Adding Custom Formats

You can specify a custom format in an Interactive Reporting document file by adding a new format locale using delimited characters in the bqformat.ini file, which resides in the \WinNT folder and is read by Interactive Reporting to fill in the format dialog boxes. The bqformat.ini file contains all the sections corresponding to the different countries/regions that you will find in the format dialog window. The file is installed with 38 locales set up with pre-defined formats.

  To add a custom format:

  1. Navigate to the WinNT directory and open the bqformat.ini file using Notepad or Wordpad.

  2. Change the second line of the bqformat.ini file to read count=39.

  3. Scroll down to the line just below 38=USA and add a line of code that reads 39=BrioSample.

    A new locale named BrioSample will be added to the date formatting selection. This locale has the same formats as the USA date formatting selection, but additionally allows users to select a date that reads, "Today is mm/dd/yyyy"; where mm/dd/yyyy is the format for the current date.

  4. Highlight all the code for USA, and select Edit, then Copy.

  5. Place the cursor at the end of the last line of code and select Edit, then Paste.

  6. In the newly copied code, replace any lines that read USA_, with BrioSample_.

    Be sure to leave the words date, time, number, percentage and currency after BrioSample_.

  7. Save the bqformat.ini file and close the editor.

  8. Open an Interactive Reporting document file and open up the formatting window (on the shortcut menu, select Number).

  9. Use the pull down menu for 'Select a Formatting Locale' and scroll down until you see the BrioSample section that was created in the bqformat.ini file.

  To add a custom format with a delimited character:

  1. Navigate to the WinNT directory and open the bqformat.ini file using Notepad or Wordpad.

    Note that eight BrioSample_date formats are in this section. This procedure show you how to add one custom format with a delimiter character to the BrioSample_date section added above.

  2. Change the line that reads count=8 to count=9.

  3. Add the code after 8=dd/mm/yyyy HH:MM.

    9=To\day is mm/dd/yyyy

    This format allows users to print the words "Today is" prior to printing the date.

    The code To\day contains a delimiter character before the 'd', the backslash. This backslash must be used in order to print the word 'Today' or the letter 'd' would be replaced with the day number— the slash mark indicates the character is not to be replaced with the date or time element. The characters that should be delimited are; d, m, y, H, M, F.

  4. Save the bqformat.ini file and close the editor.

  5. Open an Interactive Reporting document file and test the new formatting section you just added on a date field.

  6. Right-click a date column, select NUMBER, and select the BrioSample from the Formatting Locale pull-down menu

  7. Select Date as the Category.

    You should see "To\day is mm/dd/yyyy" in the list of selections.

    Notice in the Preview screen that the delimiter character prints the word "Today" correctly without errors

    As an additional exercise, try modifying the new date format without using the delimiter character and see how the format is displayed.