Report Generation

[ASTDan]

Hello,

I was wondering if out there somewhere some there are some additions to NI's Report Generation VI's that come with LabVIEW; not the Report Generation toolkit just the basic Report Generation VI's.

Specifically is there a way to control the size of individual columns, and change the font of text on individual cells in a table?

Thanks

Dan

[Justin Goeres]

QUOTE (ASTDan @ Nov 13 2008, 10:50 AM)

Specifically is there a way to control the size of individual columns

I have a VI somewhere that does exactly this. I will try to dig it up (and clean it up) this weekend and send it to you.

Regarding changing the font of individual cells in a table -- I've never tried to do that, but I think it's possible.

[ASTDan]

QUOTE (Justin Goeres @ Nov 14 2008, 12:33 PM)

I have a VI somewhere that does exactly this. I will try to dig it up (and clean it up) this weekend and send it to you.

Regarding changing the font of individual cells in a table -- I've never tried to do that, but I think it's possible.

:worship:

[PaulG.]

You will probably spend at least one man day (or more) perfecting your report. NI Report Generator SUCKS. :thumbdown:

[crelf]

QUOTE (PaulG. @ Nov 16 2008, 08:57 PM)

NI Report Generator SUCKS. :thumbdown:

You got something better? Seriously, if you do have something better, or even an idea on how it could be improved, I'd like to see it (and, I'm sure, so would NI). Personally, I think that the report generation toolkit is pretty damn comprehensive.

PS: I don't think that a day perfecting a complex report isn't unreasonable.

[Justin Goeres]

QUOTE (crelf @ Nov 16 2008, 07:20 PM)

You got something better? Seriously, if you do have something better, or even an idea on how it could be improved, I'd like to see it (and, I'm sure, so would NI). Personally, I think that the report generation toolkit is pretty damn comprehensive.

PS: I don't think that a day perfecting a complex report isn't unreasonable.

My problem with it is that it's hard to extend the library. Especially now that they've refactored it to use LVOOP, the ActiveX reference to (for instance) the Standard Report is really tightly encapsulated as private class data. Without that reference, you can't do anything to the report except what NI chooses to expose.

If they're going to do the Report Generation in LVOOP (which I think is a good idea, btw), they should expose the report reference through a Protected VI so that users can easily add a child class of NIReports.lvclass (or whatever they call it) that modifies or extends the behavior for their needs without modifying things in vi.lib. That's one of the bullet-point features of LVOOP! In the current implementation, everything is really locked down :thumbdown:.

Other than that, though, I like the library just fine .

[ASTDan]

QUOTE (PaulG. @ Nov 16 2008, 08:57 PM)

NI Report Generator SUCKS. :thumbdown:

I think the Report Generation Tookit is extensive. I think the base Report Generation that installs with LabVIEW is limited.

It would be nice if the Report Generation with LabVIEW had more functionality i.e. that ability to manipulate tables (change fonts, change columns, etc) and a better method to place control images, pictures, and tables where you want them in the report. Someting in between Report Generation Toolkit and basic Report Generation. The problem I have sometimes is my customers don't want to install Microsoft Office on their test machine. I too have found developing reports to be time consuming. I also don't think that will go away anytime soon. Just becasue of what is involved.

It is always like this "Oh could you move this over a little, bold this, change the font of that, and when I am not in a good mood change the background to red!"

[crelf]

QUOTE (Justin Goeres @ Nov 17 2008, 09:09 AM)

If they're going to do the Report Generation in LVOOP (which I think is a good idea, btw), they should expose the report reference through a Protected VI so that users can easily add a child class of NIReports.lvclass (or whatever they call it) that modifies or extends the behavior for their needs without modifying things in vi.lib.

I totally agree :thumbup: