Use the report writer view of the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen to design a report layout. In the header portion of the screen you must assign an ID to the design, designate the file from which the data for the report will be obtained, and enter the title to be printed at the top of each report page.
In the body of the screen describe each column of the report. Sequential numbers identify the report columns on the screen. As you list the dictionary items or formulas from top to bottom on the design screen, the fields display on the report from left to right.
For each column of the report identify the data to print in the column. You can enter a dictionary item or a formula that produces a value for the column. Also specify the width of the column, enter the column heading, indicate whether to print subtotals and totals, designate the print format, and indicate where page breaks should occur.
When the report design is complete, proceed to entering selection criteria for the report and then running the report.
To design a report layout:
Log into the character-based system. This feature is not available in a Solar Eclipse interface.
From the Reprts or Tools menu, select Report Writer to display the report writer view of the Report Writer/Mass Load Design screen.
In the Design ID field, enter a unique name that identifies the report. The name can be up to 17 characters.
The system prompts you to confirm that this is a new name and then changes any spaces in the name to periods. The system populates the Created and By fields with the current date and your user ID.
In the File Name field, press F10 and select the name of the file to use to construct the report.
In the Title field, enter the name of the report.
The title displays on the heading of each page in the report and on the Spooler Control screen for the Hold file. The title can contain up to two lines of text, up to 60 characters each. The system centers the title on the top of each printed page. We recommend that the second line of the title be the Report ID.
The title can also contain dollar variables, such as $SLS.PROMPT$, and virtual dates enclosed in exclamation points, such as !MO/DAY/YR!.
In the Dict ID/Formula field, enter the dictionary items to include. You can also enter a formula that performs a calculation on two or more report columns. The system populates the Width and Column Heading fields with defaults defined for the dictionary item.
Note: You can also enter a dictionary ID followed by a value. For example, enter DESC,2 for the second value of the DESC dictionary item. In some cases, dictionary item values may have sub-values. To use those sub-values, simply add another comma followed by the sub-value you want to include.
In the Width field, enter the character width of the report column.
The default setting reflects the width specified for the dictionary item in Dictionary Maintenance. You can change this value. Enter a zero to indicate that a formula uses the value in the column and the value should not print.
By default, the system populates the Column Heading field with the value from the Prompt field on the Eclipse Dictionary Maintenance screen for the dictionary item. You can change this value.
Type a new heading in the field or use the Hdg hot key to display an input screen the width of the field. If you use the Hdg hot key and the column heading is longer than the column width, the text will wrap. You can use up to three lines for the heading. If the text wraps, an asterisk (*) displays before the Column Heading name.
In the Brk field, press F10 and select how to separate information and print subtotals for the report column:
N - No break occurs when the value in the column changes.
Y - The report subtotals all total fields when the value in the column changes.
P - Page break. The report subtotals all total fields when the value in the column changes and a new page begins after the requested subtotals print.
A break leaves a space and prints a total if the Dictionary ID is numeric and the Totals column displays a Y. The total is for all the items before the last break. A grand total also prints at the end of the report.
Note: If you are going to break on a Dictionary ID, you should also have the Dictionary ID listed as a sort criteria.
In the Tot field, for a numeric dictionary item or a formula, specify one of the following options:
N - Do not total the column.
Y - Total this column by adding the contents of the column at each break.
C - Calculate a column total at each break using the formula designated for this column.
An asterisk (*) in the Tot field indicates that the field is not numeric.
In the Format field, change the default conversion code, if needed.
The conversion code determines the printed format of numeric data in this column of the report. The system populates this field with a code based on the information specified for the item in Dictionary File Maintenance. To enter multi-valued formats, use the Hdg hot key to display the Output Formats screen.
Use the Opt hot key to display the Report Writer Options screen, where you can set additional report options.
Use hot keys, as needed.
Hot Key | Description |
Sel Build | Displays the Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen, where you can select the records to include in a report or mass load. |
Adv Selection | Displays the Advanced Report Writer/Mass Load Selection screen, where you can select and sort the records to include in a report or mass load. |
Ecl Dct | Displays the Eclipse Dictionary Maintenance screen, where you can view and edit dictionary items. |
Col Data | Displays the Column Data screen, where you can enter additional data required to determine the value of a dictionary item in a report or mass load field. Note: An asterisk (*) next to a column number indicates that the selected dictionary item requires column data. |
Copy | Displays copy prompts, which you can use to copy a design to a new ID. |
Del | Deletes the displayed report design. The system prompts you to confirm the deletion. |
Hdg | Displays the prompt associated with the selected dictionary item on an input screen the width of the report column. If the prompt is longer than the column width, the text wraps. The prompt can use up to 3 lines. Note: If you use this hot key in the Format column, an Output Formats screen containing 5 lines displays, where you can add multi-valued formats. |
Analyzer | Reserved for future use in analyzing report data. |
Run Rpt | Displays the Report Driver screen, from which you can run a report. |
Dict Sum | Displays the Dictionary Maintenance Summary screen, where you can view all the dictionary items defined for a file. |
Label | Displays the Report Writer Label Specification screen, where you can set the parameters for printing labels. |
Opt | Displays the Report Writer Options screen, where you can set final printing or downloading options before creating a report. |
Notes | Displays the Notes screen, where you can enter an internal note about this mass load. You can enter up to 999 lines of free-form text. |
View | Displays the View Choices screen, where you can change the view of the Report Writer/Mass Load screen. |
Begin Load | Displays the Mass Load Driver screen, from which you can run a mass load. |
Set Val | Displays the Default/Set Values screen, which gives you more space in which to enter the text to be mass loaded into the designated field. |
Log | Displays the Maintenance Log Viewing screen, where you can view the log of changes made to this design. |
Files | Displays other files that the current file directly links to. |
Path | For dictionary items that are linked to via one or more files, displays the path from one file to the next. |
Press Esc to save the report design.
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