#CodeRageX : Q&A From Cary Jensen's FastReport Session
#CodeRageX : Q&A From Cary Jensen's FastReport Session
Q: Is it possible to generate clientdatasets inside the report to enable report specific querying of data from a database using a predfined DataSetProvider?
A: If you upgrade FastReport to one of the higher levels you can run Delphi code inside the report. Using that feature, I imagine that you could, though I've never tried to do this.
Q: Quickreports is missed, but FastReports is nice but the fact that you have to buy a full version is not helpful. Can you please make all the demos available with Delphi? The FastReport demos folder after Delphi installation is complete is empty
A: Non of the examples that I've shown here require an upgrade. That's important. You can do sooo much with the Embarcadero edition. I don't know about the FastReport demos folder
Q: When will the Delphi Developers Day 2016 be announced ?
A: We are working on that now. Probably early in December
Q: The crystal report file converter on the Fast Report Inc site does not work, do you have any info or way to convert Crystal report layout to FR?
A: Almost all converters have their limitations. I don't have any experience with the FastReport Crystal Report converter. Sorry
Q: Can you use FireDAC inside FastReport?
A: FastReport can be used with any TDataSet, including FireDAC TDataSets
Q: Whats difference btw. built in FR and the commercial one?
A: https://www.fast-report.com/en/products/report-for-delphi-fastreport-4-feature-matrix.html/
Q: How do you prevent report printing if no records are selected by the report?
A: Test the dataset before executing the report.
Q: When it will be possible import reports from crystal reports?
A: A converter exists now
Q: Can Fast Report do a report that is 4 up? That is, it has four pages on one sheet of paper?
A: Don't know.
Q: Can we use FastReport for FireMonkey ? (stable version ?) is it possible to do thins like preview on Android ???
A: There is a version for FireMonkey
Q: Thank you Cary. Your first interpretation was right ;)
A: Good
Q: i have seen that all reports are named untitled.fp3. it is better to save them by name in order to launch at run-time ?
A: Yes, give them a meaningful and descriptive name.
Q: Can we separate report design layout outside of the exe? Say, you have a fr3 report which link with a Client dataset, if you want to add an additional summary field, can you edit the fr3 report format outside the exe and have it displayed on the report when the exe is launched?
A: yes
Q: How many more versions of Delphi will FastReport be included?
A: Sorry, crystal ball is out of order. Ask again later. ;-) There are no plans to remove it that I know of.
Q: Is is possible to combine separate reports into a single print job?
A: The multi-report can do that, or you can just send them in series.
Q: Does FastReport include options to export report to PDF and/or other file formats?
A: yes
Q: Gnostice eDocEngine can tie into Fast-Report too.
A: Nice
Q: What about creating reports dynamically (programmatically - without designer). How robust is that?
A: Completely possible.
Q: I think the "multi pages on one sheet of paper" is more a printer driver setting than a report setting
A: thanks
Q: is it normal that i can hear Cary, but only see the tuesday schedule screen ?
A: yes
Q: Can reports easily been saved to and loaded from streams, so that one can save and load reports from and to a report repository database?
A: Not sure. I believe so.
Q: What output "save as" format are aviable (pdf ,excel etc
A: a lot.
Q: The FastReports version for FireMonkey do not make it possible to create reports on Android or iOS, You can however create a report remotely using the server version of Fast Reports and download it as a PDF to your device
A: Yes, cool.
Q: Is it possible to insert PDFs into reports dynamically?
A: no
Q: Using the event system or the script engine, are you able to retrieve page coordinates of data/field regions being printed. Specifically we would like to have handwritting recognition regions reported back to the main application. These regions would move dynamically depending on the available data
A: No sure.
Q: Can you export FR output to CSV/XLSX formats?
A: Yes, check it out.
Q: FR has a user forum or direct support in control panel
A: nice
Q: Is it possible to print the total number of pages a report has on its FIRST page? So is there any first and second run model?
A: yes, it needs to be a 2 pass report, but you may need the upgraded edition.
Q: Is it possible to generate clientdatasets inside the report to enable report specific querying of data from a database using a predfined DataSetProvider?
A: If you upgrade FastReport to one of the higher levels you can run Delphi code inside the report. Using that feature, I imagine that you could, though I've never tried to do this.
Q: Quickreports is missed, but FastReports is nice but the fact that you have to buy a full version is not helpful. Can you please make all the demos available with Delphi? The FastReport demos folder after Delphi installation is complete is empty
A: Non of the examples that I've shown here require an upgrade. That's important. You can do sooo much with the Embarcadero edition. I don't know about the FastReport demos folder
Q: When will the Delphi Developers Day 2016 be announced ?
A: We are working on that now. Probably early in December
Q: The crystal report file converter on the Fast Report Inc site does not work, do you have any info or way to convert Crystal report layout to FR?
A: Almost all converters have their limitations. I don't have any experience with the FastReport Crystal Report converter. Sorry
Q: Can you use FireDAC inside FastReport?
A: FastReport can be used with any TDataSet, including FireDAC TDataSets
Q: Whats difference btw. built in FR and the commercial one?
A: https://www.fast-report.com/en/products/report-for-delphi-fastreport-4-feature-matrix.html/
Q: How do you prevent report printing if no records are selected by the report?
A: Test the dataset before executing the report.
Q: When it will be possible import reports from crystal reports?
A: A converter exists now
Q: Can Fast Report do a report that is 4 up? That is, it has four pages on one sheet of paper?
A: Don't know.
Q: Can we use FastReport for FireMonkey ? (stable version ?) is it possible to do thins like preview on Android ???
A: There is a version for FireMonkey
Q: Thank you Cary. Your first interpretation was right ;)
A: Good
Q: i have seen that all reports are named untitled.fp3. it is better to save them by name in order to launch at run-time ?
A: Yes, give them a meaningful and descriptive name.
Q: Can we separate report design layout outside of the exe? Say, you have a fr3 report which link with a Client dataset, if you want to add an additional summary field, can you edit the fr3 report format outside the exe and have it displayed on the report when the exe is launched?
A: yes
Q: How many more versions of Delphi will FastReport be included?
A: Sorry, crystal ball is out of order. Ask again later. ;-) There are no plans to remove it that I know of.
Q: Is is possible to combine separate reports into a single print job?
A: The multi-report can do that, or you can just send them in series.
Q: Does FastReport include options to export report to PDF and/or other file formats?
A: yes
Q: Gnostice eDocEngine can tie into Fast-Report too.
A: Nice
Q: What about creating reports dynamically (programmatically - without designer). How robust is that?
A: Completely possible.
Q: I think the "multi pages on one sheet of paper" is more a printer driver setting than a report setting
A: thanks
Q: is it normal that i can hear Cary, but only see the tuesday schedule screen ?
A: yes
Q: Can reports easily been saved to and loaded from streams, so that one can save and load reports from and to a report repository database?
A: Not sure. I believe so.
Q: What output "save as" format are aviable (pdf ,excel etc
A: a lot.
Q: The FastReports version for FireMonkey do not make it possible to create reports on Android or iOS, You can however create a report remotely using the server version of Fast Reports and download it as a PDF to your device
A: Yes, cool.
Q: Is it possible to insert PDFs into reports dynamically?
A: no
Q: Using the event system or the script engine, are you able to retrieve page coordinates of data/field regions being printed. Specifically we would like to have handwritting recognition regions reported back to the main application. These regions would move dynamically depending on the available data
A: No sure.
Q: Can you export FR output to CSV/XLSX formats?
A: Yes, check it out.
Q: FR has a user forum or direct support in control panel
A: nice
Q: Is it possible to print the total number of pages a report has on its FIRST page? So is there any first and second run model?
A: yes, it needs to be a 2 pass report, but you may need the upgraded edition.
Anyone got any experience with the Crystal Reports converter?
ReplyDeleteAsbjørn Heid The Crystal Reports Converter does not work. You will have to redo the entire report. The FR tech support does not really have a solution for any type of CR conversion.
ReplyDeleteSome of Q are more like A, some of A more like nothing, but who care...
ReplyDeleteI'm using FastReport Pro since Delphi 7. I also, in different projects, was use Chrystal Reports, Report Builder and AceReports. From XE3 to now (XE8.1) I'm using his FMX versión, and I'm deploying reports with Mac OS X and Windows.
ReplyDeleteBased in this experience, I can say all of you, that I think that Fast Report Pro is a very good option. Probably the best option for Delphi!
I have to wait a time to see new versions deployed for FMX, but this happened with all of third party tools in Delphi.
I only use an style of to do reports with Fast Reports Pro. I provide to the user with a Reports Designer and all the reports are saved on Database.
This works very well!
In low versions of my project I hide the Final User Reports Designer.
You can download a demo of my product at...
http://sencille.es/comprar-sencille-lite-para-windows/
If you want a demo of the Pro Version, please, say me!
I still not tried to do reports in Android or iOS, but I think this is... posible but no useful for my apps.
I personally recommend "Fast Report Pro", as the best option for profesional reporting with Delphi!
Richard Baroniunas Thanks, sounded too good to be true :)
ReplyDeleteedit: not that I blame them, CR being proprietary and using a closed binary format.
Asbjørn Heid I know, I tried it on a CR 5 and a CR 9, neither worked at all, now I have to convert over 100 reports to Fast Report which is a pain.
ReplyDeleteI have FR Pro and it is pretty good, I would still like to have the designer as a separate application so I can build reports quickly from SQL Server like CR did but that is not going to happen.
I also looked at Quick Reports and they have the similar mindset to keep the report designer as a VCL component which means I have to start RS before I am able to use it.
Finally, I know that Rave is trying to make a comeback but not sure if that is too late.
Richard Baroniunas what is stopping you to create a little app from where you can start FR Designer?
ReplyDeleteCristian Peța To mirror or replicate something like CR where you create a Delphi application to start up the designer immediately you would also have to build in a data module or some sort of method to retrieve the data such like CR.
ReplyDeleteCR always started up the designer and you had to connect to the database and the entire database was available to quickly write up simple or detail reports.
Your idea is not bad and may be worth it but it will take time to replicate what CR was able to do (even if it broke or was difficult at times).
I never understood why FR couldn't give a executable and a VCL Component in the package. They easily could have taken over a huge piece of the market on that idea.