Creating a report from multiple unrelated subreports

[jonobugs]

I'm trying to create a report from 10 different sub-reports, but I'm running into a formatting problem.

I tried inserting the reports by using the subreport wizard as well as just dragging them into a blank report.

The first sub-report looks fine, but the ones following start overlapping. I don't want to print these reports out, but rather just look at the report view.

Right now, I have to look at each report individually, but I would like to look at them all at once. Is there a way to do this without them overlapping on the report view?

As always, thank you for any input!

 

[Isskint]

Subreports have a "can grow" property - set this to yes.
Arrange your subreports in the order you want to read them, but make the height minimal (say 1cm).
When you run the holding report, each sub report should expand to display all their data

 

[jonobugs]

Ahh! That's what I was looking for! I had set my report as you said, but I couldn't find the 'grow' property. Now that I know what to look for I hope I can fix it.

Thanks a bunch!

 

[jonobugs]

Okay, I did what you suggested. Actually it appears that the 'can grow' property is set to yes as default.

If I go to a print preview, I can view the reports but not in report view. I have no intention of printing these out and besides I dont have a paper size that will fit them on one sheet as some of the reports are quite long and span a few pages.

Is there a way to get the report view to show them properly?

I'll include a screen shot of the report view so you can see what it's doing. The first one shows up as it's supposed to but the rest blend into one another. They seem to show up fine in the print preview, however.

 

[Isskint]

To the best of my knowledge, view will not show you what you want. Preview mode would be the answer. An alternative maybe is to try outputting the report to PDF?

 

[jonobugs]

Oh, I see...well, I guess I will have to redo my reports as they are too long for outputting to PDF, etc. The problem is that you have to specify a paper type that fits your printer and my reports are too long (width wise). Hm, Thanks anyway!

 

[Isskint]

If your reports are too wide for 'normal' paper sizes, may i suggest the report(s) are not laid out/designed appropriately?

The purpose of a report is to communicate pertinent information from a table(s). If the viewer needs to look across more than a couple of A4 page widths, then the information the record of data is trying to convey becomes more difficult to understand (and the viewer probably starts losing focus!).

Are your reports tabular style, in that each record of the report is on one 'line' eg field upon field across the page? If so try arranging the report in a "justified/stacked style", so each record covers more 'lines' down the page eg each record on the report covers 2 or 3 'lines'.

The other thing to consider is if all the field headings are required. EG If your report is called "Yesterday Online Sales" then Date, Type (like Sales or Purchases) and Source (like Online, Phone) would not be needed as they are implied by the report title.

The last suggestion would be to create a new paper size. Do this through Control Panel>Devices and Printers (or Printers, or Printers and Faxes)>Click the icon for your printer>click Print server properties on menu bar>Forms tab. Select the create a new form check box, and then type a name for the new paper size in form name. Enter the dimensions of your paper and save. This new paper size should then be available to your report.

 

[jonobugs]

Thanks for your input again. Actually, only a few of the tables are that long, and I am not sure how I can format it in a way that is that much better or clearer. I prefer the tab format and have the ability to easily compare the results of one record to another. The problem is the headings are a bit too long and hogging up the space, so I looked to change them to vertical like you can do in Excel. I finally found it but I'm a bit unhappy that I only have once choice. C'est la vie! Better than no choice I guess. As for changing the paper, I already tried that and it wouldn't work for me as it won't accept paper sizes that the printer can't handle. My only other option was to make the font size really tiny. Anyway, I believe the vertical heading should work, I just have to try it out. I would have like it to be on an angle rather than straight 90 degrees though. A bit easier to read in my opinion.