Create a Report

Creating a report involves setting up a project to store the report files, developing a report application, designing the report, and testing the report.

Set the Report Writer environment. See Set the Report Writer environment.

This procedure is provided to give you a quick start, or overview, for creating a report application. For each step, there are many options that are not discussed here, but are covered in other topics. Use this procedure as a guide for using Genero Report Writer to create reports.

Create the project. A project contains the nodes for storing and managing your report application files. While there are a variety of ways to create a new project
1. Select File >> New, Genero Files, Simple Project (.4pw) and click OK.
2. Select File >> Save as and complete the dialog to save your project.
Set up the project's application node. The project tree should have a Group node, and the Group node should contain an application node, a databases node, and a library node.
1. Rename the nodes to meaningful names.
2. In your application node, create two virtual folders named "src" and "reports". These virtual folders are simply a suggestion; you are free to organize your files as you see fit.
Create your report application. The Genero report application (4gl) is responsible for reading data from a database (or alternate data source) and streaming it to the Genero Report Engine. See Writing the Genero BDL report program.
Generate the data schema. The data schema (rdd) file identifies the fields and the grouping of data streamed by the Genero reporting application to the Genero Report Engine. It is used by the report design document, giving the designer the ability to select fields for placement on a report and setting report triggers. See Generate a data schema from a Genero BDL report program.
Create a report design document. A report design document (4rp) is a file that defines a single report. For each report you need, you would create a separate report design document. When it comes time to create a specific report, you tell the report application which file to use.
1. Select File >> New, Reports and select either Empty Report (.4rp) or List Report (.4rp) to start a new report.
2. On the Data View tab, select the data schema (rdd).
3. Report output can be output in various formats. Select File>>Report properties >> Output confiugration to change the default output for the report.
4. Save the report design document and add it to the reports virtual folder in your application node. For more information on working with the report design document, see The Report Design Document.
Build the report application. Right-click the report application node or the report group node in the Genero Studio Projects tab and select Build to compile and link the application.