Reports from the web

[Mike Dinnis]

Hello,

This probably isn't the best group to post this in, but i'm not too sure
where would be better (any ideas appreciated).

What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or ASP.NET system to
generate reports from a database. I know this can be done quite simply by
creating a recordset and then creating code to display the data, but I would
like to have a report that is formatted for a printer
(headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by creating a service that
checks a database table looking for requests and then calls Access to
generate a snapshot report to post back to the user. This works fine but I
don't realy want to be using Access on my server.

The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report that is formatted for
the client's printer but I guess this isn't possible, so a method of
producing a report formatted for a generic printer would be the next best
thing.

Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web applications or thrid
party report generation tools that might suit?

Cheers,

<M>ike

[Don Verhagen]

Re: Reports from the web

In news:edJwP%23Mi DHA.1956@TK2MSF TNGP10.phx.gbl,
Mike Dinnis <mike dot dinnis at abraxas-uk dot com> typed:
: Hello,
:
: This probably isn't the best group to post this in, but i'm not too
: sure where would be better (any ideas appreciated).
:
: What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or ASP.NET system to
: generate reports from a database. I know this can be done quite
: simply by creating a recordset and then creating code to display the
: data, but I would like to have a report that is formatted for a
: printer (headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by creating a
: service that checks a database table looking for requests and then
: calls Access to generate a snapshot report to post back to the user.
: This works fine but I don't realy want to be using Access on my
: server.
:
: The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report that is
: formatted for the client's printer but I guess this isn't possible,
: so a method of producing a report formatted for a generic printer
: would be the next best thing.
:
: Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web applications or
: thrid party report generation tools that might suit?

If you need formatted printed output, the best solution I have found is to
create a PDF file. Otherwise you're left with the browser formatting, which
as we all know, isn't pretty.

Don




: Cheers,
:
: <M>ike

[Mike]

Re: Reports from the web

But in what would you compile the report prior to creating
the PDF? I'm trying to get away from Access (or at least
get it off the server) as I belive it's improper to have
it on the web server. Is there a way to create a report
directly as a PDF? I understood it acted as a printer to
output an existing document/file/report.

Cheers,

<m>ike
[color=blue]
>-----Original Message-----
>In news:edJwP%23Mi DHA.1956@TK2MSF TNGP10.phx.gbl,
>Mike Dinnis <mike dot dinnis at abraxas-uk dot com> typed:
>: Hello,
>:
>: This probably isn't the best group to post this in, but[/color]
i'm not too[color=blue]
>: sure where would be better (any ideas appreciated).
>:
>: What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or[/color]
ASP.NET system to[color=blue]
>: generate reports from a database. I know this can be[/color]
done quite[color=blue]
>: simply by creating a recordset and then creating code[/color]
to display the[color=blue]
>: data, but I would like to have a report that is[/color]
formatted for a[color=blue]
>: printer (headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by[/color]
creating a[color=blue]
>: service that checks a database table looking for[/color]
requests and then[color=blue]
>: calls Access to generate a snapshot report to post back[/color]
to the user.[color=blue]
>: This works fine but I don't realy want to be using[/color]
Access on my[color=blue]
>: server.
>:
>: The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report[/color]
that is[color=blue]
>: formatted for the client's printer but I guess this[/color]
isn't possible,[color=blue]
>: so a method of producing a report formatted for a[/color]
generic printer[color=blue]
>: would be the next best thing.
>:
>: Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web[/color]
applications or[color=blue]
>: thrid party report generation tools that might suit?
>
>If you need formatted printed output, the best solution I[/color]
have found is to[color=blue]
>create a PDF file. Otherwise you're left with the browser[/color]
formatting, which[color=blue]
>as we all know, isn't pretty.
>
>Don
>
>
>
>
>: Cheers,
>:
>: <M>ike
>
>
>.
>[/color]

[Dan Brussee]

Re: Reports from the web

On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 05:00:05 -0700, "Mike"
<mikedotdinnis@ abraxas-ukdotcom> wrote:
[color=blue]
>But in what would you compile the report prior to creating
>the PDF? I'm trying to get away from Access (or at least
>get it off the server) as I belive it's improper to have
>it on the web server. Is there a way to create a report
>directly as a PDF? I understood it acted as a printer to
>output an existing document/file/report.[/color]

That is one way of doing it. However, when you purchase Adobe Acrobat,
you get an API that can be used to generate the PDF files as well. One
last option would be to pick up a reporting component such as
ActiveReports where you can generate the report using their methods
and the stream the report out as a PDF file.

[Michael D. Kersey]

Re: Reports from the web

Mike Dinnis wrote:[color=blue]
> What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or ASP.NET system to
> generate reports from a database. I know this can be done quite simply by
> creating a recordset and then creating code to display the data, but I would
> like to have a report that is formatted for a printer
> (headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by creating a service that
> checks a database table looking for requests and then calls Access to
> generate a snapshot report to post back to the user. This works fine but I
> don't realy want to be using Access on my server.
> The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report that is formatted for
> the client's printer but I guess this isn't possible, so a method of
> producing a report formatted for a generic printer would be the next best
> thing.
> Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web applications or thrid
> party report generation tools that might suit?[/color]

You could use SQL Server to store your databse and then denote the
tables involved as "linked external tables" to Access. This would allow
you to
- store the tables in SQL Server,
- use Access's snapshot viewer capabilities to generate reports.

Or you could generate RTF documents that will load either Word or
WordPad when sent to the client browser. RTF has a number of different
versions, but it mostly works. For details see:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q270906

Good Luck,
Michael D. Kersey

[Michael D. Kersey]

Re: Reports from the web

Mike Dinnis wrote:[color=blue]
> This probably isn't the best group to post this in, but i'm not too sure
> where would be better (any ideas appreciated).
> What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or ASP.NET system to
> generate reports from a database. I know this can be done quite simply by
> creating a recordset and then creating code to display the data, but I would
> like to have a report that is formatted for a printer
> (headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by creating a service that
> checks a database table looking for requests and then calls Access to
> generate a snapshot report to post back to the user. This works fine but I
> don't realy want to be using Access on my server.
> The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report that is formatted for
> the client's printer but I guess this isn't possible, so a method of
> producing a report formatted for a generic printer would be the next best
> thing.
> Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web applications or thrid
> party report generation tools that might suit?[/color]

You could use SQL Server to store your databse and then denote the
tables involved as "linked external tables" to Access. This would allow
you to
- store the tables in SQL Server,
- use Access's snapshot viewer capabilities to generate reports.

Or you could generate RTF documents that will load either Word or
WordPad when sent to the client browser. RTF has a number of different
versions, but it mostly works. For details see:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q270906

Good Luck,
Michael D. Kersey

[Mike Dinnis]

Re: Reports from the web

Thanks for the suggestions.

I think this sounds like a good idea, I'll just have to go and investigate.

Cheers,

<M>ike


"Dan Brussee" <dbrussee@NOSPA Mnc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:aoionvgt7l kjdt9jt983fvcfe ect0nhup3@4ax.c om...[color=blue]
> On Thu, 2 Oct 2003 05:00:05 -0700, "Mike"
> <mikedotdinnis@ abraxas-ukdotcom> wrote:
>[color=green]
> >But in what would you compile the report prior to creating
> >the PDF? I'm trying to get away from Access (or at least
> >get it off the server) as I belive it's improper to have
> >it on the web server. Is there a way to create a report
> >directly as a PDF? I understood it acted as a printer to
> >output an existing document/file/report.[/color]
>
> That is one way of doing it. However, when you purchase Adobe Acrobat,
> you get an API that can be used to generate the PDF files as well. One
> last option would be to pick up a reporting component such as
> ActiveReports where you can generate the report using their methods
> and the stream the report out as a PDF file.
>[/color]

[Mark Andrews]

Re: Reports from the web

Mike,

Sounds like you are using our product (www.rptsoftware.com) or
developed something in-house very similiar? You should use PDF over
snapshot format.

It usually comes down to:
- What tool can I easily use to develop reports that produces the kind of
output needed?

Low end web-based reporting tools:
- RPT software www.rptsoftware.com (uses Access as report tool)
- Crystal
- ActiveReports
- coding to straight ASP, ASP.NET, or some kind of XML/display of
information

High end tools (usually just more scalable):
- Business Objects
- Microstrategy
- Cognos
- Other OLAP specific vendors (ProClarity etc...)
- Many others

I do recommend doing everything in SQL Server and just use Access with
pass-thru
queries running stored procedures or SQL Server syntax SQL at runtime.

HTH,
Mark

"Michael D. Kersey" <mdkersey@hal-pc.org> wrote in message
news:%23i2oq3Si DHA.1860@tk2msf tngp13.phx.gbl. ..[color=blue]
> Mike Dinnis wrote:[color=green]
> > This probably isn't the best group to post this in, but i'm not too sure
> > where would be better (any ideas appreciated).
> > What I would like to be able to do is use the ASP or ASP.NET system to
> > generate reports from a database. I know this can be done quite simply[/color][/color]
by[color=blue][color=green]
> > creating a recordset and then creating code to display the data, but I[/color][/color]
would[color=blue][color=green]
> > like to have a report that is formatted for a printer
> > (headers/footers/etc.). I currently do this by creating a service that
> > checks a database table looking for requests and then calls Access to
> > generate a snapshot report to post back to the user. This works fine but[/color][/color]
I[color=blue][color=green]
> > don't realy want to be using Access on my server.
> > The ideal solution would be a way of creating a report that is formatted[/color][/color]
for[color=blue][color=green]
> > the client's printer but I guess this isn't possible, so a method of
> > producing a report formatted for a generic printer would be the next[/color][/color]
best[color=blue][color=green]
> > thing.
> > Are there any suggested reporting techniques for web applications or[/color][/color]
thrid[color=blue][color=green]
> > party report generation tools that might suit?[/color]
>
> You could use SQL Server to store your databse and then denote the
> tables involved as "linked external tables" to Access. This would allow
> you to
> - store the tables in SQL Server,
> - use Access's snapshot viewer capabilities to generate reports.
>
> Or you could generate RTF documents that will load either Word or
> WordPad when sent to the client browser. RTF has a number of different
> versions, but it mostly works. For details see:
> http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;[LN];Q270906
>
> Good Luck,
> Michael D. Kersey
>[/color]