DataFlex Reports Features

Reports convey information. But they require a good, functional design as well. DataFlex Reports comes with a visual designer to create good looking reports. The WYSIWYG tools really help to create a pixel-perfect result, including text, objects and charts.

Creating new reports is fully guided by means of a wizard. Simply go through all steps to get a first version of your report. It includes collecting data, visually creating or checking relationships between tables, selecting fields to show, sub-totals, sorting, filtering etc. etc.

Fully programmable formulas at one end are complemented with a very simple to use Filter Expert. Simply apply constraints with a wizard-like support.

Information can be shared in a variety of ways; different types of reports can be made. Lists, labels and charts. Each type of report suits a different purpose.

Reports don’t necessarily need to be printed on paper. On the contrary, today’s business demands need to cover digital methods of sharing reports, and data. Therefore export options allow the user to produce PDF, HTML, Word, Excel, CSV and pictures as output.

For integrating reports in a Windows application, a viewer (OCX) is available. However, delivery of information is not limited to that. People want to look at reports on any device. DataFlex reports supports smart technology, delivering information as PDF or HTML on web and mobile devices.

End-users can create their own reports easily. These reports can be run stand-alone in the DataFlex Reports Studio. For more flexibility, reports can be started from a command-line with parameters.

DataFlex Reports supports all popular databases like Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle and IBM DB2. And it supports reporting on the embedded DataFlex database as well!

Version 6.2 introduces support for SQLite databases

The integration library that comes with DataFlex reports offers a vast array of options to control which printer is used, and how it is used. This includes running reports in a Citrix, or Terminal Services environment as well as selecting a specific paper tray, to do the job.

Some reports become quite complex. In order to keep such a report easily maintainable sometimes the best thing to do is to break it down into sub-reports. Sub-reports are fully integrated into the main report, which further simplifies maintenance and deployment.

Page layers are a very unique feature for a report writing tool. Page layers are the option to add a visual or graphic design to a report. As a background one, or more page layers can be added. The layers can be programmatically added or removed from a report.

Watch the video about page Layers and what they can do for you!

Software engineers love the vast and extensive library that comes with DataFlex Reports. It gives them full control over reporting within their applications, be it Windows, or Web.

When information is shown on screen, it is possible to make the data interactive. This means that a click in a particular part of the screen, may bring up a dialog that offers specific functionality. It can be a hyperlink-like connection to underlying data (drill-down), or a pop-up view, to change the address of the customer, whose data was clicked on

Within the Studio, when designing reports, a formula editors displays all functions, variables, statements and constants. These formulas can perform certain calculations, textual manipulation, or influence the response or look of the report. Think of conditional pagination, or formatting.

The Runtime Data Source feature is a very special option to load data into your report. A host application collects the data in a virtual array, and the report will run against this data. So, the data collection is fully at the discretion of the programmer. Data can come from a database, but also a web service, or another non-DBMS source.

Watch the video on how to use Runtime Data Source, to create advanced reports!

Sometimes there is a need for a highly specialized function that is not supported by DataFlex Reports. An external function can be developed, for example in C that can be invoked in the system, making a new function available for creating formulas.