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Parameter Form view

The Report Editor's Parameter Form view is a work area in which you define the format of the report's Runtime Parameter Form. To do this, you define and modify Parameter Form objects (fields and boilerplate).   You can select pre-defined system parameters for your form using the Parameter Form Builder, or you can create your own.

When you run a report, Reports Builder uses the Parameter Form view as a template for the Runtime Parameter Form. Fields and boilerplate appear in the Runtime Parameter Form exactly as they appear in the Parameter Form view. If you do not define a Runtime Parameter Form in the Parameter Form view, Reports Builder displays a default Parameter Form for you at runtime.

Access

To display the Parameter Form view:

Painting region

The painting region is the area in which you can create, modify, position, or delete objects while viewing their graphical representations on the screen.   The painting region of the Parameter Form view is comprised of physical pages.   A physical page of the Parameter Form is a window of information that can contain boilerplate text and graphics, and fields.

When you first enter the Parameter Form view, you are placed on the first physical page. You can navigate to other pages of your Parameter Form by scrolling down.   Pages are separated by dark lines in the editor.

You specify the size of each Parameter Form page and the number of pages using the Report property sheet (double-click the report's node in the Object Navigator).  The Parameter Form view will display as many pages vertically as you have specified, separating each page by a horizontal line. Objects that span pages will only appear on the first page of the Runtime Parameter form and will be truncated.

Object representation

The Parameter Form objects that you can create in the painting region are:   fields and boilerplate.

You can cut, copy, paste, and duplicate objects in the Parameter Form view, but only the graphical representations of the objects are copied.   The property sheet settings are not copied with the objects.

To see an object's settings, you must open its property sheet by double-clicking the object.

Rulers

Rulers are located around the left and top edges of the painting region. Rulers are initially hidden in the Parameter Form view. To show rulers, choose Viewright arrowRulers.

Units

You can set the unit of measurement of the ruler to any of the following, by selecting Formatright arrowLayout Optionsright arrowRulers:

When you change a report's Unit of Measurement property, the ruler units are updated to reflect the Unit of Measurement. When you set Design in Character Units to Yes, the ruler units are changed to character cells.

Markers

Markers move along both of the rulers to track your cursor location in the painting region. The rulers scroll along with the painting region. Likewise, when you magnify part of the painting region, the rulers are updated to reflect the magnification.

Ruler guides

Ruler guides provide you with a point of reference for creating and modifying objects. To create a ruler guide, click one of the rulers and drag into the painting region.   To show ruler guides, choose Viewright arrowRuler Guides.

Grid

Inside the painting region is a grid to help you position objects in the viewing region. The grid is drawn in relationship to the rulers. Choose Viewright arrowGrid to display the grid.

Toolbar

To use the tools in the toolbar, click the desired tool to perform the action. If the tool is designed to perform an action on objects, it appears grayed out until one or more objects are selected.   Then clicking the tool performs the action on the selected object(s).

Stylebar

To use the tools in the stylebar, select one or more objects, then click the desired tool. The action represented by the tool will be performed on the selected objects. Tools typically available on the stylebar let you change the font, font style, size and justification of the selected object.

Tool palette

The tool palette is a set of tools you can use to create and manipulate objects. Click a tool to activate it for a single operation, or double-click a tool to "lock" it for multiple operations.

The tools in the tool palette vary depending on the Report Editor view.

Status bar

In the Parameter Form view, the status bar displays the following information: