RevMedia

David Edkins of D.E. Associates writes, "Further to the Break-On discussion, I wonder how many of your subscribers are aware that the Break-on options 'B' coupled with the Heading option 'B' gives the developer complete control over the Heading and Footing blocks in R/List reports."

For example, this technique can be used to provide headings and footings that:

a)     include the contents of more than one Break-on field!
b)     include application specific details (e.g. company name)
c)     include user specific details (e.g. User name)
d)     include report specific details (e.g. selection parameters -  perhaps
       set up in labelled common via a collector window.
e)     include printer formatting sequences

My preferred approach is as follows:

a)     Add the clause BREAK-ON  BREAK  "'B'" to any R/LIST report.
b)     Also add the clause HEADING  "'B'" to the R/LIST report.
c)     Define a dictionary BREAK (possibly on VOC) that creates the
       appropriate HEADING block.  This can include any number of linefeeds
       (just include CHAR(13) : CHAR(10) in the string). The block must be
       returned in @ANS.

Editor's note - As an example of this simple but effective technique it might be instructive to try the following. Create a dictionary item on the DICT of VOC called BREAK and include the formula

and then run the TCL statement

  :LIST VOC BY F1 BREAK-ON F1 "'P'" JUSTLEN "L0" BY F3
  BREAK-ON F3 "'P'" JUSTLEN "L0" F4 JUSTLEN "L30"
  BREAK-ON BREAK "'B'" HEADING "Test of break on'LBL'"