Main Window

The following functions are available when there is an open report.  Actions can be initiated using the menu choices.  Frequently used menu choices are also available in the toolbars.  The work area has two modes: the Design tab indicates the design mode while the View tab runs the report and presents the results on the screen.   There are two optional pop-up windows: Catalog Browser which contains objects that can be used in building the report and Report Inspector which shows for the current report all the objects and their property values.

File

• New: Creating a new report using one of the Report Wizards
• Open: Open an existing report
• Close: Close the report currently open
• Save: Saves the currently open report
• Save As: Saves the currently open report with a different name
• Save to: Saves the report under a different name and directory
• Catalog Operations: Click here for information on New Catalog, Open Catalog, Save Catalog, Save Catalog As
• Options: Set system options
• Unit: Switch between inch and centimeter as the measuring unit in the report
• Open Working Set: Define or modify the Working Set used in the current report
• Page Setup: Setting up page parameters
• Print: Print the current report result
• Export: Export the current report result either to HTML format

Edit

• Undo/Redo: Allows you to either undo a previous action or redo the previous action
• Cut: Erases an object and places it in the clipboard for later access
• Copy: Copies an object and places it in the clipboard for later access
• Paste: Takes objects from the clipboard and places them in the report
• Delete: Erases objects from the report
• Find DBField: A menu will pop up and allow you to find specific DBFields in the report

View: Turn on or off any of a number of visual objects including:

• Toolbars, status line, grids, rulers, and guidelines
• Catalog Browser: A menu that allows you to create, edit, and insert objects
• Report Inspector: Menu feature that enables you to format and edit specific objects on the report
• Always on top: Allows you to keep Catalog Browser and Report Inspector on top of the Design window

Insert

• Label: Insert and create labels
• Summary: Inserts a summary field
• DBField: Inserts DBFields, formulas, and parameters.
• Special Fields: Insert special fields not from your database.
• Text: Place and create text in the report.
• Chart: Create and place charts and graphs in your report
• Cross Tab: Places a cross tab object in your report
• Sections: Add or delete sections in your report
• Group/Sort: Create and edit the criteria by which your fields are grouped and sorted.
• Sub Report: Creates and places a sub report 
• Draw: Allows you to draw arches, ovals, boxes, round boxes and lines in your report.  For editing purposes click here.  This will take you to the Report Inspector index which lists different ways of editing objects. 
• Image: Allows you to place JPEG and GIF images into your report.

Format

• Move to Back: This moves an item that overlaps one or more objects to the most back of the sequence
• Move to Backwards: This moves an item that overlaps one or more objects one back
• Move to Front: Moves an item that is being overlapped by one or more objects to the most forward of the sequence
• Move to Forward: Moves an item that is being overlapped by one or more objects one forward
• Align Left: Will shift all the objects you select to the left.
• Align Right: Will shift all the objects you select to the right.
• Align Top: Will shift all the objects you select to the top
• Align Bottom: Will shift all the objects you select to the bottom
• Align Vertical Center: Aligns the objects you select in the center vertically
• Align Horizontal Center: Aligns the objects you select in the center vertically

Window: Allows you to switch to a previously open report

Toolbars

• Working with toolbars: You will learn how to add and move the Standard and Edit Toolbars.
• Standard Toolbar: The defaulted upper toolbar with basic features such as New, Save, etc.
• Edit Toolbar: The lower toolbar that allows you to create and insert objects into your report.
  

Work Area

• Design tab: This allows you to build the report using the IDE provided.
• Definition of Sections: The work area is partitioned into different sections.
• Grid options
• View tab: This allows you to run the report and view the results.

Editing Reports

• Left margin: Contains definition for sections like headers, footers and detail lines
• Using Guidelines to organize and align objects in the report
• Use Format to align and move overlapping objects
• Using Undo/Redo to build the report interactively