Documentation/How Tos/Getting Started With the Report Builder Extension

From Wiki
Revision as of 07:20, 30 March 2012 by Sancho (talk | contribs) (1 revision)
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigationJump to search

The OpenOffice.org Base report writer is a first generation product. It works but it does not have huge features. But luckily there is the Report Builder extension from Sun.

http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/ for all extensions

http://extensions.services.openoffice.org/project/reportdesign for the Sun Report Builder

The Report Builder extension has a lot of powerful features,including grouped records, sorting of records, different alignment of text fields, and calculations. Though it is not exactly easy to see how to use these features. One thing that can be annoying is that the tab for selecting the data source for the report disappears if you click on something else first.

You will have to spend a lot more time with this to really figure it out. But here is a short tour of the basics. For more detailed documentation, please visit http://wiki.services.openoffice.org/wiki/SUN_Report_Builder/Documentation .

1. Download and install the Sun Report Writer extension by choosing Tools > Extension Manager.

2. Then open the .odb database file for the database you want to create a report for.

3. Choose Insert > Report, and you will see the report writer interface, with the tab that disappears too quickly.

File:Doc HowTo Repbuilder.png
Report Writer Interface

4. Select Table or another type of data, then select the actual source. After that selection, the Add Field palette appears.

File:Doc HowTo Repdisappearing.png
This is the tab that disappears too quickly

5. Drag fields onto the appropriate section of the report.

6. Click the Sorting and Grouping icon on the toolbar to get this window where you have a lot of control over how the fields and the report behave.

File:Doc HowTo SortGroupWindow.png
Sorting and Grouping window

When you have dragged fields onto the report, set options, inserted page numbers, and done other formatting, save the report. The report will show up in the Reports area of the main editing windows of the .odb database file.


Content on this page is licensed under the Public Documentation License (PDL).