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Different tabs are available for modifying the look and feel of columns on a report on the Detail Usages For A Screen dialog box: Column Details, Column Display, and Column Text.
Editing Column Details
The Column Detail tab enables you to edit order by, argument, and summary information (see Figure 28.12).
Figure 28.12. The Column Detail tab for a report.
Alias refers to a nickname you want to give the column. This action is useful if it is a user-defined, summary, or duplicate selection. If you do not define an alias, the report generator might bomb out because it is trying to create a SQL query with
two references to a table with the same name. Click the Display box if the column contents will be displayed on the report.
Order By refers to how the information is ordered in the selection from the database. For example if you place a 1 in this box, the data will order by this column first. In the lower drop-down list you can select the direction for the sort order:
ascending or descending.
Argument refers to any paring down you might want to do in the selection of the column. The Operator drop-down list is a list of argument types: =, >, like, and so on. You enter the comparison value in the Name box.
In the Summaries box, you would list the type of summary calculation you want on a column. The Function box is a drop-down list of function types, such as sum, standard deviation, and so on. Type is a pop-up list of where you would want the break to be,
such as in the item, the page, or the report. Source is a pop-up list of the columns available on the table; choose the one to be summarized.
 To select both the detail and summary of a column, select Column Usage twice. The second time you select it, fill in the summary information. Repeat this step to create a calculated field.
Editing the Column Display for a Report
If you select the Column Display tab (see Figure 28.13), you can edit the display and grouping characteristics. These will default from whatever was entered in the attribute definition and generated as a column, or whatever was added or edited in the
column definition.
Figure 28.13. The Column Display tab for a report.
The Display box contains the prompt that will appear on the header of each breakpoint. In the Justification drop-down list, set the justification of the column—right, left, and so on. Select the data type of the columns—character, numeric, and
so on—from the Display Datatype drop-down list. Select whether the column should be cut off or wrap on a page by selecting the option from the Wrap drop-down list. Finally, in the Width and Height boxes, select the width and height requirements for
the column.
 If you enter too many varying column heights, the report will not generate. It will look as if it continues to process, but the tool will never return from generation.
The Item Group box contains the name of the item group. If you want to display blocks of columns together, enter a name in the Item Group box. Then, enter the prompt for the item group. The next time you want to add a column to this group, select the
name from the Item Group Name drop-down list.
Editing Column Text
The Column Text tab (see Figure 28.14) contains any notes you might want to include on the column, any derivation expressions or formulas for extracting the columns, and any conditions for highlighting (a negative number, a yes answer to a question, any
date beyond 90 days from the current date, and so on.)
Figure 28.14. The Column Text tab for a report.
When you are ready to save the diagram select File | Save from the menu bar. You can also save your work by pressing the Save icon (refer to Figure 28.1). At this point you can name your diagram.
It is important to save often. The Oracle Client/Server tools use a large amount of memory and can sometimes cause a general protection fault on the PC. Saving often decreases the risk of losing any unsaved work.
Sometimes you will want some of your data to display on a different window or canvas than other data. For example, you might have employee personal information on one window and their address on the next window. To move an item to a different window,
select the New Window icon (refer to Figure 28.1). Place the cursor on the diagram and a new window will appear. You can add tables to this window or move existing tables from one window to another.
You might also want to place a table, such as a lookup table, on a pop-up list. To add a pop-up list, select the Pop List icon (refer to Figure 28.1). Drag the cursor around the base table and the lookup that will be the pop-up.
Sometimes you will want some of your data to print on a different page than other data. For example, you might want to print summary information first, and then detail information. To move an item to a different page, select the New Page/Report icon
(refer to Figure 28.1). Place the cursor on the diagram and a new page will appear. You can add tables to this page or move existing tables from one page to another.
You can make changes to a table or its relationships in either the Data Diagrammer or RON. The changes will not be reflected on any module data diagrams that use the same tables. There might be a reason for the user to keep the changes off—to
reflect an earlier point in time or reflect the business opinions of another department. However, it is possible to take into account the changes from other users and consolidate them into the current diagram. To do so, you must choose Edit | Consolidate
from the menu bar. At this point, you can choose whether to consolidate a specific entity, relationship, or the entire diagram.
If new tables were added to a module definition in RON they will not be on the diagram. To add these tables or relationships to the diagram, select Edit | Include New. Any new tables or relationships will be added to the diagram.
If you do not consolidate an element that has changed, you cannot edit the module.
There are several ways in which you can make the diagram easier for the customer to follow, as explained in the following sections.
You can change the colors of tables and relationships, the fonts of words, and the line width of table outlines and relationships. By changing these items you can make the diagram more readable and more intelligent. For example, you can fill in with
blue all lookup tables. The diagrammer has default colors set up for the base table, lookup table, page, and so on. You change the defaults under Edit | Preferences off the menu bar.
The colors on the diagram will show up only if you have a color printer. However, if you are using a black-and-white printer, colors will show up grayed, so you can use one color differentiation.
You can change the entire diagram or just a specific entity, relationship, or combination. To change the entire diagram choose Edit | Select all off the menu bar. To select one or more entities or relationships, select one and hold down the Ctrl key
until all the items are selected.
To change the line width, select the Line Width icon (refer to Figure 28.1). Choose a line width from the items listed. To change the line color, choose the Line Color icon. Choose a line color from the colors listed. To change the fill color of
entities, choose the Fill Color icon. Choose a color from the items listed. To change the font of any text selected, choose the Text icon. You can change the font, the style of the font, and the size of text.
When you work with large diagrams, keeping track of where you are on the diagram can become difficult, and the diagram can take up many pages when it prints. There are simple ways to deal with these irritations.
To move from table to table on the diagram, use Edit | Navigate on the menu bar and then select a table. The cursor will select the table you request, and the focus of the screen will include the table requested.
Often, when the diagram is filled with many entities, it becomes very large, sprawling horizontally or vertically. As a result, many blank pages can fill the borders of the diagram. You can reposition the diagram to use the least amount of pages by
using the Minimize Number of Pages icon. Pressing this icon will reposition the entire diagram so that the least number of pages are used.
You can zoom in and out of your picture to get a better idea of how an area of the picture looks or how the entire picture looks. The magnifying glass icons enable you to perform this function. Use the Normal Size icon to return to normal size. To
enlarge, use the Enlarge icon. To shrink, use the Shrink icon.
When you are satisfied that your diagram represents what you want your report or screen to do, you can go ahead and generate it. First, make sure you save the diagram. Second, make sure that the tables your module uses are already generated on your
database. To generate tables right from the Module Data Diagrammer, press the Generate DDL icon (refer to Figure 28.1). Refer to Chapter 29, "Server Generation," on how to Generate DDL. To generate the module, press the Generate icon. The
Generate Form screen will appear (see Figure 28.15).
Figure 28.15. The Generate tab in the Generate Form screen.
The screen defaults to the current module to be generated, but you can change any of the objects to generate a different module.
You can set many options when you generate a screen. The following tabs are available: Form Option, Menu Option, Compile, Run, Template, and Other.
The Form Option tab (see Figure 28.16) enables the user to select where the generated form will be located and how it will be generated.
Figure 28.16. The Form Option tab in the Generate Form dialog box.
The Menu Option tab looks the same as the Form Option tab. It shows the location of the menu that needs to be generated to attach to the form, if the default menu will not be used.
The Compile tab (see Figure 28.17) lets you specify if and where compiled forms will be generated. You can choose not to generate executable code or to put it in a different place than the compiled code.
Figure 28.17. The Compile tab in the Generate Form dialog box.
The Run tab (see Figure 28.18) enables you to select whether the form should be run after it is generated and the commands to run the form.
Figure 28.18. The Run tab in the Generate Form dialog box.
The Template tab enables you to enter a template form and a menu template for generating the form (see Figure 28.19).
Figure 28.19. The Template tab in the Generate Form dialog box.
The Other tab enables you to enter any log you want to keep, any library being used, and any default terminal information needed to run the screen (see Figure 28.20).
Figure 28.20. The Other tab in the Generate Form dialog box.
The Report Options tab in the Generate Report dialog box, in which you generate report modules, lists the options you have for generating a report. (See Figure 28.21.)
Figure 28.21. The Report Options tab.
You can change and save any of the options in this tab as the default.
When you are ready to generate the report, press the Start key. As the tool generates, the cursor will turn into turning gears.
If you have the minimal amount of memory, the gears will not turn.
If the generator has any question on any data you entered, it will prompt you. For example, if you did not fill in the maximum number of lines on a screen or page, the generator will suggest a default, and you will be given the opportunity to overwrite
it.
If anything seems suspicious to the generator, such as a column length that displays longer than the column itself, the generator will list a warning message.
If anything will make generation impossible, the generator will list an error message and the generation will terminate. One example might be if a table that is used in your module definition does not exist.
If you want to stop generating at any time, just press the Stop button.
When the generation is complete, the application will run or prompt you, depending on which run option you chose.
Application generation is the generation of screens and reports using the Module Data Diagrammer and Module Generator. Using the Module Data Diagrammer, you can set up the look and feel of your screen or report. When you are satisfied with your module
definition, you can go ahead and generate your screen or report. Your screen or report will be well documented in the module definition and created to the exact specifications defined in the Module Data Diagrammer.
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