I recently added a field to a stock IFS operational report and found it challenging. I'm probably missing something really basic. I've created and modified a lot of operational reports done with Crystal Reports, but this is the first time since Apps 2004 that I've tried to use the IFS tools.
Does anyone have any better documentation/training material than what is supplied with the Report Designer? Or tips and tricks on creating/modifying reports with Report Designer?
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Hi Lane, welcome to IFS Community! I have attached 3 pdf files that include basic IFS Report Designer documentation. Please see whether those would help you get started. There is much more to it than what is in these pdf files though. You can read it in full in Foundation1 Documentation under Development Guide -> Operational Report Development -> Layout Design.
I've reviewed everything that is easily available. I guess what I was looking for is a more of step by step example of how to modify an existing report. Also I'm having general challenges with the application.
One issue is running the app as administer or not as administrator in windows. If you don't run it as admin it will not save preferences. A couple examples are the pop up you get at first saying that the version only works for apps 9 or 10, another would be the application servers you can connect to. But if you run it as administrator then report layouts don't display and the Layout Tree is empty, but the schema shows up correctly. Is there a way to get both to work correctly?
Also if you try to preview a report I get an error that pops up. The window is titled Tranform error and it says 'temp\TMPxxxxxx.PDF (the system cannot find the path specified)'
Again running thru the process step by step for adding a field that isn't in the default schema. A for instance would be adding a field from inventory part screen onto the lines of a shop order consolidated pick list.
One issue is running the app as administer or not as administrator in windows. If you don't run it as admin it will not save preferences. A couple examples are the pop up you get at first saying that the version only works for apps 9 or 10, another would be the application servers you can connect to. But if you run it as administrator then report layouts don't display and the Layout Tree is empty, but the schema shows up correctly. Is there a way to get both to work correctly?
Also if you try to preview a report I get an error that pops up. The window is titled Tranform error and it says 'temp\TMPxxxxxx.PDF (the system cannot find the path specified)'
Again running thru the process step by step for adding a field that isn't in the default schema. A for instance would be adding a field from inventory part screen onto the lines of a shop order consolidated pick list.
Hi
You need to run the Reporter Designer as an administrator and install it as administrator (at least on windows 10 1709). The software is tough to understand at first sight. My advice is to regularly is to do "save as..." often before every change almost. As it often not possible to do a undo or the complete report design just crash.
For basic use, read the Deployment and C. guide, but reverse the process, export the schema and the layout. Open then the layout first then open the schema, use File/Open.. opening the files (strange i know). Use then preview (under file) to locally generate the pdf. The xml file needed is downloaded from RMB Get xml data from Report Archive in IFS.
Depending on what you want to do, I use different approaches:
If i need to move a text box in a row, then I split columns and merge them, very time-consuming way, but in very complex reports, like PO, that is the only way forward. If you add columns and row to a existing layout that normaly breaks the layout.
In some reports, there are layers over layers, extreme is the PO where you have three layers. Use 200% zooms and try to do one thing at a time.
If need to move boxes, change grid (View/Grid Options) to 0,1 or less, then mark a box and use arrows to move around the box.
Export reports from IFS, the xml file, then you can try the report locally without need to import and run. Also possible to run online, but don´t work for me.
/Karl
You need to run the Reporter Designer as an administrator and install it as administrator (at least on windows 10 1709). The software is tough to understand at first sight. My advice is to regularly is to do "save as..." often before every change almost. As it often not possible to do a undo or the complete report design just crash.
For basic use, read the Deployment and C. guide, but reverse the process, export the schema and the layout. Open then the layout first then open the schema, use File/Open.. opening the files (strange i know). Use then preview (under file) to locally generate the pdf. The xml file needed is downloaded from RMB Get xml data from Report Archive in IFS.
Depending on what you want to do, I use different approaches:
If i need to move a text box in a row, then I split columns and merge them, very time-consuming way, but in very complex reports, like PO, that is the only way forward. If you add columns and row to a existing layout that normaly breaks the layout.
In some reports, there are layers over layers, extreme is the PO where you have three layers. Use 200% zooms and try to do one thing at a time.
If need to move boxes, change grid (View/Grid Options) to 0,1 or less, then mark a box and use arrows to move around the box.
Export reports from IFS, the xml file, then you can try the report locally without need to import and run. Also possible to run online, but don´t work for me.
/Karl
One more thing, on windows 10 you need to grant modify permission to the Reporter desing folder, otherwise, the creation of PDF from XML don´t work.
Folder is:
C:\Program Files (x86)\IFS\IFSReportDesigner
/Karl
The inability to save settings unless you are Administrator is due to the Report Designer trying to write to a registry key that is not normally accessible to all users. If you allow read/write to the following key, you can run as any user.
HKLM\Software\JavaSoft
This is not a big security risk
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