Reporter is an optional ACCENT R 4th generation tool. It is used to generate complex reports in a few minutes. This tool is menu driven with fill-in entry screens. Reporter dramatically reduces application development time and can quickly produce prototypes of reports.
Reporter automatically handles pagination, report detail, headings, subheadings, subtotals, and grand totals. Information can be combined from many Data Sets (DS).
Reporter combines the flexibility of ad hoc reporting with the speed of compiled code. It generates a program in ACCENT R's Structured Programming Language (SPL) that can be modified to meet exact requirements. The program is automatically compiled into machine code for efficient production applications.
Oracle tables (besides ACCENT R's own DBMACH2 DS) can be used by Reporter to generate reports. This allows flexibility of data sources in generating reports. The proper version of ACCENT R is needed to process a specific table type.
NOTE: DS and table types are not allowed to be mixed. The auxiliary data source must be the same type as the Main data source.
This document is a brief tutorial on how to use Reporter. It will walk through the steps needed to produce a report using the sample Data Base Library (DBL) BOOKS, which is included with all ACCENT R distributions. Consult the ACCENT R Installation Guide for access instructions. The example uses ACCENT R's own DBMACH2 DS.
In setting up a report in Reporter, it would be useful to know the concepts and terminology used by ACCENT R. This section assumes the user is new to ACCENT R as it outlines terms used in Reporter.
A Data Base Library (DBL) is the repository for all the objects that are used by ACCENT R. It contains Schema Definitions (SD), Data Indexes (DI), System Files (SF), Data Sets (DS), Code Segments (CS), Global Storage (GS), System Information (SI), Command Modules (CM), and Process Modules (PM). DS and DI's are actually stored in System Files outside of the DBL. However, the DBL does hold the definitions for the System Files, DI's and DS's which ACCENT R uses to access those files. A DBL must be declared in Reporter so that the tool can: 1) know where to get the data for the report; 2) know where to store the generated PM and CM which produce the report. The DBL (of ACCENT R's DBMACH2 server) may be equated with a Schema of other data base servers.
System Fields are defined and used in ACCENT R to store various types of data which have a number of uses (@DATE, @VERSION). System Functions are defined in ACCENT R to perform various functions (@COUNT, @CENTER)
Data is actually stored in a file called a Data Set (DS). A DS is a table consisting of rows (referred to as "records") and columns (referred to as "fields"). Reporter uses a main DS as the base source for data. Other "auxiliary" DS's can be also be used to provide supplemental data for the report. The auxiliary DS's are linked directly (or indirectly) to the main DS by a common field. When there is a matching value in the common field between the DS's, the data from the associated records are processed for the report Auxiliary DS's which are linked to another auxiliary DS (that is linked to the main DS) are indirectly linked.
A DS is described by a Schema Definition (SD) which provides the record layout. An SD may be specified in Reporter as a data source in place of the DS it describes.
A Data Index (DI) is used by Reporter to view records in a DS in a sorted order. It may be specified in Reporter as a data source in place of the DS it sorts.
A DI contains a domain which is a labeled key. The key contains the field(s) that the DI sorts the DS by. The domain is usually given the same name as the key field it contains. A DI may have a number of domains. If a domain is not specified in the Process Module (PM), the first domain serves as the default. It is defined in the DI with the statement: DOMAIN name ON key field. Reporter allows the optional specification of a domain from a DI for sorting purposes.
Reporter generates a PM which is a program (written in ACCENT R) that will produce the report. It is saved and can be executed within Reporter.
A user written Code Segment (CS) may be included as part of the PM that Reporter generates. A CS is a group of commonly used statements that can be added to an object at compilation. It is used in Reporter to define a report field for standardization purposes.
Reporter also generates a Command Module (CM) which is a series of ACCENT R commands that set up the ACCENT R environment for running the report. The CM is used to invoke the PM to produce the report outside of Reporter. Reporter gives the CM the same name as the PM.
The generated CM will refer to Global Storage (GS) as it sets up the ACCENT R environment for the report. GS provides a temporary storage area for data to be accessed by more than one program. Reporter handles the use of GS internally, as it is needed. The user does not need to be concerned with defining a GS area.
Reporter will generate a System Information (SI) DBL object which contains report information (layout, data sources, etc.). This file can be used to modify the report upon reentering Reporter at a later time. The SI file is named the same as the PM and CM with the extension RD (report definition).