Summary of Report-Writer Specifications
In summary, the general specification of a report can be defined as a collection of distinct groups of related statements. Some of these statements relate to the overall composition of the report and some relate to major action groups within a report:
• The Report Header—At the start of the report, you can specify some textual information to print and set up many of the report layout specifications, such as page size and margins. The report header precedes the page header on the first page of the report.
• Page Headers and Footers—At the top of each page, except the first page, you can specify that Report-Writer print a page header, and at the bottom, a page footer. These usually include titles, page numbers, the date and time the report was printed, and so on.
• A Break Header—When Report-Writer detects a change of value in any of the designated break columns, a break occurs. Before Report-Writer processes a new group of data rows, it performs the break header actions. Break headers often highlight information such as the value of the break column, as well as textual information.
• Detail Section—Report-Writer processes this group of statements as it reads each new row of data. These statements generally include the instructions necessary to format and print specific data items. The detail break is the only break that does not include a header and a footer.
• A Break Footer—Report-Writer processes the break footer at the end of a group of data rows (as determined by the next break). A break footer often prints the current value of the break column just before the break, or prints a subtotal associated with the data rows just processed.
• The Report Footer—At the end of the report, you can specify some textual information to be printed.