improvement of the reportdesigner
We bought FastReport3 professional (including sourcecode) and want to
integrate it in our software, so that our customers can easily create their own
reports.
Therefore I have some points which need to be improved in the
reportdesigner. Most of them can be done easily in my opinion.
But if I do it in the sourcecode then I have to reimplement it in every new
FastReport-Update.
Please think about the following proposals and let me know,
if they are already possible or if and when they could be integrated probably.
* 1. texteditor of TfrxMemoView: closing
There is no confirmation-question when closing the texteditor for TfrxMemoView.Memo
using the Windows-[X], ("Apply changes or discard?").
* 2. texteditor of TfrxMemoView: predifined buttons
Especially for pageheader and -footer it would be nice if the texteditor has
some buttons with predefined variables for inserting e.g. pagenumber or
totalpages. Maybe an event can be implemented which "asks" for
this predefined variables before the editor is shown:
OnGetPredefindedButtons(frxReport,frxReportPage,frxDataband,frxMemoView; VAR variables) ;
It would help the user not to forget important fields/variables depending on the selected
dataset or band-type.
* 3. functions/variables/formulars
Most of our customers won't get along with functions/variables/formulas. Therefore
it would be nice if they could be hided in the datatree in the designer (display only datasets).
* 4. sorting of available datasets in the designer
The datasets are sorted alphabetically when new datasets are selected for
a report (menu view/data). I need the datasets sorted by creation. I create
them manually and want them to be displayed in that order to have them
"thematically" sorted.
* 5. datasets without fields in the designer
Available datasets without fields are not displayed bold. It would be
good if they are displayed bold like "normal" datasets. I need them
e.g. to create spaces of special height in the report.
* 6. translation 1:
Properties of bands and memos are displayed in English in the
objectinspector (for understandable reasons). Maybe its possible
to translate them too. I could do the translation into German.
* 7. translation 2:
The toolbutton for adding a new band shows the
translated bandtypes (pageheader, masterdata => "Kopf", "Masterdaten"...).
But if a band is added to the report then bandtype is shown in English
again ("Masterdata: Masterdata1").
* 8. adding, moving, copying bands
It should be possible to select multiple bands and move/copy/paste them.
A new band is always added at the end of a page. I have large pages (using LargeDesignHeight)
and therefore it would be better if new bands are added before or after the current selected band.
Now, if I want to add a new band with a header and a footer at the beginning of a page then I have
to move them separately from the bottom to the desired position. Could be easier.
* 9.
Some of my reports consists of a MasterDataBand and A LOT OF DetailDataBands. I'm
using LargeDesignHeight, but I need almost the whole height of about 59 inch. It's not
possible to increase the designheight. It's also not possible to put some of the DetailBands
on the next page. This results in "false bandposition", because the masterband
is on the first page.
* 10. pageheader, pagefooter
For pageheader/pagefooter it is necessary to have the options
"print on all pages","print on first page only", "print not on first page"...
as it is usual in most applications.
* 11. KeepTogether for Master- and DetailBand
I found no way to keep a Masterband together with its DetailsBands in the
printed report.
* 12. Order in reporttree, Order in XML-File
For editing the xml-File (fr3) it would be nice, if all bands can be
sorted by their position (top). At the moment they are written to the file
in order to their creation.
The same applies to the order in the reporttree-window in the designer.
* 13. comments/notes
To keep the overview in large reports it can be helpful, if its possible to add
comments or notes to some bands. Maybe they could be painted in
yellow on the left border. But this is not so important.
I think most of the proposals are useful for other users too.
It would be helpful for me if you could classify these proposals
like
"already possible"
"could be done within the next weeks"
"could be done within the next months"
"could be done within the next year"
"will not be implemented"
Thanks
integrate it in our software, so that our customers can easily create their own
reports.
Therefore I have some points which need to be improved in the
reportdesigner. Most of them can be done easily in my opinion.
But if I do it in the sourcecode then I have to reimplement it in every new
FastReport-Update.
Please think about the following proposals and let me know,
if they are already possible or if and when they could be integrated probably.
* 1. texteditor of TfrxMemoView: closing
There is no confirmation-question when closing the texteditor for TfrxMemoView.Memo
using the Windows-[X], ("Apply changes or discard?").
* 2. texteditor of TfrxMemoView: predifined buttons
Especially for pageheader and -footer it would be nice if the texteditor has
some buttons with predefined variables for inserting e.g. pagenumber or
totalpages. Maybe an event can be implemented which "asks" for
this predefined variables before the editor is shown:
OnGetPredefindedButtons(frxReport,frxReportPage,frxDataband,frxMemoView; VAR variables) ;
It would help the user not to forget important fields/variables depending on the selected
dataset or band-type.
* 3. functions/variables/formulars
Most of our customers won't get along with functions/variables/formulas. Therefore
it would be nice if they could be hided in the datatree in the designer (display only datasets).
* 4. sorting of available datasets in the designer
The datasets are sorted alphabetically when new datasets are selected for
a report (menu view/data). I need the datasets sorted by creation. I create
them manually and want them to be displayed in that order to have them
"thematically" sorted.
* 5. datasets without fields in the designer
Available datasets without fields are not displayed bold. It would be
good if they are displayed bold like "normal" datasets. I need them
e.g. to create spaces of special height in the report.
* 6. translation 1:
Properties of bands and memos are displayed in English in the
objectinspector (for understandable reasons). Maybe its possible
to translate them too. I could do the translation into German.
* 7. translation 2:
The toolbutton for adding a new band shows the
translated bandtypes (pageheader, masterdata => "Kopf", "Masterdaten"...).
But if a band is added to the report then bandtype is shown in English
again ("Masterdata: Masterdata1").
* 8. adding, moving, copying bands
It should be possible to select multiple bands and move/copy/paste them.
A new band is always added at the end of a page. I have large pages (using LargeDesignHeight)
and therefore it would be better if new bands are added before or after the current selected band.
Now, if I want to add a new band with a header and a footer at the beginning of a page then I have
to move them separately from the bottom to the desired position. Could be easier.
* 9.
Some of my reports consists of a MasterDataBand and A LOT OF DetailDataBands. I'm
using LargeDesignHeight, but I need almost the whole height of about 59 inch. It's not
possible to increase the designheight. It's also not possible to put some of the DetailBands
on the next page. This results in "false bandposition", because the masterband
is on the first page.
* 10. pageheader, pagefooter
For pageheader/pagefooter it is necessary to have the options
"print on all pages","print on first page only", "print not on first page"...
as it is usual in most applications.
* 11. KeepTogether for Master- and DetailBand
I found no way to keep a Masterband together with its DetailsBands in the
printed report.
* 12. Order in reporttree, Order in XML-File
For editing the xml-File (fr3) it would be nice, if all bands can be
sorted by their position (top). At the moment they are written to the file
in order to their creation.
The same applies to the order in the reporttree-window in the designer.
* 13. comments/notes
To keep the overview in large reports it can be helpful, if its possible to add
comments or notes to some bands. Maybe they could be painted in
yellow on the left border. But this is not so important.
I think most of the proposals are useful for other users too.
It would be helpful for me if you could classify these proposals
like
"already possible"
"could be done within the next weeks"
"could be done within the next months"
"could be done within the next year"
"will not be implemented"
Thanks