Report Definition: Using Text Variables for Selection Parameters 

Text variables for selection parameters are variables defined in the sets that are entered in the report definition. A selection parameter variable can be:

These variables replace the variables of the type %%<variable name>, %%<variable name>-TEXT (short text) and %%<variable name>-TXTL (long text) , which were used in releases prior to 3.0.

When you define the general data selection criteria for your report, you enter a set that contains the variable COMP (for the characteristic Company). You can now enter a text variable for the characteristic Company in the report text, for example, the header.

To enter selection parameter text variables when defining report text on the Change <Text Position> <Report Name> in Language <Language Code> screen:

  1. Position the cursor at the point where you want to insert the variable and choose Insert ® Selctn parameters.

    2. The Selection Parameters dialog box appears.

  2. Enter the following information:

    3. - Select the text type that you want to use for the text variable (characteristic description, characteristic value, short text of the characteristic, long text of the characteristic).

    - Select the characteristic for which you want to display the text variable in the report text.

  3. Choose Continue.

    4. The variable is inserted at the point where you positioned the cursor on the Change <Text Position> <Report Name> in Language <Language Code> screen.

  4. If you want to change the parameters controlling the display of the text variable in the report output:

    5. a) Choose Edit ® Attributes.

    The Change Attributes dialog box appears.

    b) Enter the display attributes for the text variable:

    - Define whether the color used for the text variable is intense or the standard color.

    - Enter a color code if you want to display the variable in color.

    - Define the width of the text variable.

    - Define the offset for the text variable.

    For example, if you define a width of 20 and an offset of 5, characters 6 to 25 will be printed.

  5. On this screen, the additional processing functions in the table in Using Standard Text Variables in Report Text Definitions are available.
  6. Choose Text ® Save.
  7. Choose Text ® Exit.

The variable appears on the Create Report: Texts screen.