Chapter 24. Displaying Reports

Transcription

1 154 Student Guide 24. Displaying Reports Chapter 24 Displaying Reports Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-1

2 Intellution Dynamics ifix 24. Displaying Reports Section Objectives This section continues the exploration of Reporting with ifix. Previous sections covered the creation of reports. This section examines how to view reports once they are created. Report Distribution Considerations Using Crystal Reports ActiveX Controls Using a Web Browser in a Picture Viewing Reports in Access Viewing Reports in Excel This section also examines how to schedule reports to be executed. Report Distribution Considerations Demand Based Reports Event Objects and Timer Objects Using Schedules Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-2

3 154 Student Guide Report Creation Review A. Report Creation Tools Excel Access Crystal Reports B. Using Excel to view ifix data Excel treats ifix data as external data The data can be updated in a spreadsheet by configuring the data to be refreshed at regular intervals or whenever the file is opened C. Using Access to view ifix data Data can be manually imported from an ifix ODBC data source using an Import Table Data can be linked to an ifix ODBC data source using a Link Table - queries are used to view data rather than viewing table directly D. Crystal Report Designer creates reports Use existing Queries or make new queries specific to the report Use Report Expert to choose template and quickly lay out a report Customize Report using Design View Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-3

4 Intellution Dynamics ifix Report Display Overview A. Generating Report Output Send report to printer report as attachment to distribution list Post Report document on file server Post Report in HTML format on web server B. Mechanisms for getting Report to the User Send report to printer, photocopy, hand-out or company mail Notify users that report exists via or pager - Works for printed copy, document on file server, report on web C. Considerations when choosing output format and mechanism for delivery Archiving report for future reference - paper file, microfiche, tape backup, CD-ROM / optical media backup Automatically purging old / outdated reports from user computers Network Traffic - ing reports takes increases traffic and fills mail servers Remote / Mobile issues - availability to users on intranet and for customers/partners on the internet - availability to remote / dial-in users Security Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-4

5 154 Student Guide Report Display Overview D. Customer needs for information dissemination Customers request ability to bring data into external packages - Reporting Packages, Data Mining software, Statistical Analysis software Data needs to be accessible to everyone in the enterprise - through and pagers - Internet / Intranet web pages E. Report Viewing Tools Crystal Reports ActiveX control in an ifix picture Web Browser in an ifix picture Web Browser as a separate application - Microsoft Internet Explorer - Netscape Navigator Other external applications: - Microsoft Excel - Microsoft Access - Microsoft Word - Microsoft Outlook Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-5

6 Intellution Dynamics ifix Crystal Reports ActiveX Control A. Crystal Reports ActiveX Control Insert the ActiveX Control just like any other ActiveX Object Edit the Control to configure the report viewing options: - Destination: - File Type: Window, Printer, File, Exchange, MAPI (Microsoft Message API) Crystal Report RPT, CSV, Excel XLS, HTML, ODBC, Text, Tab Separated Text, Microsoft Word, others Figure 24-1: Inserting the Crystal Reports ActiveX Control Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-6

7 154 Student Guide Crystal Reports ActiveX Control Figure 24-2: Configuring the Crystal Reports ActiveX Control Figure 24-3: Crystal Reports ActiveX Control PrintReport Method Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-7

8 Intellution Dynamics ifix Web Browser in ifix Picture A. Browser ActiveX Control Insert the ActiveX Control just like any other ActiveX Object Nearly all report generators can create electronic documents - can be stored on a server for later viewing - can be ed using a mailing list Many report generators support RTF format - Rich Text Format supported by many word processors / text editors Browsing of RTF files can be done from within the Workspace - Microsoft Rich Text Control Many documents in HTML format - browse report from any browser - cross platform compatibility Browsing of HTML files can be done from within the Workspace - Microsoft Web Browser Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-8

9 154 Student Guide Web Browser in ifix Picture Figure 24-4: Microsoft Web Browser ActiveX Control Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc. 24-9

10 Intellution Dynamics ifix Viewing Reports in Access A. Selecting a Report Use StartupForm or AutoExec Macro to bring user to menu of Reports Launch a specific report when MS-Access starts - Use Macros and Modules with command line parameters MSAccess.exe RdB254.mdb /x RunCmd /cmd "CIP1" - More information in Access on-line help B. Generating Report Output Reports can automatically print to windows default printer Saved in RTF (Rich Text Format) or as HTML Schedule Report generation within ifix scheduler - Shell to MSAccess.exe with command line parameters Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

11 154 Student Guide Viewing Reports in Access Figure 24-5: Access Report Example Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

12 Intellution Dynamics ifix Viewing Reports in Excel A. Viewing a Report Run VBA SQL code on event - Workbook_Open, Worksheet_Activate, CmdButton_Click Add charts and graphs as necessary Output Report to Printer, or Save As XLS or other document Schedule Report using ifix Schedules similar to MS-Access example Figure 24-6: Raw Historical values after VBA Query is run Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

13 154 Student Guide Report Generation Overview A. Executing Reports: Need to consider how reports are executed In general, there are three ways: - on-demand reports - scheduled reports (time based) - event driven reports B. Demand based Ad-hoc reports that are based on operator input Generated using push buttons and VBA scripts C. Time Based Scheduled reports are regular intervals - end of shift, end of week, etc. Generated by using Timer Objects - in pictures or in schedules D. Event Based Reports triggered by some application event - end of a batch, download of setpoint, etc. Generated by using Event Objects - in pictures or in schedules Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

14 Intellution Dynamics ifix Demand Based Reports A. Reporting on Demand Ad hoc reports generated by operator input Generated using push buttons and VBA scripts B. Access Example Use StartupForm or AutoExec Macro to bring user to menu of Reports Launch a specific report when MS-Access starts - Use Macros and Modules with command line parameters MSAccess.exe filename.mdb /x RunCmd /cmd "CIP1" This can be placed in a push button script C. PrintReport Method (Crystal Reports ActiveX Control) Method used with the Crystal Reports ActiveX Control in a picture See Figure 24-7 for an example D. PrintOut Method Prints the Document object Can be used to print the current picture Example - the script in Figure 24-8 opens the print dialog for the active Document - the Boolean variable returns True if printing was successful and False otherwise Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

15 154 Student Guide Demand Based Reports Figure 24-7: Crystal Reports ActiveX Control PrintReport Method Dim bprinted as boolean bprinted = Application.ActiveDocument.PrintOut Figure 24-8: Example of PrintOut Method Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

16 Intellution Dynamics ifix Demand Based Reports E. PrintReport Subroutine Prints the specified Crystal Report. This is different than the PrintReport Method of the Crystal Report ActiveX Control Syntax PrintReport Report, [Prompt],[Copies],[Coll],[StartNo],[EndNo], [interrormode] Example - see Figure for a list of the parameters for this subroutine - the script in Figure 24-9 prints 3 copies of pages 1 through 5 of the report TestReport, collating each copy PrintReport "TestReport", False, 3, True, 1, 5 Figure 24-9: Example of PrintReport Subroutine Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

17 154 Student Guide Demand Based Reports Part Report Prompt Copies Coll StartNo EndNo interrormode Description String. The name of the report to print, including the file s full path. Boolean. (Optional) If True, the user is prompted with the open report dialog, allowing the user to select the report to print. If False, the report specified is printed. Long. (Optional) The number of copies to print. Default = 1 Boolean. (Optional) If True, the reports are collated. If False, they are not. Long. (Optional) The first page of the report to print. Long. (Optional) The last page of the report to print. Integer. (Optional). The error mode. 0 (default) Allows the subroutines to provide the error messages. Errors are displayed in the form of a message box. If no entry is made for the interrormode parameter, the default is used. 1 Allows the user to handle the error messages. Errors in the subroutines are passed back to the calling routine for handling. 2 Writes errors to all alarm services. No error messages display. Instead, the errors are written to all ifix alarm services, including Alarm History using SendOperatorMessage. Figure 24-10: PrintReport Subroutine Parameters Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

18 Intellution Dynamics ifix Time Based Reports A. Notes An Operation is executed at the Start Time Times can be one shot or recurring B. Trigger Types One Shot - executes once at user defined time Continuous - executes repeatedly at user defined interval Daily - executes at start time on checked the weekdays - check Enable End Time/Interval to trigger entry continuously Monthly - executes at start time on checked the days of the month - end of Month option - check Enable End Time/Interval to trigger entry continuously Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

19 154 Student Guide Time Based Reports Figure 24-11: Adding an ifix Timer Object Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

20 Intellution Dynamics ifix Event Based Reports A. Notes An Operation is executed when the expression evaluates May be based on but are not limited to: - a change of a value - an expression evaluating (True/False) B. Event Types On Change On True On False While True - set Interval to trigger entry continuously While False - set Interval to trigger entry continuously Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

21 154 Student Guide Event Based Reports Figure 24-12: Adding an ifix Event Object Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

22 Intellution Dynamics ifix Scheduling Crystal Reports A. Scheduling Crystal Reports Scheduling component is part of Seagate s Crystal Info When - Once only, every day, every week, every X hours, every X months, Nth day of every month, last day of every month, etc. Wait For/Dependency Notify - Scheduled Objects and Events - on success, on error, send message, Event Log options for NT Figure 24-13: Crystal Reports Schedule output options Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

23 154 Student Guide Scheduling Crystal Reports Figure 24-14: Crystal Reports Schedule time/event options Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc

24 Intellution Dynamics ifix 24. Displaying Reports this page intentionally contains no data Copyright 2001, Intellution, Inc