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In the Report Definition area, you can enter free text to introduce the report and to label the information that the report extracts from the database. You can also select database items, which are tags representing the information to be extracted from the database. When you run the report, the database item names are replaced by the appropriate data for the assignment or set of assignments for which the report is run.

You must be careful how you position the database items so that QuickPaint interprets them correctly and formats the report in the layout you require.

To define a QuickPaint Report:

1. Enter a name, and optionally a description, of the report.

The Protected field is display only; some reports provided by localization teams are protected against edits.

2. In the Report Definition area, enter free text exactly as you want it to appear on the report.

3. To select database items, choose the Show Items button and run a query to display a list of database items, then select and copy items to the Report Definition area.

Notice that the database item name must begin with an ampersand (&). Names without an ampersand are treated as free text.

4. Save the report definition.

Positioning Items

Both free text and database items appear in the report results on the line on which you painted them in the Report Definition area. They also generally appear in the column in which you painted them. However, it might be that the data replacing a database item name is long enough to push later items on the same line to the right.

For example, if you paint database items and free text like this:

		&ASG_JOB       in &ASG_ORG

the report results print like this:

		Technician     in Biochemistry

		Scientific Officer in Biochemistry

Notice that, in the second result, the free text 'in' is pushed to the right and one space is entered before it.

If you know the number of the column in which you want text or a database item to appear, you can enter it like this:

		&ASG_JOB       &32in &ASG_ORG

However, the text 'in' will still be pushed to the right if the preceding database item (&ASG_JOB) extends beyond column 32. If you would prefer the preceding database item to be truncated, paint the line as follows:

		&ASG_JOB       &&32in &ASG_ORG

The report results will look like this:

		Technician     in Biochemistry

		Scientific Off in Biochemistry

If you want one space between two database items or between a database item and text, then paint them separated by a single space. The single space is always preserved. For example, this definition:

		&EMP_FIRST_NAME &EMP_LAST_NAME

gives the following report results:

		Alice Hollister

		Ray Garcia

Adding Conditions or Calculations to QuickPaint Reports

Formulas generated from QuickPaint definitions do not contain conditional logic or mathematical computations. If you need these features, query the formula in the Formulas window and copy it. Edit the copy to add the logic you require.

Attention: You should not edit the original QuickPaint formula. Always edit a copy. Any edits of the original formula are overwritten if you change the report definition in the QuickPaint Report window.

See Also

Dynamic Database Items

Using Oracle FastFormula to Define QuickPaint Reports

Running QuickPaint Reports