Report Writer Layout Tab - WebTMA 7

Path Reports > Report Writer / Layout Tab

The final part of the report is the Layout Tab. Use this Tab to specify how you want the fields displayed.

By default, WebTMA displays data in a Table Layout, but you have the option of a List Layout as well. Your Report Layout selection depends on the type of report you need. Think carefully about how you want to view your report, because each time you switch between Table and Detail, WebTMA modifies the existing layout and some settings are lost. If you want to experiment with the different styles, save your basic report and use the Copy button on the WebTMA toolbar to make a copy with a slightly different name. Initially, you may want to experiment to determine the type of Layout that works best for you.

The Table Report Format includes Headers and Footers, the List Report Format does not.

Buttons across the top of the Layout Tab are used to add and modify Layout fields in your report.

Drag-and-drop your selected fields to re-organize the Layout if needed. In View mode, you can use the Render Report link on the Action Menu to check your results.

Properties Button

Select the Properties button to open the Report Properties flyout and set the Page Format, Margins, Report Layout, Report Orientation, Logo, Title, and to Hide Header and Footer.

The Table Layout Section displays by default. The check boxes in the Table Layout Section are used to determine the appearance of the Table on the page. Mark the check boxes that work best with your Table Report Format.

If you make no selections, the entire Table is aligned to the left of the page without any grid lines or other formatting.

  • The Grid option outlines each cell and adds a contrasting background to alternate rows.
  • The Default Template option adds a contrasting background to the Header row at the top of each page.
  • The Center Alignment option centers the entire table on the page. It does not center individual columns in the Table.
  • The Row Line Separator option inserts a line between rows of Data.
  • The Header Line Separator option inserts a line after the Table Header.
  • The Footer Line Separator option inserts a line before the Table Footer.
  • The Group Header Line Separator option inserts a line after the Group Header.
  • The Group Footer Line Separator option inserts a line before the Group Footer.

Apply Styles

When you select one or more Layout fields, i.e., mark the check box in the upper right corner of the field Btn_RW_SelectLayoutField.png, select the Apply Styles button to open the flyout. The same flyout opens when you click the gear icon adjacent to the check box. This is useful when you are working with a single Layout field. When using the gear icon, you do not need to mark the check box.

The Layout Styles flyout offers options to set fonts and colors in the Style Section. Depending on the type of data, the Formatting Section on the flyout is visible and is used to set up a Formatting String for dates and numerals. The Date/Times on reports reflect the current user's settings.

Clear Checks

Use the Clear Checks button as a quick way to clear all the check boxes you have marked in Layout fields.

Move Selected To

Exclusive to Table Report Layout, you can use the Move Selected To button to select Layout Fields and move them to other Sections of your report such as to the Headers, Footers, or Data Section. Individual fields can be moved using drag-and-drop.

Add Field and Add Label

Use the Add Field button to open the Select Display Fields flyout and add a new field to your Layout. Note you can select Add Label, Add Data, or Add Label & Data on this flyout. The Add Label button here is the same as the Add Label button above the full Layout, which is used for custom labels.

Add Blank

The Add Blank button is used to create blank areas in your report to help with proper spacing.

Add Divider Line and Add Page Break

The Add Divider Line and Add Page Break buttons are exclusive to List Report Layouts. No flyout opens when you choose the buttons.

The Add Page Break button is used to insert a blank page at the beginning or end of the report.

The Add Divider Line button operates in much the same way as a Page Break; however, you can place the Divider Line among the cells. Unless you have a particular need, this may create more confusion in reading the report, but the option is available to you.

Add Sub Report

Since Forms do not include every field for every module, you can add another report as a Sub Report. This incorporates all the fields from the sub-report in your report.

Use the Add Sub Report button to open the Sub Report Entry flyout and select the desired Sub Report and Primary Links. The selection of Sub Reports on this flyout is limited to those reports with the Sub Report check box is marked on the Report Writer / Identity Tab. See How to Select a Sub Report for more information.

Equalize Colspan

If you use the Table Layout, an additional button labeled Equalize Colspan is displayed. When you use this button, the Report Writer reviews the entire Layout and adjusts the cell column spans to ensure they add up. The feature does not require any special action on your part, i.e., no cells have to be checked, for the function to be performed. Using the button never breaks a report, but it does repair a report that has column span errors.

How to Select a Sub Report

When you select the same column in both the Report and Sub Report, you link the two reports. Unless you specify these common data columns, the Sub Report is not included.

Be sure these links contain data that is not duplicated in the database. For sensible results, be certain that you select a field containing unique data such as Work Order # or Equipment #. By contrast, a link such as a Technician's first name could have many occurrences in the data.

To include a Sub Report, follow these steps:

  1. Choose the Add Sub Report button to open the Sub Report Entry flyout.
  2. Select the name of the Sub Report.
  3. Choose the Sub Report Primary Link.
  4. Select the Report Primary Link.
  5. (Optional) Select Sub Report Secondary Link and Report Secondary Link.*
  6. Choose the Save button.

* A Secondary Sub Report, i.e., a Sub Report within a Sub Report, is used for very advanced report writing. Rarely will you use this feature.

Bar Code Labels

You can create a report specifically designed to print bar code labels using Report Writer. Use the instructions outlined in New Reports and the related topics to open the Report Writer window and create a new report.
When you create a new report be sure to select a form that includes the Tag # field for the type of Equipment or Asset you plan to label. If you want to filter the items, you can add Criteria.
Include label fields above or below the bar code to help identify the item. This can include both the Tag # as text as well as a description.
Once you have the desired layout, assign the Bar Code font to a Data Field using the Styles button. WebTMA prints the selected field as a bar code.

If you have not installed the bar code font w39l.ttf, it is attached to this article. Download and open the file, then select the Install button at the upper left. Once installed, reload your browser.

 

Want to Know More?

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