Use this program to set up output options for printing reports with multiple outputs. You can print a report to a printer, the viewer and to a file all in one process. After setting up output options and properly configuring reports, you can print reports to Excel, XML (Can print to TCP/IP port), ASCII Delimited (Can print to TCP/IP port) files, other (programmer defined files), or to an HTML file.
Reports with multiple output options include:
· ICR710: Stock Status Report
· GLR710: Trial Balance/Detail Ledger
· ARR740: Customer Listing
· APR750: Vendor Listing
Output options allow you to expand your reporting capabilities beyond defining a printer (in Printer F/M). Advantages to using output options are:
· Printing to new output types
· When creating a report as a file, an administrator can control file output to always be placed on the client PC or always on the server
· When creating a report as a file, an administrator can control what the filename will be with run-time replacements (see below for an explanation of what these are).
· Output can be customized with open, close, post-open, pre-close, and post close procedures.
· Regular printers (printers set up in Printer F/M) can still be used.
For more information how to use maintenances, refer to the following topics:
How to use file maintenance programs
Main Tab
1. Output Code
Enter a 4-character alphanumeric code for the output.
2. Description
Enter a 30-character description.
3. Output Type
Select an Output type--choices are Printer, XML, ASCII Delimited (comma separated), ASCII Text (flat file) or PDF Output.
Printer: If you chose Printer as the output type, choose a printer defined in Printer F/M. Normally, printers will continue to be used without defining them as an Output, just as they have been used in FACTS previously. However, since outputs can additionally have custom post-open, pre-close, and post-close programming procedures defined, the ability to use a printer in an Output can bring expanded printer flexibility without code customization.
Output To: If you choose XML or either ASCII as the output type, you have the option to print to a file, a TCP/IP port, or Other. Note: if you set up your Output Option to output to a TCP/IP port, you must ensure the listening port is set up to accept the output and utilize the information as the customer desires.
Server Directory: If you chose an Output type that creates a file, you can indicate you want it to output to a server directory of your choice. This field requires that specific directory exists due to server operating system security issues. (Since every user may not have permissions to create a directory on the server, it isn’t practical to allow the directory to be created at runtime. ) You may use runtime replacements (see below). Note: Directories cannot be modified at run-time.
Client Directory: If you chose an Output type that creates a file, indicate if you want the report to be output to a client directory of your choice. You may optionally choose if FACTS can auto-create the directory if it doesn’t exist. You may use runtime replacements (see below). Note: Directories cannot be modified at run-time.
4. File name
This field can be left blank. If a filename is entered, you cannot change the filename at runtime. You may use runtime replacements. If the file already exists, the new file will be created with a number on the end, incremented by one (i.e, filename1.txt, filename2.txt, etc).
5. File Extension
If the administrator wants to pre-define a default file extension, it can be entered here. You will be able to override the default.
6. TCP/IP Address
Enter the TCP/IP address for the output. Note that this is only used with Output to TCP/IP output type and is not changeable at runtime.
7. Open Procedure
This field is available for a programmer to create a custom procedure and enter it here. This is only available if the Output To output type is "Other".
8. Close Procedure
This field is available for a programmer to create a custom procedure and enter it here. This is only available if the Output To output type is "Other".
Procedures Tab
1. Post Open
This field is available for a programmer to create a custom procedure and enter it here.
2. Pre Close
This field is available for a programmer to create a custom procedure and enter it here.
3. Post Close:
This field is available for a programmer to create a custom procedure and enter it here.