Grouping and group breaks

Define a group

1. Select Report > Group Management from the menu bar.
2. Click Add.
3. Specify a group name in the Name field.
4. Specify the value that controls grouping (also called a group expression) in the Group on field. At run time, ColdFusion triggers a group break when the result of this value changes. These values are often query field names. However, this value can also be a calculated field or other type of expression. Sample group expressions include the following:

• Query field Creates a group break when the associated column in the result set contains a different value. The field that you specify must be one of the sort criteria for the result set; for example, query.country.
• Calculated field Creates a group break when a calculated field returns a different value. For example, if the expression calc.FirstLetter returns the first letter of a query column, you can group a report in alphabetical order.
• Boolean expression Creates a group break when a Boolean expression returns a different value. For example, if your result set is sorted by the passpercentage column, you could use the Boolean expression query.passpercentage LT 50.

1. Specify group break options:

• *Start New Column* Forces a new column on a group break.
• Start New Page Forces a new page on a group break.
• Reset Page Number Resets the page number to 1 on a group break.

1. Specify band size and printing information:

• Min. height for group The minimum height that must remain on a page for ColdFusion to print the group band on that page.
• Reprint Header on Each Page Displays the group header on each page.

1. Click OK. The Report Builder adds the group to the report and creates header and footer bands for the group.
2. Click OK again.
3. Add headings, text, query fields, calculated fields, and other information to the group's header and footer.

Create group subtotals

1. Create a calculated field to contain the group subtotal. Create the calculated field that uses the following criteria:
   • Specify a numeric data type.
   • Select Sum in the Calculation field.
   • Specify the field to sum on in the Perform Calculation On field. For example, a report on employees by department could sum on query.emp_salary.
   • Specify to reset the field when the group changes.
2. Place the calculated field on the report. For more information on calculated fields, see the Report Builder online Help.

Defining, modifying, and using fields and input parameters

• Query field Maps to columns in the database result set associated with the report. You define one query field for each column in the associated database query.
• Calculated field Analyzes or sums multiple detail rows in a report. ColdFusion dynamically generates calculated field values at report-generation time, optionally recalculating the value with each new report, page, column, or group.
• Input parameter Specifies data fields that you pass to the report at run time through the cfreportparam tag or from a main report to a subreport. You can place input parameters directly on a report band or you can use them as input to a calculated field.

Define a query field

1. Choose Window > Fields and Parameters.
2. Click Query Fields.
3. Click the plus sign (+) at the upper edge of the tab.
4. Type a value for the name field. This value must match a column name in the corresponding cfquery statement and cannot contain a period.
5. Type a default label.
6. Specify the data type of the corresponding database column, as follows:

   Object	Time	Long
   Boolean	Double	Short
   Byte	Float	Big Decimal
   Date	Integer	String
   Time Stamp	BLOB	CLOB

7. Click OK.

Define a calculated field

1. Choose Window > Fields and Parameters.
2. Click Calculated Fields.
3. Click the plus sign (+) at the upper edge of the tab.
4. Specify a name, default label text, and data type. Data type options are the same as for query fields.
5. Specify calculation options:

• Calculation Specifies the type of calculation that ColdFusion performs. Valid values are: Average, Count, DistinctCount, First, Highest, Lowest, Nothing, Standard Deviation, Sum, System, and Variance. If you specify Nothing, you typically use the Perform Calculation On field to specify a dynamic expression. Except for Nothing (for which you use the Perform Calculation On field) and System (for which you write a customized scriptlet class), you use these calculations for group, page, and report totals.
• Perform Calculation On Specifies a field or expression. Click the ... button to display the Expression Builder.
• Initial Value Specifies an initial value for the calculated field.

1. Specify the following reset options, and click OK:

• Reset Field When Specifies when to reset the calculated field value. Valid values are: None, Report, Page, Column Group.
• Reset Group If Reset Field When is set to Group, use this field to specify the group whose group break triggers the reset. For additional information on calculated fields, see the Report Builder online Help.

Define an input parameter

1. Choose Window > Fields and Parameters.
2. In the Fields and Parameters panel, click Input Parameters.
3. Click the plus sign at the upper edge of the tab.
4. In the Add Input Parameter dialog box, enter a value for the name field. This value must match an input parameter, such as the name attribute of a cfreportparam tag included in the cfreport tag that uses the report definition.
5. Enter the default label text.
6. Specify a data type and default value, and click OK. Data type options are the same as for query fields. For more information on using input parameters, see Using input parameters to pass variables and other data at run time in this page and Using subreports in this page.

Place a query field, calculated field, or input parameter on a report band

1. In the Fields and Parameters panel, use the radio buttons to specify whether to place the label, the field, or both.
2. Drag the query field, calculated field, or input parameter from the Fields and Parameters tab to the appropriate report band.
3. Drag the query field, calculated field, or input parameter to the desired band.
4. (Optional) Use the Properties panel to customize the field display. For example, you could have a query field named query.emp_salary and a calculated field that sums query.emp_salary, resetting it with each group. Place query.emp_salary in the detail band, and the associated calculated field in the group footer band.

Using toolbox elements on report bands

Create a text box

1. Click the Label icon (abc) in the toolbox.
2. Define the area for the label by dragging on the desired band.
3. Enter the label text in the Edit Label Text dialog box. To add a line break, press Control+Enter.
4. Click OK, or press Enter.

Import image files

1. Click the Image icon in the toolbox.
2. Define the area for the image by dragging on the desired band.
3. In the Image File Name dialog box, navigate to the file that contains the image, select the file, and click OK.

Use a database BLOB column as an image source

1. Click the image icon in the toolbox (the icon has a tree on it).
2. Define the area for the image by dragging on the desired band.The Image File Name dialog box appears.

1. Click Cancel.The Expression Builder appears.
2. Click the Image Type pop-up menu and change File/URL to BLOB.
3. Select the query field or input parameter that contains the BLOB column.
   Note: The BLOB column must contain a binary image in GIF, JPEG, or PNG format.

1. Click OK.

Add rectangles, ellipses, and lines

1. Click the rectangle, ellipses, or line icon in the toolbox.
2. Define the area or line by dragging on the desired band.
3. Resize the selected element by dragging the handles that surround it.

Add dynamic fields

1. Click the Field icon in the toolbox.
2. Define the area for the dynamic field by dragging on the desired band.The Add Field dialog box appears (if you haven't defined any query fields, the Expression Builder appears).
3. Select the field to add. Selecting a query field, calculated field, or input parameter is the same as dragging from the Fields and Parameters tab.
4. (Optional) Select Manually Entered Expression.The Expression Builder appears. This option is useful for calculations that use variables in the same row. For example, to compute total price for an order detail line item, you could use the following expression:

   LSNumberFormat((query.unitprice * query.quantity), ",_.__")

5. Click OK.

Aligning elements

• Align left, center, and right
• Align top, horizontal, and bottom
• Same heights, widths, and both
• Space equally horizontally
• Space equally vertically You align, size, and space multiple report elements, as follows: Relative to the band they are in: You control relative alignment through the Align to Band icon, which is the bottom icon in the Align Palette. When it is enabled, the Align to Band icon has a rectangle surrounding it, and the Report Builder aligns and spaces one or more elements relative to the height and width of the band.  Relative to each other: When Align to Band is disabled, Report Builder aligns and spaces two or more elements relative to each other.

Use the Align Palette

1. Select two or more elements by pressing Control-click, Shift-click, or using lasso select.
2. Click the alignment icon, or select Modify > Alignment > alignment option from the menu bar.

Using report styles

Define a style

1. Choose Window > Report Styles.
2. Click the icon at the upper edge of the Report Styles tab.
3. Type a value for the Name field. Style names must be unique.
4. Add other style characteristics, and click OK.

Specify a style as the default

1. Edit a text style or create one.
2. Select the option with this label: This option is the default style if no other style is selected for an object.
3. Add or modify other text style characteristics, and click OK.

Apply a style to a report element

1. Select the element in the report band.
2. Choose Window > Properties Inspector.
3. Choose the style from the Style pop-up menu. For more information, see the Report Builder online Help.

Previewing reports

Preview a report that uses an internal query

1. (Optional) Define default server connection information using the Preferences dialog box, if you did not define these settings previously:
   • Default RDS server configuration (used for Query Builder and Chart Wizard only; not required for report preview).
   • Fully qualified path for the local web root directory; for example, C:_ColdFusion_\wwwroot or C:\Inetpub\wwwroot.
   • URL for the local web root, for example,  http://localhost:8500 or  http://localhost.
2. (Optional) Specify the output format in the Report Properties dialog box (the default format is FlashPaper).
3. (Optional) If a CFM page runs, specify the URL of the CFM page in the Report Properties dialog box.
4. Save your report.
5. Select File > Preview from the menu bar to display the report.
   Note: If the Report Builder displays the Edit Preview Report URL dialog box instead of displaying the Preview window, select Edit > Preferences from the menu bar and insure that the web root file and URL settings are correct on the Server Connection pane.

1. Close the preview window by pressing F12. If your report is designed to accept a query object from a cfreport tag, associate a URL with the report. If necessary, the Report Builder prompts for this URL when you preview the report. Otherwise, you can open the Report Properties dialog box, and specify the URL of the CFM page in the Report Preview URL field.

Preview with an associated CFM file

1. Select Report > Report Properties from the menu bar.
2. Specify the URL of the associated CFM page in the Report Preview URL field. This CFM page must contain a cfreport tag whose template attribute specifies the current CFR file and, if necessary, passes a query in the query attribute.
3. Save your report.
4. Press F12. Depending on the output format that you have chosen, the Preview Report window displays your report in PDF, FlashPaper, RTF, XML, HTML, or Excel format.

Displaying page numbers

Add a built-in calculated field

1. Click the Field tool in the toolbox.
2. Drag in the center of the header or footer band to define the size of the page number field.The Add Field dialog box appears, listing all fields defined for the report, including built-in calculated fields and input parameters.
3. Select calc.PAGE_NUMBER, and click OK.

Using layered controls

Place an element directly over another element

1. Place the elements on the band.
2. Choose Window > Properties to display the Properties panel.
3. Specify a PrintWhen expression, display properties, and placement properties for each element using the Properties panel, as follows:
4. Specify a PrintWhen expression for each element. For example, you could specify the following expression to display one element when shippeddate is later than requireddate (that is, late) and another element when shippeddate is earlier than requireddate:

• First element query.shippeddate LTE query.requireddate
• Second element query.shippeddate GT query.requireddate

1. Specify different display characteristics for each element. For example, if an order is late, display it in red text.
2. Set the Top, Left, Height, and Width properties to the same values for each element.

Use the Layered Controls menu

1. Right-click on the top element.
2. Select Layered Controls > elementname from the pop-up menu. The Report Builder identifies each layered element by displaying its PrintWhen expression.
3. Select the element and choose Window > Properties Inspector to view the element properties.

Using links

• An anchor or page within the same report
• An anchor or page within another report
• An HTML page, optionally specifying an anchor and URL parameters One use for links is to create drill-down reports, in which you click an item to display detailed information. For example, clicking an employee line item passes the employee ID as a parameter to a page that displays complete information for the employee. For complete usage information on creating anchors and hypertext links, see the Report Builder online Help.

Defining properties for report elements

• Sort alphabetically All properties for the currently selected element display in alphabetical order.
• Sort into groups The Properties panel displays related properties in the following predefined groups:
  • Advanced
  • Columns
  • Page Layout
  • Printing
  • Colors and Style
  • Data
  • Font
  • Font Style
  • Formatting
  • Hyperlinks
  • Layout
  • Print Control The Report Builder displays only groups that relate to the currently selected element.

Set or modify a property for an element in the workspace

1. Select the element.
2. (Optional) If the Properties panel is not already displayed, choose Window > Properties Inspector.The Report Builder displays its properties in the Properties panel.
3. Modify the property. Depending on the property, you enter a value, select a value from a pop-up menu, or open the Expression Builder to use an expression.
4. Press Enter.

Choose a different element

Displaying reports

Display a report by using the cfreport tag

1. Create a report, with or without an internal query.
2. Create a CFM page and add a cfreport tag that runs the report. If the report does not use an internal query, also populate a query and pass it using the query attribute. If the report uses an internal query and you use the query attribute, the passed query overrides the internal query.

   SELECT EmployeeID, LastName, FirstName, Title, City, Region, Country FROM Employees ORDER BY Country, City </cfquery> <CFREPORT format="PDF" template="EmpReport.cfr" query="#northwindemployees#"/>

1. Open a browser and display the CFM page.ColdFusion generates the report.

Display a CFR file in a browser

1. Create a report that uses an internal query and does not use input parameters.
2. Open a browser and display the CFR file.

Save a report to a file

1. Create a report, with or without an internal query.
2. Create a CFM page and add a cfreport tag that runs the report. Optionally pass a query attribute, as described in the previous procedure. Include a filename attribute that specifies the fully qualified name of the file being created, as the following example shows:

   filename="#GetDirectoryFromPath(GetTemplatePath())#/emppicture.pdf" overwrite="yes"/>

1. Open a browser and display the CFM page. ColdFusion generates the report, saves the file, and displays an empty page in the browser.

Disable browser display of the CFR file

1. Open the Report Properties dialog box by selecting Report > Report Properties from the menu bar.
2. Clear the Allow Direct .CFR Browser Invocation option, and click OK.

Using input parameters to pass variables and other data at run time

• Through the cfreportparam tag : Input parameters must correspond, by name, to cfreportparam tags embedded in the CFM page invocation. For example, if you define an input parameter named ReportTime, you pass a cfreportparam tag with a name attribute set to ReportTime, as the following example shows:

  <cfreportparam name="ReportTime" value="#DateFormat(Now())#, #TimeFormat(Now())#"> </cfreport>

• Subreport parameters: When a subreport requires information from a main report, you define subreport parameters in the main report and corresponding input parameters in the subreport. For more information, see Using subreports. For information on dynamically populating input parameters at run time, see Advanced query mode.

Using CFML in reports

• Advanced query mode
• Report functions
• Expressions

Advanced query mode

Using report functions

Report Builder built-in functions

1. Select Report > Report Functions from the menu bar.The Report Function Editor displays.
2. Click the Add Default Functions icon (the first on the left).The built-in functions are added to the left pane.
3. Select a function from the left pane.Commented code associated with the function appears in the right pane.
4. Modify the code and click OK.

Create a report function

1. Select Report > Report Functions from the menu bar.The Report Function Editor displays.
2. Click the plus sign to add a new report function.The Add Report Function dialog box displays.
3. Specify a name and click OK.
4. The Report Function Editor places a cfreturn tag in the text entry area.
5. Code the function, and click OK. The function is a ColdFusion user-defined function so all UDF rules and features are available for use. The following example shows a report function that concatenates address fields:

   <cfargument name="Name" required="yes"/> <cfargument name="Address1" required="yes"/> <cfargument name="Address2" required="yes"/> <cfargument name="City" required="yes"/> <cfargument name="State" required="yes"/> <cfargument name="Zip" required="yes"/> <cfset variables.CRLF = Chr(13) & Chr(10)> <cfset variables.ResultVar=""> <cfif Trim(arguments.Name) NEQ ""> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#arguments.Name#'> </cfif> <cfif Trim(arguments.Address1) NEQ ""> <cfif variables.ResultVar NEQ ""> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & variables.CRLF#'> </cfif> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & arguments.Address1#'> </cfif> <cfif Trim(arguments.Address2) NEQ ""> <cfif variables.ResultVar NEQ ""> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & variables.CRLF#'> </cfif> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & arguments.Address2#'> </cfif> <cfif variables.ResultVar NEQ ""> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & variables.CRLF#'> </cfif> <cfset variables.ResultVar='#variables.ResultVar & arguments.City & ", " & arguments.State & " " & arguments.Zip#'> <cfreturn variables.ResultVar>

Use a report function

1. Place a dynamic field on the appropriate report band.The Add Field dialog box displays.
2. Specify Manually Entered Expression, and click OK.The Expression Builder displays.
3. Specify "report.functionname", and click OK.

Using expressions

• Many of the report object attributes (such as PrintWhen) accept expressions, which you can associate with query parameters, input parameters, or ColdFusion page variables. You can tie report attributes and columns to display based on run-time data or user preference.
• Concatenating fields
• Formatting fields
• Calculated fields
• Accessing and displaying ColdFusion page variables and scopes For information on using the Expression Builder, see Report Builder online Help. For more information on expressions, see  Using Expressions and Number Signs.

Using charts

• Chart Types: Select the chart type (for example, bar) and subtype (for example, 3D-stacked).
• Chart Series: Select the data for the series. When you add a series, the Report Builder lets you hard-code series data or open the Query Builder to populate the series using a database query.
• Chart Formatting: Specifies title and series, general appearance, 3D appearance, lines and markers, and font.

Using subreports

• You prefer to avoid complex SQL, such as a RIGHT OUTER JOIN.
• Your report requires data from multiple databases.

Defining a subreport

• Data displayed in the detail band only. A subreport uses no header or footer bands.
• If the subreport is related to the main report, it must include an internal query that uses a SELECT statement with a WHERE clause specifying the name of the input parameter used in the main report's Subreport Expression property. If you have already defined a subreport, you add it to the main report and define subreport parameters, as necessary.

Add an existing subreport

1. Define or open your main report.
2. Click the Subreport icon in the toolbox.
3. Drag an area for the subreport in the desired report band.
4. Select From An Existing Report, specify the subreport, and click Next.
5. Select the fields in the main report that correspond to fields in the subreport and click Next.
6. Click Finish.The Report Builder adds the subreport to the main report, saving the report to subreport mappings as subreport parameters.
7. To modify subreport parameter settings, select the subreport and click Subreport Parameters in the Properties panel. If you are certain about the data required for a subreport, you can define a new subreport while adding it to the main report.

Add a new subreport

1. Define or open your main report.
2. Click the Subreport icon in the toolbox.
3. Drag an area for the subreport in the report band.
4. Select As A New Report and click Next.
5. Click Query Builder.
6. Select the tables and columns for the subreport.
7. Specify a WHERE clause for the report by using the Condition and Criteria columns for the key columns. Specify a WHERE for Condition and either ='#CFVariable#' (string column) or =#CFVariable# (numeric column) for Criteria, and then overtype CFVariable with the name of the input parameter for the subreport (you define the input parameter name later in the procedure.)
8. Click Save, and then click Next.
9. Specify grouping fields, if appropriate for your subreport, and click Next.
10. Specify Free Form or Grid, and click Next.
11. Specify Only Detail Band, and click Next.
12. Specify a color scheme, and click Next.
13. Specify headings, as appropriate, and click Next.
14. For each parameter required by the subreport, specify the following:
    • Parameter name.
    • Associated value from the main report (select from the pop-up menu).
    • Data type.
15. Click Next.
16. Specify a fully qualified filename for the subreport, and then click Next.
17. Click Finish.Report Builder adds the subreport to the main report. Report Builder lets you change subreport name and modify subreport parameters in a main report.

Modify subreport settings

1. Click the subreport element in the main report.
2. To change the subreport, modify Subreport Expression.
3. To modify subreport parameters:
   1. Click the Subreport Parameters property.
   2. Click the ... button.
   3. Add, modify, or delete subreport parameters, and click OK.