Report Generator > User defined attributes

A technology that makes it possible to retrieve information from all attributes in the symbols and use that information in almost all kinds of reports created by the Report Generator was introduced already in cadett ELSA 6.5. Since then, information in user defined attributes can be handled in the same way as information in standard attributes.

This technique is based on the addition of extra attributes to the symbols. The content of those attributes is transferred to one of the TARGET databases created by Dynamic Online I on behalf of the Report Generator, the *G.DBF. Thereafter, the content is transferred to the report using report variables defined for the purpose.

Briefly, the following takes place:

1.Using the Symbol Generator, you add the attributes which you need, in addition to the already existing ones.

You find detailed information about step 1 here.

2.In the symbol library, there is a configuration file – USERATT.INI – that defines which user defined attributes should be included in the process, and which field names and field lengths in *G.DBF should be associated with those attributes. The information from the specified attributes will be transferred to the specified additional fields of *G.DBF.

You find detailed information about step 2 here.

3.Report variables for the fields in *G.DBF from where the information is to be collected to the reports are defined in NVARDEC.DBF.

You find detailed information about step 3 here.

4.The report forms are completed with columns for the information in question. The report variables that have been defined for the purpose are thereby used.

You find detailed information about step 4 here.

Using the links above, you will reach sub-topics with more detailed descriptions of the four steps that are briefly described above.