Report Design

This topic provides answers to frequently-asked questions about report design:

1. Why would I use Layout Positioning instead of Flow Positioning?
2. I generated my first report in Studio using the New Application Wizard. Now how do I add a second report?
3. Can end users create, generate, design, format and customize reports by themselves?
4. Can Logi reporting products open/use Crystal Reports .rpt files?
5. Can I include data entry fields in my report? Can I "write back" (update) my database using them?
6. Is there some way to include common report parts, like headers and footers, from a single source?
7. How can I hide certain sections of reports based on dynamic criteria, such as data values or a user profile?
8. Some of my chart Labels are very long, requiring a big chart bottom border I don't want. What can I do?
9. Can I have multiple Analysis Grids in my report definition?
10. Does a user have to login to Logi Ad Hoc to use and create reports?
11. Is there a way in Logi Info to format numbers using metric notation, such as 10K?
12. It would be great if a chart legend could be clicked to show/hide different data series. Is that possible?

1. Why would I use Layout Positioning instead of Flow Positioning?

Layout Positioning allows you to place elements in absolute positions on the screen. However, the default Flow Positioning, which bases each element's location on that of previous elements, produces fewer browser and device compatibility issues. We don't generally recommend use of Layout positioning. Important Note: If you convert a report definition from Flow Positioning to Layout Positioning and then switch back, your report may not be perfectly converted back to its original state. This is due to certain attributes that Layout Positioning inserts, which become ambiguous in the reverse conversion.

2. I generated my first report in Studio using the New Application Wizard. Now how do I add a second report?

One Logi application can contain many report definitions. The New Application Wizard created both your Logi application and your first report definition. To add additional report definitions to your application, on the main menu click New File Report.

3. Can end users create, generate, design, format and customize reports by themselves?

Yes, using two methods. First, if you develop a report using Logi Info and include a "super element", such as the The Analysis Grid for End Users, end users can significantly customize the report at runtime. Second, we also offer add-on modules, extensions of Logi Info that provide self-service reporting, allowing users to create their own analyses without any developer assistance. For more information on the add-on modules, see Add-on Modules.

4. Can Logi reporting products open/use Crystal Reports .rpt files?

No. Crystal Reports .rpt files are proprietary, binary files and completely unlike the simple XML text files used by Logi reporting products.

5. Can I include data entry fields in my report? Can I "write back" (update) my database using them?

Logi Info supports HTML forms and standard user input controls, including text boxes, text areas, check boxes, radio buttons, and selection lists. Data entered or selected by the user can be used to dynamically change reporting criteria and can also be used to insert new records or update existing records in database tables. Logi Info includes features (Process tasks) that make this very easy.

6. Is there some way to include common report parts, like headers and footers, from a single source?

Yes. Logi products include a feature called "Shared Elements" which allows you to establish a set of elements, such as a report header with logo and date, as "shared". These can then referenced in all report definitions in an application. Any subsequent changes made to the single instance of the shared elements will then ripple through to appear in all reports that use them. For more information, see Shared Elements.

7. How can I hide certain sections of reports based on dynamic criteria, such as data values or a user profile?

One approach is to use the Division element, which acts as a "parent" container for parts of reports, and controls their visibility. For more information, see Conditions.

8. Some of my chart Labels are very long, requiring a big chart bottom border I don't want. What can I do?

Our charts include a Max Label Length attribute that specifies the maximum number of characters that will be displayed for a label before the text is trimmed and the remainder replaced with an ellipsis (...).

9. Can I have multiple Analysis Grids in my report definition?

No, you can only have one "super-element", such as an Analysis Grid, per report definition. This is because of internal identifiers within the super-elements, which would cause confusion if multiple elements were allowed. You can, however, place Analysis Grids on several report definitions and then include them, as SubReports in IncludeFrame mode, in a single master definition.

10. Does a user have to login to Logi Ad Hoc to use and create reports?

Yes, Logi Ad Hoc is a web application and users do generally need to login to it in order to use it. Ad Hoc security is fully configurable, however, from none to fully-integrated with external security schemes.

11. Is there a way in Logi Info to format numbers using metric notation, such as 10K?

Yes. The options available in Format attributes include "mp", which stands for Metric Prefix and which will automatically truncate numeric values and append appropriate characters, such as "K" or "M". For more information, see Format Data.

12. It would be great if a chart legend could be clicked to show/hide different data series. Is that possible?

Yes. Logi Info v12 includes "legend filtering", which allows the user, at runtime, to click entries in the legend, toggling the inclusion of data in the chart, which is immediately redrawn. The feature is enabled using the Legend element's Legend Filter attribute, and applies to static Pie, Line, Area, Bar, Scatter, and Polar charts.