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Actuate Design Files


An ROD file is a report design file. It defines the layout, structure, and behavior of a report. The ROD files for the standard Siebel reports are provided with Siebel Tools. A design file is modified in the main window of the Actuate e.Report Designer Professional software, called the Design Editor window. The design file for the Opportunity Summary report (Opsum.rod) as it appears in the Design Editor is shown in Figure 17.

Figure 17.  Report Design for a Siebel Report in the Design Editor

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The Design Editor window consists of a structure tree on the left and a layout grid on the right. The structure tree is populated with components. The nodes (also called slots) that hold these components can be of various types according to their use and behavior in the report. Specialized icons identify the types of their corresponding components. Of particular interest are the following node types in the structure:

Recall that Actuate is an object-oriented software product. Each of the icons in the structure tree represents an object, which can have child objects (as illustrated in the tree) and which has a properties list that you can edit. You may note the similarity to Siebel Object Explorer.

The class assigned to an object in Actuate determines its behavior. When new objects are created, or moved from one location to another, you need to be careful not to alter the relationship between an object and its current class, except when you are explicitly told to do so. The following three concepts are related to changing the relationship between an object and its class:

See the information on concepts in Developing Advanced e.Reports in the Actuate e.Report Designer Professional documentation for a review of Actuate concepts.


 Siebel Reports Administration Guide 
 Published: 18 July 2003