Wylib Report Window


Table of Contents

Introduction
Automatic Report Regeneration
Report Parameters
Re-running Manually
Active vs/ Passive Reports

Introduction

This widget is used to generate reports. A report is simply a display of data from the database, formatted in a way that helps the user better visualize the meaning of the data.

When you select a particular report, a new toplevel window will open and the report data will be presented in the window.

Note that reports (in this context) are different from generating a selected cut of data in a preview widget. Data in a preview widget may be referred to loosely as "a report" in that you are calling out selected data and summarizing it. Also, in a preview widget, you can export the data easily to a CSV file.

In contrast the report tool described by this help is presented in a text window rather than a preview widget. This means that the report format can take any form (not necessarily rows and columns) like in a preview widget. But if you want to export data from a report window, you will only be able to do so by copy/paste, or by saving the report to a text file and importing it into a spreadsheet as a "fixed column" data type (assuming the report shows data in fixed columns).

Automatic Report Regeneration

Depending on the way the report has been configured in the software, it may automatically re-generate itself at certain times. For example, a report might be used in conjunction with an editing widget. So if you load an employee record into the editing pane, the report will be generated to show helpful information about that particular employee. Then, each time you load a new employee into the editing pane, the report will automatically be re-run on the new employee.

Each report window has a small check box (Act:) near the upper right to show whether its status is "Active." Like all toplevel windows, only one report window of a given type can be active at one time. When configured for automatic re-generation, only the currently active report window will re-run the report.

Report Parameters

Often, it is desirable to input parameters for a report. For example, you may want the report to operate only a on particular date range. Or you might want to look at data only from a particular source. Many Wylib reports have a parameter block near the top where you can set the parameters of the report.

Since the parameters used on each particular report are specific to that report, their individual meanings can not be explained here. However the parameters are maintained in standard Wylib widgets with pop-up context helps. So move the mouse over each one to see a description of how it will affect the generation of the report.

Once you find a group of settings for the report that do what you like, you can save them as a "named setting." This is done under the File menu of the report (Save Named Settings). You can recall the saved settings later by the similar option: Load Named Settings (or the Load shortcut button near the top of the report window).

Re-running Manually

Some reports may not be configured to re-generate automatically. And in some cases, you may want to re-run the report anyway. Do do this, press the green "Run" button at the top.

Active vs/ Passive Reports

For the most part, reports simply analyze data--not modify it. However, it is possible that the report widget will be used as a display for an algorithm that does modify data. For example, a batch process in payroll would be a good candidate for running in a report window. So look closely at the context help in the menu for each report before running it to make sure you know what the result will be.