Basic Work with Objects

The report consists of objects that are intended to display text and graphics. The objects are also bands, page and object itself.

The basic work is labeling, selecting, deleting, moving, resizing and setting up a new object.

Selecting an Object

If you want to move an object, change the size or properties, you must first select it. Select the object by clicking on it with the mouse. The object gets the platter, which means it is currently selected. Simultaneously select multiple objects by holding down the Shift key and clicking objects. You can also select more objects by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing and holding the left mouse button. Drag the mouse over the work surface. A dashed rectangle appears. All objects, which are entirely or partially in this rectangle, are selected. When we have selected the desired objects, we release the mouse button.

Deleting an Object

You can delete an object simply by selecting it and pressing the Delete key.

Moving an Object

To move an object, use the mouse to place on it. The pointer gets the shape of a hand. Press and hold the left mouse button and move the mouse to the new location. There, the left button is lowered and the object remains in that place. In case when we move an object which is connected to another object, this one also moves.

Resizing an Object

First we select an object. Then we place ourselves in the corner of the object, where the mouse pointer changes the shape. The mouse pointer changes to the line with arrows at both ends. Press and hold the left mouse button and drag the mouse in the desired direction.

Hiding an Object

You can hide an object using right click menu on the object and use the Visible property in the context menu. If this setting has a band, all the objects on it are also hidden.

Setting up a Grid for Mapping Objects

When moving objects on the report, they are difficult to align, as the objects are moved in by a continuous form. Therefore, you can setup a grid that allows you to move through certain steps. You set the grid properties in the designer options window. You can turn it on or off in the standard toolbar by clicking the button . By clicking the button , you allow objects to be automatically attached to the grid.

Editing Text

Editing the text is usually in text fields, but it is possible to add text along the system fields.

In example, we will replace the text in the "Workers" field with a new "Report of Workers and Their Addresses".

We do this by double-clicking on the object. Replace the old text with the new one by deleting the old text and entering the new one.

Click the OK button in text editor and expand the box with the new text if necessary.

Designing Complex Existing Report

In practice you will not create reports from the beginning but redesign existing reports.

Most frequently you will redesign document of orders and invoices.

Let's make a clone of report 241- Invoice and do some changes on it. We will now just described how to solve problems. We will later consider this report in more details.

Do not change name of objects on such a report because code from Pantheon may affects value which will be displayed in them and you may lose some important data. If you do not need them just hide objects.

Deleting Objects

As we already mentioned objects on the reports can be deleted. However, some objects also have a program code that reference it. If we delete such an object, we must also delete all program code that reference it. Let's now delete the thick line under text 'Invoice'', As it will be turned out in the next step it is named mTitle2.

Open tab with program code and "comment out" line

    mTitle2.Width  := mTitle1.CalcWidth + fKljuc.CalcWidth - 8;

We add '//' in  the beginning of this row so that it becomes

//    mTitle2.Width  := mTitle1.CalcWidth + fKljuc.CalcWidth - 8;

The other possibility in this case is to just hide object. It will still exists on report but will not be displayed.

If we move an object on such a report to another band, we must also move the corresponding code there. Otherwise, a window with an error message will appear.

Adjusted Objects

Because of more precise aligning and faster designing the vast majority of objects on system reports are adjusted to either on the edge of the band or to other objects.

Property which specify this behavior of objects within the band is Align.  We access this property only in the object inspector which can be displayed or hidden in the “View>Toolbars...” menu command.  Property values are:

Before moving objects it is advisable to change the property Align to the baNone and set it at the end of designing if you need.