RB12.03 PrintToFile - xlsDataFile Issue

rbuser

Hi

If the print to file spec is left blank the xlsDataFile produces a blank
export (unlike the xlsReportFile which produces an output which follows the
report layout).

1. Can RB be set to produce a xlsDataFile which works exactly like the
xlsReportFile in that if the printtofile layout is not set, it obeys the
report layout? This is excellent, simple to use (we only do simple).

2. If we must have a printofile layout then, can the default order of the
labels and fields in the PrintToFileSetup be the same as that in the report,
not sorted as is currently the case.

To see how frustrating this is..

2.1. Select a table with say 100 fields (not uncommon).
2.2. Create a report which uses the Report Wizard to set the order of the
fields on the report - this works great in 12.03 now. Move the fields about
to achieve a sensible order (client name, address 1, address 2 that sort
of thing).
2.3. Open up the PrintToFileSetup and now get the export to
(a) match the detail band field layout in the displayed report
(b) match the labels to the header to the detail, where Label10
probably refers to DBText9.

3. If we cannot have 1 above, can we disable the xlsDataFile option as all I
can see is it causing grief?


Thanks in advance

Philip L Jackson

rbuser

Philip L Jackson wrote:


You can remove any of the print devices by calling ppUnRegisterDevice.
In your case I think:

ppUnregisterDevice(ppXLSDevice);

This requires ppDevice and ppXLSDevice adding to your uses clause.

--
Regards, Paul.

nardmoseley

By default XLSData should export the detail band elements in z-order.
However, there is a patch required to fix this for 12.03. I am emailing you
the patch.



--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Hi

Why can't the default layout of the dataFile export in heading/detail
bands in exactly the same way as the report file? The Report File works
very very well.

Regards

PLJ

nardmoseley

The Devices such as PDFDevice, RTFDevice, XLSReportDevice,
ReportTextFileDevice map the element page positions to the output. They try
to duplicate the page output you would see on the screen or printer.

The XLSDataDevice is designed to work like the TextFileDevice. These devices
have no concept of page position at all. They export data only. The ordering
of the data is z-order, which is the order displayed by the report tree.




--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com