Using ReportSmith To Create Interface Files

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Using ReportSmith To Create Interface Files

• Charles Cook
• Specializing in ReportSmith Training and
  Consulting
• 00 March 2000

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Presented By

• Charles Cook
• Specializing in ReportSmith Training and
  Consulting
• CharlesCook.com
• Charles_at_CharlesCook.com

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Creating Interface Files

• Overview
• Save As
• Fixed Format Files
• Using Summary Fields
• Header/Footer Records
• ReportSmith 3.1

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Save As

• What is saved
• Only data in the detail section of your report is
  saved
• Column headings are always saved
• Headers and Footers are not saved
• Crosstabs in headers and/or footers are not
  saved
• Summary fields in headers and/or footers are not
  saved

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Save As

• Data Types
• Report Files (.rpt)
• This will save the attributes of your report not
  the report data
• Report Query Files (.rqf)
• Excel Files (.xls)
• Text Files (.txt)
• Tab Delimited
• Lotus 123 Files (.wk3)
• Comma Delimited Files (.csv)
• Data Interchange Format Files (.dif)
• Quattro Files (.wkq)

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The Data in ReportSmith
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Save As Excel Files
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Save As Text Files (In Notepad)
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Save As Text Files (In Excel)
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Save As Comma Delimited Files
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Fixed Format Files

• Overview
• Format the data using a SQL derived field
• Save the data using Save As

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Fixed Format Files

• Formatting the data
• Create one SQL Derived Field
• Convert the data to a string if necessary
• Conversion function will format the data
• Pad the data with leading or trailing spaces or
  zeros
• Trim the field to size
• Concatenate the field to the next field

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Formatting the data
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The Data in ReportSmith
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Fixed Format Files

• Save the data
• Save As Text Files

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Save As Text Files
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Using Summary Fields

• Overview
• Group the data and create summary fields
• Create a macro to write the data to a file
• The data can be delimited or fixed format
• Link the macro

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Group the data
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Using Summary Fields

• Create a macro
• Loop through each record in the report
• Write one record for each group
• Write the summary fields not the data fields
• The summary fields are for the report group
• Tell the user the file has been created

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Create a macro
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Link the macro
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Using Summary Fields
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Using Summary Fields
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Header/Footer Records

• Overview
• Added to the macro
• Header records are written before the loop
• Footer records a written after the loop
• Write the summary fields not the data fields
• Summary fields are for entire report group

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Header/Footer Records
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Header/Footer Records
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ReportSmith 3.1

• Overview
• Saving formatted data
• Printing to HTML

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Presented By

• Charles Cook
• Specializing in ReportSmith Training and
  Consulting
• CharlesCook.com
• Charles_at_CharlesCook.com