Feature: Searches for Report Desk Input Parameters

Feature: Searches for Report Desk Input Parameters

Released: 3/4/2024
Verson: Elliott v8.6 and higher

Overview

Until now, Report Desk users did not have the ability to search the database for a specific value of an input parameter.  With this release, the ability to search for database values for an input parameter is provided in two ways:
  • An automatically assigned search, based on the input parameter's type.
  • A specifically assigned search for an input parameter of an individual report..

Automatically Assigned Searches

A few special column types can have a SearchID associated with them.  For example, whenever a Where parameter is assigned the CustNo type, if there is a SearchID assigned to CustNo, a search will appear automatically (the magnifying glass button shown):


Pressing the Search button or Pressing F7 when the input is focused on one of the Customers between fields will bring up the assigned PowerSearch.

There are two requirements to make this happen:

First, in the report designer, the input parameter must have a type of CustNo:


Second, the type CustNo must have a SearchID assigned to it.  The assignment of SearchIDs to column types occurs in the system configuration file, EL860S.Cfg or user configuration file, EL860U.Cfg:

   [Default-SearchID]
   AcctNo=GLACTSCH.B.1.1.0
   CustNo=ARCUSSCH.B.1.3.0
   ItemNo=IMITMSCH.B.1.2.0
   PONo=VENPOSCH.B.2.1.0
   SlmNo=ARSLMSCH.B.1.1.0
   VendNo=APVENSCH.B.1.3.0
   ZipCd=SYTAXSCH.B.1.1.0

These are the SearchIDs that are currently assigned in EL860S.Cfg.  We may add additional column-type/SearchId pairs in the future.

Additionally, a customer may add similar entries in EL860U.Cfg to override the system default values.

Specifically Assigned Searches

In many cases, the column type for an input parameter may not be one of the types that have a SearchID automatically assignable.  Or it may be that, in a specific report, the SearchID automatically assigned to an input parameter would not be appropriate.  In either case, the following procedure can be used to override the defaults on an individual report basis.

In the Report Designer, click on the Info button for the input parameter:


This will bring up a dialog where a different SearchID can be entered:


If the column is using the default SearchID (as is the case in this example), the default SearchID will be shown in gray text.  You may enter a different SearchID if desired.  Whenever the SearchID field does not contain the default value, its text will be the normal color:


If there is a default SearchID that is not appropriate, and you want to eliminate the default SearchID without supplying another, you may enter NONE and this will eliminate search ability for that input parameter on the report.

When you press the OK button, the SearchID will be validated.  Once you return to the Designer screen, you must save the design before you can use the changes.

JEG
Programs: EL860RD, EL860ES

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