ReportBuilder 23.03 is now available!

This version includes a number of bug fixes as well as a couple nice new features.

See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/22059/reportbuilder-23-03-is-now-available

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ReportBuilder 23.02 is now available!

For this version, we are excited to introduce Delphi 13 support.

See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/22035/reportbuilder-23-02-is-now-available-including-delphi-13-support

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ReportBuilder 23.01 is now available!

For this version, we are excited to introduce Delphi 12.3 64-bit IDE support as well as code-signed install files.

See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/21997/reportbuilder-23-01-is-now-available-including-delphi-12-3-64-bit-ide-support

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ReportBuilder 23.0 is now available!

This release focuses on UI look and feel with some fresh icons, as well as numerous other features throughout the product.  We will be working hard on new blog posts and RBWiki articles to highlight some of the work that was done.

See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/21966/reportbuilder-23-0-is-now-available

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ReportBuilder 22.06 is now available! See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/21942/reportbuilder-22-06-is-now-available-including-delphi-12-2-support

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Part 2: Merging Reports using the Archive Merging Utility

In the first part of this series, we discussed how to merge reports using subreports.  Today we are going to take a look at another method: Merging Archives.

Generating a report as an archive file is a great way to save a snapshot of that report to file for later use. The resulting file, when viewed, is an exact replica of the original report output when it was generated without the need for data or report manipulation.

The simplicity of archive files make them the perfect starting point for the next part in our series of merging reports. With the use of the built-in Archive Merging Utility, merging multiple archive files into a single file is an almost trivial task.

Whether numerous archive files are already saved to file or database or multiple reports require quick merging without redesign or further code, merging archives is a handy tool to have in your merging arsenal.

See the following article for how to utilize the Archive Merging Utility (TppRAFMerge class) to easily merge multiple archives into one.

https://rbwiki.digital-metaphors.com/output/archive/merging-archive-files/

Pros:
– Archive files are easy to generate and are proven to contain correct output.
– Archive files print/export quickly due to zero overhead and merging requires minimal code.
– Once merged, exporting an archive to different file formats is simple using existing RB architecture.

Cons:
– Creating archive files adds a new step when another file format is needed.
– Archive files are not “live” reports
– Editing archive files once created can be time consuming

Merging archives is yet another useful way to combine separate reports into a single document. While this method really shines when archive files have already been created, it can also be used to simply merge reports even when archive files are not ultimately needed.

The next post in our series (Merging Files) is coming soon, stay tuned.

Happy Reporting!

ReportBuilder 22.05 is now available! See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/FORUMS/discussion/21923/reportbuilder-22-05-is-now-available

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In the reporting world, efficiency is key. Whether you’re a developer, designer, or end-user, the ability to merge multiple reports into a cohesive whole is a skill you’ll want in your arsenal.

Imagine this scenario: You’ve meticulously crafted individual ReportBuilder reports, including data, event code, calculations, etc. — but now you need to present a unified result. Perhaps you’re compiling a comprehensive report, combining contracts, or assembling a collaborative project. Whatever the reason, merging documents streamlines information, reduces clutter, and ensures a seamless reading experience.

Merging multiple reports into a single document either on screen or exported to file is a very useful and often asked for feature. ReportBuilder natively provides numerous ways to merge reports and this series of posts will address each one.

Part 1: Merging Reports With Subreports

Subreports are a fast and easy way to merge multiple reports with ReportBuilder. Subreports themselves are essentially full featured reports that can be embedded into a main report.

Start with an empty “container” report with a detail band only. Add a subreport component for each report you wish to merge. Each subreport will contain an individual report that is loaded from a template file or created manually. The use of Child or Section subreports will determine whether there is a page break between merged reports.

See the following article and example below for how subreports can be used to merge two (or more) reports.

https://rbWiki.digital-metaphors.com/design/layout-design/merge-reports-with-subreports

Pros:

1. Subreports are simple to use and provide visual design options.
2. Saving and loading report templates is quick and straight forward.
3. Reports are merged in the preview as well as when exported or printed.

Cons:

1. Not all report features are available in subreports.
2. All data, calculations, and event code must be present and valid before merging.
3. Sometimes all that’s needed is a simple merged file.

As you can see, using subreports to merge reports is a very simple an useful method and should be considered for every merging scenario.

Stay tuned for more merging tips and tricks in our upcoming blog series and in the mean time,

Happy Reporting!

ReportBuilder 22.04 is now available including support for the latest Delphi release, Delphi 12.1! See the official announcement on our forums by clicking the link below.

https://www.digital-metaphors.com/forums/discussion/21886/reportbuilder-22-04-is-now-available-including-delphi-12-1-support

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Below are a couple examples of some helper routines that you may find useful.

1. Web Mail and Cloud Drive service helpers:

Setting up web mail and cloud drive services can be time consuming due to the fact that many of the necessary properties are embedded in numerous sub-classes. For instance, in order to set up Gmail using standard RB properties, the following code is needed:

ppReport.EmailSettings.ConnectionSettings.WebMail.GmailSettings.OAuth2.ClientID := ClientID;
ppReport.EmailSettings.ConnectionSettings.WebMail.GmailSettings.OAuth2.ClientSecret := ClientSecret;
ppReport.EmailSettings.ConnectionSettings.WebMail.GmailSettings.OAuth2.RedirectURI := RedirectURI;

The same would be needed to set up another web mail plugin such as Outlook.com.

With the included WebMailSetup routine, both plugins can be set up with the following code:

// Redirect URI is optional (defaults to http://localhost)
ppReport.EmailSettings.ConnectionSettings.WebMailSetup(ctGmail, ClientID, ClientSecret);
ppReport.EmailSettings.ConnectionSettings.WebMailSetup(ctOutlookWeb, ClientID, ClientSecret);

A similar helper is provided for cloud drive services.

//Set up all three supported cloud drive services
ppReport.CloudDriveSettings.CloudDriveSetup(ctGoogleDrive, ClientID, ClientSecret);
ppReport.CloudDriveSettings.CloudDriveSetup(ctOneDrive, ClientID, ClientSecret);
ppReport.CloudDriveSettings.CloudDriveSetup(ctDropBox, ClientID, ClientSecret, 'http://localhost:54321');

2. Export to file from the Viewer:

When using a TppViewer on a form to view reports, it is commonly necessary to export that report to file directly. This can be troublesome due to the fact that the Viewer itself is connected to an output device (screen). Normally, one would need to manually disconnect the screen device from the report before exporting and reconnect it after exporting has finished. The ExportToFile routine makes this process much easier.

ppViewer.ExportToFile(dtPDF, FilePath + '\Invoice.pdf');

Hopefully this gives you a bit more information on some helpful helper routines that have been added to ReportBuilder. If you find this information useful, let me know and I can make this a series of the various other helpers available. Also, if you would like to see other helper routines added, let me know that as well and we will consider adding them for the next release.

Happy Reporting!