Report Writer Help

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by clarkm >> Tue, 14 May 2002 8:28:02 GMT

G'Day
Maybe it's just me being a complete yobbo, but I'm having trouble getting the new JadeReportWriter to work. I was able to create some views in the configurator and a basic report in the designer through just kicking off the application directly, but to actually run the reports with data in them, I need to start the ReportWriter from within my own schema. After implementing the code that Jade support supplied me (see below), I still can't use it, as the configurator and designer are not making all their forms visible for me to use.
Shutting down our Jade App then gives me the lovely message of "invisible forms remaining" - which is still no use.
Can anyone shed any light on this?

(code to kick off the designer - supplied by JadeSupport)
vars
jrwm : JadeReportWriterManager;begin

create jrwm transient;
jrwm.startReportWriterDesigner(app.userName, JadeReportWriterSecurity); epilog
delete jrwm;
end;

Thanks heaps!
Hayden McInnes
Synergist Limited, Cambridge, UK

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by cdshearer >> Tue, 14 May 2002 20:04:45 GMT

Hi Hayden

I have successfully launched the Report Writer Designer from an application, thoughh I've done it a little differently from your code.

Here's what works for me:

vars
strName : String;begin

if app.rwManager.isReportWriterInstalled then
strName := app.currentUser.userName;
app.rwManager.startReportWriterDesigner(strName, null);
endif;
end;

On my Application subclass, I have a protected myRwManager reference to a JadeReportWriterManager. I have a rwManager method on app that does the following:

rwManager(): JadeReportWriterManager updating;
vars
begin

if myRWManager = null then
create myRWManager transient;
endif;

return myRWManager;
end;


So, I guess the biggest difference is that I'm creating a transient JadeReportWriterManager instance and letting it hang around for the duration of the application run. I don't know whether this matters.

Also, I'm passing null for the security class. (I don't care about security for this app... ) Perhaps you should try this, then you can get fancy with security later on.

Hope this helps...

Craig

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by clarkm >> Wed, 15 May 2002 8:05:58 GMT

Thanks Craig, but essentially we're doing the same thing here. I've tried not deleting the transient, and sending null for the security class (and my security class is nothing, seeing as the default is full access anyway). It looks like this is a fault that is a bit stranger - I've been in touch with Jade Support again, and we'll see what happens.
One prob is that being in the UK, it takes a whole day to turn around a message, thanks to the time diff...

I think we need one person at Jade Support to work nightshifts... hehehe (just kidding guys!)

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by malcolm >> Wed, 29 May 2002 1:09:41 GMT

Hayden,

Are you still having any luck using Report Writer or have you lost interest? I recently did a project evaluating the JADE Report Writer for a customer and currently have about 20 PAR's opened against it. I am still waiting for most of these to filter their way through to JADE release status.

What do you mean by "are not making all their forms visible for me to use"?

Malcolm McCulloch
Unify Group
Christchurch
New Zealand

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by clarkm >> Wed, 29 May 2002 15:37:16 GMT

G'Day Malcolm.

Thanks, but I've got this sorted - it was a weird line of code buried deep in our system on a Picture::windowCreated event that a contractor put in, that is unused now...

But I do have another "problem" that you might be able to help with. I haven't got far enough into the report writer to double up on too many of your PAR's. But I am trying to create some 2-up and/or 3-up address labels in the report writer, which is one "benchmark" in my book of report writer testing...

Have you been able to do this yet?

Thanks
Hayden McInnes
Synergist Limited - Home of FileVision
United Kingdom

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by malcolm >> Wed, 29 May 2002 22:12:00 GMT

Well, I haven't got as far as address labels yet, though I can see that it might stretch the JRW and may involve use of embedded "script".
My problems were more to do with reporting on a large and complex database and deploying reports from development to production systems. I raised a number of usability issues too.

It's interesting isn't it, that form and control code affects the Report Writer the way it does. A bit odd really, though I suppose it has some uses (and dangers). We ended up with a funny mix of standard JRW controls and our customised ones. It was certainly not expected by me... I can't see many Crystal Reports users or whatever being able to change the UI!

Good luck.
Malcolm

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by clarkm >> Thu, 30 May 2002 9:30:49 GMT

Great, so I can expect to come across a number of issues when we come to deploy the report writer too, then? Thanks for getting there before us!

Yeah, one of Jade's strengths (Jade written in Jade), is also a potential weakness. But we do like the skins - our product's interface can be given an "instant update" so that us developers can improve the functionality and not deal with too many "it looks old" issues!

Hayden McInnes
Synergist Limited - Home of FileVision
United Kingdom

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by cdshearer >> Thu, 30 May 2002 2:59:13 GMT

Hi Hayden

I take it by this you mean that you want to make mailing labels that print 2 or 3 across a page, then down to the next row, etc.

I think you'll have trouble with this... but then you could always extract the data to csv, then use Microsoft Word to do a Mail Merge and produce mailing labels - it's pretty good at this! (And it knows about all available mailing label formats too!) This is something we've done in the past.

Good luck!

Craig

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by CarlRanson >> Thu, 30 May 2002 3:10:07 GMT

Um....so, whats the point of having a report writer then? Does the phrase "having a dog and barking yourself" mean anything?

CR

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by clarkm >> Thu, 30 May 2002 8:26:04 GMT

Woof.

Exactly... which is why I use labels as one good test for a report writer...
It's very close - with the multi-part detail sections, but not quite there.

If I get it done, then I'll post the results.

Thanks!
Hayden McInnes
Synergist Limited - Home of FileVision
United Kingdom