QuickEasy BOS includes a module to create and update document templates. These templates are used for Output in modules. For more on Output, click here.

The QuickEasy Form Designer is a component that was created by Digital Metaphors.

A tutorial on how to use Reportbuilder can be downloaded from this link - Learning Reportbuilder.

Learning ReportBuilder is a complete learning system designed to teach end users how to build a range of reports. This system includes a 125-page PDF file, a stand-alone application complete with a database, and a help file.

This category covers Template creation. Templates are used to format the layout of documents that are output from QuickEasy. Two platforms are used:

• The Delphi application uses Reportbuilder. Files are saved in a .rtm format
• The .Net application uses XtraReports. Files are saved in a .repx format

Discover Templates

1. Design, Layout and Images
2. QuickEasy Form Designer
3. Bands
4. Data Pipelines
5. Components and Properties
6. User Access

1. Design, Layout and Images

The principles of design apply to Template design. An easy-to-remember acronym for the four most important principles of design is C.R.A.P.

• Contrast
• Repetition
• Alignment
• Proximity

Click this link for a short design tutorial on C.R.A.P. design.

The above tutorial is only a drop in the ocean of what is freely available online.

Images

Most Templates will include images for company logos, diagrams, etc. The resolution of an image is measured in dots per inch abbreviated to dpi. High resolution equals high quality but also equals large file size - so we need to find the correct balance of quality versus file size.

Ideally Images that are used on templates should be the lowest resolution required to produce the best quality on the printing device that will output the document. For home and office printers, this is 150dpi or 59dpc (dots per cm) at final size - in other words, using images with a higher resolution will only increase the file size and not the output quality.

Click this link for free Image Editing Software - Paint.Net

Click this link for free photo re-sizing software - FastStone Photo Resizer

Vector Drawings - Inkscape

2. QuickEasy Form Designer

The QuickEasy Form Designer provides the tools to create and update document templates.

Navigation

Main Menu > Home > QuickEasy From Designer

For more about the QuickEasy Form Designer, click here.

3. Bands

The layout on a Template is determined by Bands, each with their own properties and behaviours:

• Title - Printed once at the beginning of the document, and can also be used as a Cover Page.
• Header - Printed at the top of each page.
• Detail - Printed once for every record in the list.
• Footer - Printed at the bottom of each page.
• Summary - Printed at the end of the document, after the Detail Band ends.

4. Data Pipelines

Data Pipelines are used to access data which needs to be displayed on the document - ie. it connects the template to the QuickEasy database. The Data Pipelines can be viewed in the Data Tree in the top right of the Form Designer. The Data Tree lists the pipelines grouped according to module.

Each Data Pipeline contains a list of fields. These fields are displayed in the panel below the Data Tree and can be dragged directly onto a Template.

It is recommended that you always preview a Template, in the module for which it has been created, before you open the Form Designer - this ensures that all the Data Pipelines and their corresponding fields are visible in the Data Tree.

5. Components and Properties

Every Component in the Form Designer has a number of Properties, including the Report, Bands, Sub-Reports, Regions and other visual elements. Properties determine the look and feel as well as the behaviour of components. This topic covers the most commonly used Properties in the Form Designer.

Report

To view the Report Properties, click the icon in the top left where the rulers meet.

• DataPipeline - The Detail Band will be repeated once for every record in the Data Pipeline linked to this Property.
• NoDataBehaviors - These Properties determine what is displayed when the primary Data Pipeline has no records. The preferred setting is ndBlankReport = True, with the other NoDataBehaviors Properties = False.
• Printer Setup - When documents need to be output to specific printers, these Properties can be used to automatically select and configure a printer. Typically these settings need to be made onsite.
• Units - utMillimeters is the preferred setting. When creating templates that are printed on continuous forms, the height of the form should be set using utInches, however.

Bands

• PrintHeight - Sets whether a Band is Static (Fixed height) or Dynamic (Height changes according to content)
• Height - Sets the Height of the Band in the Units of the Report. Only applicable to Static Bands.
• PrintOnFirstPage/PrintOnLastPage - Applicable to Headers and Footers
• BottomOffset - Creates a space below the Band in the Units of the Report - ie. if Report is in mm, a BottomOffset = 3 will create a 3mm space.
• NewPage - Applicable to Title and Summary Bands - when checked a new page will be created for the Band. eg. a Cover Page for a Report
• Background1/Background2 - Applicable to Detail Bands and used to create different backgrounds for alternate records. Use Report > PrintSetup > Margins to prevent the Backgrounds from printing to the edge of the Report.
• PrintCount - Applicable to the Detail Band. Set PrintCount = 1 to limit the Report to one detail record per page.

Label/DBText

This is used to display text, numbers and dates in a single line. Commonly used properties include:

• BlankWhenZero - Applicable to numeric fields only - zero values are not displayed
• Transparent - Only the text is displayed - useful when placing on top of an Image
• Anchor - Used to anchor a component to the Top or Bottom of Dynamic Bands
• AutoSize - The size is set automatically according to the content (not recommended)
• Ellipsis - When checked, an '...' is drawn where the text is truncated
• ReprintOnOverFlow - This will cause the Label/DBText to be reprinted if the Region or Band in which it is contained is split over a page break.
• TextAlignment - Sets the horizontal alignment of the text
• VerticalAlignment - Sets the vertical alignment of the text
• DisplayFormat - Used to format Numerical and Date Fields - right-click component for shortcut to DisplayFormat selector. eg. Currency = R#,0.00; Date = mm/dd/yy; Count = 0 Items

These components are used to display text in multiple lines. The Memo component is used to display plain text and the RichText component is used to display rich text. Commonly used properties include:(DB)Memo/(DB)RichText

• BottomOffset - Creates a space below the Band in the Units of the Report - ie. if Report is in mm, BottomOffset = 3 will create a 3mm space below the Memo.
• ShiftRelativeTo - Used to determine the Top (starting point) of the component based on how much a preceding component stretches. The preceding component is selected in this property.
• StretchWithParent - The height will increase according to how the Parent (Band or Region) stretches.
• Stretch - Determines whether the component will stretch to display all the content or remain at a static height.

Image / DBImage

This is to display images on a report. Following are some of the commonly used properties.

• Picture - Used to link an image to the non-data aware component.
• GraphicType - AutoDetect should work fine in most instances. For best results use .jpg or .png images that are no larger than 150dpi (59ppc) at final size.
• Stretch - Determines whether the component will stretch to display all the content or remain at a static height.
• MaintainAspectRatio - Keep this property checked to ensure the image is not distorted when the Picture size does not match the Image component's size.

Lines

Lines can be added to a Report to separate and group components and to create grids. Useful properties include:Lines

• Position - Top, Bottom, Left and Right.
• Pen - Sets the Style (Solid, Dashes, Dots), Color, etc.
• Style - Single or Double.
• Weight - Ideally set between 0.2 and 0.5mm - try to keep the weight consistent throughout the report.

Detail

This is to create a summary of values displayed in the Detail Band. The type of summary is set using DBCalcType. Options include: Sum, Max, Min, Average, Count.DBCalc

System Variables

System variables are mostly used to show page numbers and the time and date a document was created. The most important properties are:System Variable

VarType

• vtPageSetDesc - Creates a combination of page number and page count eg. Page 1 of 3
• vtPrintDateTime - Prints the date and time the document was created or printed.

SubReport

A SubReport is used to nest reports or to group multiple Reports into one Report. All the properties used for a Report (see above) also apply to a SubReport. And in addition, the following properties are commonly used:

• PrintBehavior:
  • pbChild - Used when the SubReport is placed in the Detail Band of a Report to create a sub-detail list linked to the base DataPipeline. In pbChild mode mode the Header and Footer Bands on the SubReport are not visible.
  • pbSection - Used to create a new independent Sub-Report. A pbSection SubReport should be placed in the Title, Detail or Summary Bands.
• ParentWidth - When checked, the width of the SubReport is equal to the Report width. Uncheck this setting to set the SubReport to a different width.
• ParentPrinterSetup - Uncheck this setting when the SubReport must print to a different printer.
• KeepTogether - This will prevent the contents in the SubReport to be split over multiple pages. Care must be taken to ensure that the contents of the SubReport won't ever exceed a full page.
• BottomOffset - Creates a space below the SubReport in the Units of the Report - ie. if Report is in mm, BottomOffset = 3 will create a 3mm space below the SubReport.
• ShiftRelativeTo - Used to determine the Top (starting point) of the component based on how much a preceding component stretches. The preceding component is selected in this property.
• StretchWithParent - The height will increase according to how the Parent (Band or Region) stretches.

Region

A Region is used to group a number of components so that they move together in response to changes in other dynamic components. They are also useful for managing the behaviour of components when a Report runs into multiple pages. Commonly used properties include:Region

• Border - By default a Region has a black border. To clear the border, set Pen > Style = psClear.
• KeepTogether - This will prevent the contents in the Region to be split over multiple pages. Care must be taken to ensure that the contents of the Region won't ever exceed a full page.
• BottomOffset - Creates a space below the Region in the Units of the Report - ie. if Report is in mm, BottomOffset = 3 will create a 3mm space below the Region.
• ReprintOnOverFlow - This will cause the contents of the Region to be reprinted if the Region is split over a page break.
• ShiftRelativeTo - Used to determine the Top (starting point) of the component based on how much a preceding component stretches. The preceding component is selected in this property.
• StretchWithParent - The height will increase according to how the Parent Band stretches.

6. User Access

Navigation

Main Menu > Setup > Staff > Edit > Settings > Other Settings > QuickEasy Form Designer - Access Allowed.