Understanding the Text Editor in Report Designer

Understanding the Text Editor in Report Designer

The Text Editor allows users to edit text components in Report Designer. This ability to modify text components allows for better customization of report appearances.

Expression Tab


Fig. 01 – Expression Tab (Text Editor)

This tab has the following panels:

  1. The text panel is where you can establish a reference to any item in the data dictionary, enter text, or create an expression.
  2. The Data Dictionary panel contains all of the items in the Report Data Dictionary.

Dragging and dropping from panel two to panel one is supported, and will automatically generate a reference for the data dictionary item, in the image above, the expression {Projects.ID} is a reference to the description of the data column ID (Projects is the name of the table/data source) in the report data dictionary.

Data Column Tab


Fig. 02 – Data Column Tab (Text Editor)

This tab contains the data columns from the Dictionary. Selecting a column forms an expression. The expression formed is a reference to the column descriptor in the report data dictionary.

On this panel, there may be a parameter named Show Instead Null Values. Using this parameter allows the user to specify the characters to display, instead of the zero values of selected data columns.

System Variable Tab


Fig. 03 – System Variable Tab (Text Editor)

  1. System Variable Panel – Displays the system variables of the data dictionary. Select a system variable here to form the reference in the text component. 
  2. Descriptions Panel – Displays a description of whichever variable is selected. 

Summary Tab


Fig. 04 – Summary Tab (Text Editor)

  1. Summary Function – Used to determine the type of an aggregate function to calculate the summary. 
  2. Data Band – Used to select the data band by which the summary will be calculated. 
  3. Data Column – This is the column from which the totals to be calculated are pulled. 
  4. Report – This sets the calculation function for the entire report. The value of the function in the place of the report will be the same. 
  5. Column – This sets the calculation of the functions of the data column.
  6.  Page – This sets the calculation of the function by a report page. On each report page, the total value will be calculated only on the page. 
  7. Running Total – Sets the calculation mode with the running total. Each subsequent result includes all of the previous ones. 
  8. Condition – When calculating totals, Condition will allow you to take into account the value only when executing a specific condition. 
  9. This final field is for the condition expressions (Enabled with the checkbox in the previous point). 

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