Report Definition: Using Text Variables for Characteristics 

A characteristic variable represents data for the characteristics used in the report definition.

Characteristic text variables replace the variables of the type %<field name>-F, %<field name>-T, %<field name>-FTEXT and %<field name>-TTXTL , which were used in releases prior to Release 3.0.

When you define report columns, you enter a set that contains the characteristic Year. You can now enter a variable for the characteristic Year in the report text (for example, in the header). When the report is output, the system displays the current year in the report header.

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

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

    2. The Characteristics 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 how the variable values are to be displayed (single value, set of values, from value, to value).

    - 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.

The system determines the characteristic value for the text variable from the first row/column of the current page.