Generating a customized data report
With the custom report feature, advanced users can create their own customized reports, based on the data provided from the DS-Client database tables.
This feature requires a third-party application (JasperReports) and corresponding development resources.
The following provides instructions on how to use the custom report feature.
To select data for the report
The first step is to select the data you want to use for the customized report.
1. Click Reports > Customized Data.
The Customized Data Wizard screen appears.
2. Select an existing Data Set or select <New> to create a new one.
Data Set selections are saved in the ‘.ini’ file for the DS-User installation you are using (“user.ini” for Java DS-User).
3. Select a View, and click Next.
Data is grouped into different ‘views’. Each view can contain one or more tables from the DS-Client database. A single table can appear in different views.
The Select Display Columns screen appears.
A list of all fields from all tables for the selected View appears in the section Available Columns. An expanded description of what that field contains is displayed below the section Available Columns.
4. To add a field, select the field, and click Add. To select multiple fields, use the SHIFT or CTRL keys.
The added field moves to list of Selected Columns on the right.
5. If required, change the order of the selected fields using the Up and Down arrow buttons.
NOTE: This is the order in which the data fields will be written.
6. Click Next.
The Select Order screen appears.
A list of all available sort fields appears in the left column based on the fields you selected in the previous screen.
7. Add as many sort fields as you require, and click Next. You can change the order of the selected fields with the Up and Down arrow buttons.
NOTE: This is the order in which the data set will be sorted. If you do not make a selection, data will be written as it is read from the database. This sort order is not used by JasperReport or Crystal Reports.
The Set Data Filters screen appears.
8. If necessary, set a filter, and click Next.
If you do not set any filters, all data will be exported. If you set a filter, only data that matches the filter will be exported.
The Enter Data Set Name screen appears.
9. If necessary, select Save data set settings to save the Data Set settings for quicker access the next time.
These selections (with the exception of Data Filters) are saved in the ‘.ini’ file for the current DS-User installation you are running.
10. If necessary, select Export data to file to export data to a file to either XML or CSV format.
Export data to file is selected by default.
NOTE: To create a custom report template, export the data in XML format.
11. Click Next.
The Confirm Data Set Summary screen appears.
12. Review the summary to ensure that the data set is customized as necessary.
13. If the data set summary is satisfactory, click Finish.
14. If you have selected the option Export data to file, select to save the Data Set to a file either in XML or CSV format in the Save As dialog.
NOTE: The Data Set you export contains a snapshot of the data from the fields you queried from the DS-Client database when you click Finish. This can be used to create a one-time custom report. However, it is the data structure (data fields) that is used to create a re-usable custom report template.