FastTips for FoxPro for Mac: Report Writer Q&A

 Last reviewed: December 12, 1996
Article ID: Q109072
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft FoxPro for Macintosh, version 2.5b 

       Microsoft(R) Technical Support Application Note (Text File)
              FC0960: REPORT WRITER QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

                                                  Revision Date: 12/93
                                                      No Disk Included
The following information applies to Microsoft FoxPro(R) version 2.5 for Macintosh(R). 

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  1. Q. Should I convert all of my FoxPro for MS-DOS and Windows 

           reports to FoxPro for Macintosh format?


        A. You may not need to. Your existing character-based reports
       created in FoxPro for MS-DOS will run, preview, and print
       unchanged in FoxPro for Macintosh. The engine for printing
       character-based reports is included in FoxPro for Macintosh. If
       you want to include graphical elements such as fonts and
       pictures, you can either convert the reports to FoxPro for
       Macintosh format or create new graphical reports from scratch.
       Reports created in FoxPro for Windows will also run, preview,
       and print unchanged in FoxPro for Macintosh, or you can
       transport them to FoxPro for Macintosh format.

  2. Q. I used the Quick Report option to create my initial 

           report. Now I want to add another field. In FoxPro for MS-DOS,
       the Report menu contained a command called Field that allowed
       me to add a single field. How do I do this in FoxPro for
       Macintosh?


        A. You can add new fields with the Field tool located in the
       toolbox on the left side of the Report Layout window. For
       additional information about the Report Writer toolbox, see the
       FoxPro for Macintosh "User's Guide."

  3. Q. Only the first line of a memo field in my report prints. 

           How can I correct this?


        A. To display the entire contents of the memo field, you must make
       the field stretch vertically to fit its contents. Double-click
       the report field and select the Top - Field Can Stretch option
       under Position Relative To. This field will now enlarge,
       depending on the length of the memo field contents. Choose Page
       Preview to view the result.

  4. Q. When I place a "stretched" memo field in the Detail band, 

           I find that the fields that display below the memo field are
       overwritten by some of the longer memo fields. How do I avoid
       this?


        A. Fields or objects positioned below the memo field are still
       displayed in a fixed position, even though the memo field is
       now stretchable. To avoid being overwritten, all objects below
       the memo field should be positioned relative to the bottom of
       the Detail band. To accomplish this, double-click each of the
       fields and select the Bottom option under Position Relative To.
       Choose Page Preview to view the result. If your report contains
       side-by-side memo fields, fields with the Bottom option
       specified will display below the longer of the two memo fields.


            NOTE: This procedure applies to nonstretching fields and other
        objects, such as lines and text. If you have stretching fields
        placed below other stretching fields, you should not position
        them relative to bottom. Stretching fields automatically float
        below other stretching fields.

  5. Q. I have placed boxes around several fields in my report. 

           One of these fields is a memo field. How do I make the box
       stretch to fit the memo field?


        A. Double-click the box and select the Stretch With Band option
       under Position Relative To. Rectangles (boxes) and vertical
       lines can optionally stretch according to the length of the
       Detail band.


            NOTE: You won't be able to place a stretching box around a
        field if the field is not positioned relative to the top or
        the bottom of the band.

  6. Q. When I attempt to move a text object to a specific 

           location in the Report Layout window, the field keeps aligning
       itself with the nearest gridline. Why is this happening?


        A. By default, objects are automatically aligned to the nearest
       invisible gridlines within the Report Layout window. This
       feature is called Snap To Grid. To disable this feature, choose
       Snap To Grid from the Report menu.

  7. Q. How do I design and print multicolumn reports in FoxPro 

           2.5 for Macintosh?


        A. From the Report menu, choose Page Layout and use the Columns
       spinner to select the number of columns. Clicking the up arrow
       increases the counter value, and clicking the down arrow
       decreases the counter value. The size of the Report Layout
       window reflects the new column width. You may need to modify
       existing field positions.


            Hint: When you are creating a new report that will have
        columns, set the layout before you add any fields.

  8. Q. When I enlarge the font of objects in my report and print 

           the report, some of the information in the fields is obscured.
       How can I correct this?


        A. You may need to stretch the Detail lines and/or the objects
       themselves to accommodate the larger font.

  9. Q. When I print my report, the same record repeats over and 

           over. What's wrong?


        A. The report refers to the alias of the database open when the
       report was originally created, and you're now trying to run the
       report with a different database. The report can't advance the
       pointer in the original database, so it displays the same
       record repeatedly.


           To create a report that can be used to display output from
       another database with the same structure, the report should not
       make reference to a specific alias. One method of removing the
       alias name from an existing report is to double-click each
       field and delete the alias name and period from the report
       expression. The alias name should also be removed from any data
       grouping expressions and report variables.

Additional reference words: FoxMac 2.50b ivrfax fasttips
KBCategory: kbprint kbprg kbfasttip kbappnote
KBSubcategory:

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Last reviewed: December 12, 1996
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