Report template (.4rt) file design features

The report template (.4rt) file is the template file and has some unique design features over standard report files (.4rp).

When you create a report template (.4rt) file and want to add design elements, the process of designing the template is almost identical to designing a report, except for the following unique features:

The Report Structure: TemplateFieldsTrigger

When you have created the .rsd file and have added the TemplateFieldsTrigger elements to add placeholders for where you want to inject real data, the color of the template fields trigger is displayed in the Report Structure view. The template field trigger is blue to distinguish it from the other triggers. See the Triggers topic for more information.

Figure 1. The temple fields trigger in the Report Structure view

The Tool Box view- Template field element

When designing a report template, the Tool Box view has an extra Templates section that includes a design element called the Template Field.

Figure 2. The Template Field element in the Tool Box view

Screen shot of the tool box view displaying the new Templates Field element.

You can add the template field element to elements in the report that will be expanded with real data when you use the template to create a report, and should be placed within the template fields trigger groups in the Report Structure view.