create beautiful reports this way, but
they take a lot of time to do and are expensive.

    It is also hard to print labels correctly with dBase,
especially if you want to print many-across, and they are of
different lengths.

    If you are dissatisfied with the dBase report writer, and
tired of the complicated  programming needed in dBase for
sophisticated reports, R&R Relational Report Writer is for you.

    Installation of the program is very simple:  the program
disks are copied to your hard-disk directory.  Then you summon
the Lotus-like menu and can begin defining your report. Once you
read the basic instructions and work the sample programs the
report writer is fairly easy to use. It's a learn while you work
situation. When you have mastered the program your reports will
be truly  works of art.

    Each report created may have a title; page headers and
footers; group  headers and footers; and summary page. The title
may be a separate page or  may be at the top of the first page.
The summary page may be separate or  at the bottom of the last
page. The headers and footers can be controlled  to print or not
to print.

    Up to nine other database files can be related to the master
database and/or to each other. When calling for a field from the
same of another data base, a pop-up window appears and allows you
to select the field you want. Nine levels of totalling can be
established. In operation, the report writer generates a
"composite record" from all the data called for, and creates the
report from that.

    Using the "Query" command you can select the composite
records that will be included in the report by comparing a field
in the composite record to a value, list  of values or a range of
values.

    The report generator is menu driven with Lotus like menus.
The input menu shows the related data base fields linked together
with diagram type lines to the database they belong to.

    The report writer can print form letters, reports, mailing
labels and generate ASCII files with or without printer control
codes. Many of the  field formats are like Lotus. For example
commas can be placed in the numeric fields. You cannot do this
with the dBase report writer without  losing the numerical value.

    Numeric fields can be formatted as fixed with 0 to 15
decimal places; as scientific, with exponential notation; as
currency, edited with dollar sign, commas, and with negative
values parenthesized. General numeric fields, defined as having a
floating decimal format, and percent fields, which are multiplied
by 100 and printed followed by percent sign, are also allowed.

    Date formats can be either full or abbreviated and many
variations of spelled-out months, etc., are possible.

    The formatting for character and memo fields may be set up
to align the text to the left, right, or center, and Word-Wrap to
left justify, right justify, or full justify.

    Another neat feature of this program is the line and field
attribute  function. With this feature each field or line can be
set to normal, bold, underscore, Italic and combinations of bold,
underscore, and Italic.

    You can set up your own calculated fields by writing
"expressions" which describe the data to be included in the
calculation and the arithmetic to me performed on it.  An
expression may be 511 characters long (dBase is limited to 254).
For example, a field named "TOTAL" can be defined by the
expression "REVENUE + EXPENSE", if these two fields have been
identified by name in the dBase structure.

    The report writer offers 77 predefined functions that can be
used in  calculated fields. Most of these are dBase III functions
with a few additional one such as  ADDDAYS (adds number of days
to date); SOUNDEX (returns value of  string based on its sound);
SPELLNUM (spells a number); WDCOUNT (returns  number of words in
a character string).  You can also generate User Defined
functions to meet your special needs.

    R&R uses the dBase database files and not the program files.
You have the option of using the dBase index files or the sort
command in the report writer. Fields can be sorted without having
to convert them to character strings. For example, it is not
necessary to parse out the date fields in order to have them sort
in correct chronological order.

    The report writer may be run direct from a dBase program.
This is done through the runtime programs (RRUNTIME.EXE & RR.EXE)
used in conjunction with a job file (RRUNIN.DBF), all of which
are supplied with the R&R program disks.

    The runtime programs are license free and enable you to give
your clients the report libraries without the purchase of the
report writer as long as you do not give them the RR.exe program.

    An excellent feature of the job file is that it enables you
to change  certain parameters of the report without changing the
report program itself.  In the job file you can specify the range
of pages you want printed (great if you have to do a restart), or
specify where you want the report to go: printer,  screen display
or and ASCII file with or without printer codes.

    The query function in the saved report can be overridden in
the job file.  This is very useful when you have multiple query
requests.

    The program uses a configuration file that contains
information about your default directories, display type, and the
types of printers to be used. Up to eight different printers can
be configured in this file. Nearly 100 printers are supported.
Printer drivers can be customized to suit your needs. You can
design your own if your printer is not listed. By specifying
printer fonts (up to 15), you can do customizing like
italicizing, compressed or expanded  printing for individual
fields and/or lines.

    The R&R Relational Report Writer is a comprehensive program.
I have just  highlighted a portion of the what is available with
the hopes of  stimulating your interest in this product.

    In general, the use of the tutorial and helped me to
understand how to use  the program, although, I had difficulty
with some of the sample programs  because I wasn't familiar with
relational type data. Once I understood relationships (primarily
one-to-one, one-to-many and many-to-one) everything fell into
place and was easy.

    At work, one of the problems I had with dBase was its
rounding strategy.  Sometimes it rounded up and under certain
conditions it rounded down. This caused problems with balancing
between invoices and proof lists. R&R solved this inconsistency.

    This program is fun to work with and I highly recommend it.
Your reports will be a breeze to generate and will look very
professional. Although I do not have a laser printer, I can
imagine the quality of the reports would be dazzling.