The Properties dialog allows you to specify how the field is formatted in the report. You can display this dialog for the field highlighted in the Selected list in Step 2 of the Label Wizard by clicking the Properties button, double-clicking the field, or selecting the field and pressing Enter.

The options in the Format page of this dialog are:

  • Display this field in the report: if this option is turned off (it's on by default), the field will be retrieved from the database but not displayed in the report. This is useful when you want to sort on the field or include it in the query so you can link on it, but not print it.

  • Alignment: text alignment options for field headings and field contents. By default, numeric fields are right-aligned and all others are left-aligned.

  • Width: this is used as the width for the field in the report. Normally, Reporting4Act! will automatically size the field appropriately.

  • Use default format: if this option is turned on, which it is by default, Reporting4Act! uses the defined format for the field. If the format for the field changes in the future, the report uses the new format automatically. If you wish to change any of the formatting options, turn this setting off. This option is only available for numeric and date/time fields.

  • Show 1000s separator: if this option is turned on, the data in the field is formatted with the thousands separator defined in the Regional Settings applet of the Windows Control Panel. This option is only available for numeric fields.

  • Display zero as blank: if this option is turned on, a blank is displayed rather than a zero value. This option is only available for numeric fields.

  • Display $ (the appropriate currency symbol for your system is displayed in place of "$"): turning this option on displays the currency symbol defined in the Regional Settings applet of the Windows Control Panel in front of the field's value. This option is only available for numeric fields.

  • Enclose negative values in parentheses: turn this option on to display negative numbers in parentheses rather than with a minus sign; for example, (123.45) instead of -123.45. This option is only available for numeric values.

  • Display empty date as blank: if this option is turned on, a blank is displayed rather than " / / " for blank dates. This option is only available for date/time fields.

  • Display date only: turning this option on displays only the date portion of the field's value. This option is only available for date/time fields.

  • Decimal places: the number of decimals to display for numeric fields.

  • Make this field taller if the contents take more than one line: normally, the Label Wizard only allows one line of text per field so fixed label heights are respected. Turn this option on if you want a field that takes more than one line (for example, a formula that combines Address Line 1 and Address Line 2 into a single, two-line field) to appear on more than one line. (This option only appears for fields containing text.)

The options in the Style page of this dialog are:

  • Use default font: if this option is turned on, which it is by default, this field uses the default font for the report, even if the default font is changed after the field is added to the report. To change the font, turn this option off.

  • Font: the font name, size, and style to use for this field. To change any of these, click the font selection button (which appears as "...") and select the desired font name, size, and style from the Font dialog that appears. Note that if you select a font script other than Western, the script name (such as "Greek") appears after the font name, size, and style.

  • Use dynamic expression for font style: if you want the font name, size, or style of the field to change depending on the contents of this or some other field, turn this setting on and click the button with the ellipsis ("..."). The following dialog appears:

    In this dialog, enter the expression you wish to look for (you can click the Expression Builder button to launch the Expression Builder, which makes it easier to enter the expression) and the font style to use when that expression is true. You can use "{VALUE}" as a placeholder for the value of the current field being output rather than specifying the field name. You can enter up to three expressions to change the font style. If none of the expressions is true, the font style specified for the field is used.

    Using this option significantly increases report generation time, so use it only when required.

    The expression is evaluated against the result set, which means that you may have to account for formatted values. For example, formatting a date field to display as Month/Year causes that field to contain values such as "January 2021," which is a string rather than a date, in the result set. That means an expression like "YEAR({VALUE})" is invalid because the YEAR() function requires a date parameter.

    If your dynamic expression is invalid, you won't get an error; it'll simply be ignored.

  • Use default color: if this option is turned on, which it is by default, this field uses the default color specified in the template for the report, even if the default color is changed after the field is added to the report. To change the color, turn this option off.

  • Fore color: the foreground, or text, color for the contents of the field. The default color is the color used in the template for the report; to change it, click this button and select the color from the Color dialog that appears. The sample text show what the field looks like in the report.

  • Back color: the background color for the field. The default color is the color used in the template for the report; to change it, click this button and select the color from the Color dialog that appears. The sample text show what the field looks like in the report.

  • Use dynamic expression for color: if you want the color of the field to change depending on the contents of this or some other field, turn this setting on and click the button with the ellipsis. The following dialog appears:

    In this dialog, enter the expression you wish to look for (you can click the Expression Builder button to launch the Expression Builder, which makes it easier to enter the expression) and the foreground (text) and background colors to use when that expression is true. For example, in the image above, when UnitsInStock is less than ReorderLevel (in other words, we need to reorder this product), the field appears in white text on a red background. You can use "{VALUE}" as a placeholder for the value of the current field being output rather than specifying the field name. You can enter up to three expressions to change the color. If none of the expressions is true, the color specified for the field is used.

    Using this option significantly increases report generation time, so use it only when required.

    The expression is evaluated against the result set, which means that you may have to account for formatted values. For example, formatting a date field to display as Month/Year causes that field to contain values such as "January 2021," which is a string rather than a date, in the result set. That means an expression like "YEAR({VALUE})" is invalid because the YEAR() function requires a date parameter.

    If your dynamic expression is invalid, you won't get an error; it'll simply be ignored.

The Comments page shows any comments about the field, which is often used to provide a description of the field's contents.

Turn on Display the field as a barcode on the Barcode page (this option is only available for character or numeric fields) to display a barcode for the field. There are many options available to control the way the barcode appears.

  • Barcode type: choose the desired barcode type from the available types in the list. The type you choose determines which other options are available.

  • Calculate check digit: turn this option on to calculate the check digit. It's only available for Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Standard 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Code 11 barcodes.

  • Use the "Ai" in the EAN/UCC/GS1 128: turn this option on to use GS1/UCC/EAN-128 Application Identifiers. It's only available for EAN/UCC/GS1-128 barcodes.

  • Code 128 character set: this option determines the set used for Code 128 barcodes: "A," "B," "C," or AUTO.

  • ITF-14 bearer: this option specifies the supporting frame type used for ITF-14 barcodes: None, Rectangle, or Top & Bottom.

  • Height and Width: the dimensions of the barcode in pixels.

  • Margin: the margin around the barcode in pixels.

  • Magnification: the magnification factor of the bar code: 1 to 9.

  • Ratio: this option specifies the relationship between narrow and wide bars. It's only available for Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Standard 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, ITF-14, MSI/Plessey, and Telepen barcodes.

  • Alignment: this option determines whether the barcode is aligned on the left, center, or right of the image.

  • Rotation: this option specifies the rotation of the barcode image.

  • Display text: turn this option on to display the human-readable text of the field in the barcode image.

  • Display check digit: turn this option on to display the check digit. It's only available for Code 39, Code 39 Extended, Code 93, Code 93 Extended, Standard 2 of 5, Interleaved 2 of 5, and Code 11 barcodes.

  • Display start and end characters: turn this option on to include the start and end characters as human-readable text. It's only available for Code 39, Code 39 Extended, and Codabar barcodes

  • Font: click this button to choose the font and size for the human-readable text.

  • Alignment: specifies how the human-readable text is aligned: left, center, or right.

  • Color: click this button to choose the color for the human-readable text.

© Keystroke.ca, 2023 • Updated: 05/19/21
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