Writing Reports with Tables

[davidson]

Sorry Everyone,
I see be asking questions on every step of my journey. Firstly does anyone know if there is a user guide on writing reports in Sparx?
i have searched around and cannot find anything.

The problem I am about to describe has been suggested "you can do it" in the Web site, but doesn't give any examples how to do it.

I have a very simple request.

I have created a custom SQL query that returns 3 columns in the following foramat :

Diagram name         Element name   Dependancy Name

Diagram 1                   Element 1             Depend1
Diagram 1                   Element 1             Depend 2
Diagram 1                   Element 1             Depend 3
Diagram 2                   Element 2             Depend 5

and so on.

All I want to do is turn the above into

Diagram 1                   Element 1             Depend1
                                                                Depend 2
                                                                Depend 3
Diagram 2                   Element 2             Depend 5

With some form of alternative colour for rows for each new diagram name change, and a Header.

I thought the merge row might do this, but unclear how it works.
I have 1 row set up for the table with these fields. I have tried "merge row for the first and second" but nothing happended.
I tried creating another row and merge the two, but that just duplicated.

I am totally unclear as tow how this is supposed to work.
Also how do I get alternative colours rows?

[RoyC]

Well, you could start here:

http://sparxsystems.com/enterprise_architect_user_guide/12.1/report_generation/rtfdocuments.html

Or are you after a guide to SQL?

[Geert Bellekens]

Some of the things you are asking seem simple, but are (almost) impossible AFAIK.
Alternating colors is one of these things.
There might be a simple Word Macro that might solve that for you.

As for your table, you'll have to make sure that your query returns two rows instead of  4
One for the combination of Diagram1/Element1, and one for the combination of Diagram2/Element2

Then in the dependency name make sure to add add dependencies, concatenating them with newlines if needed.

Geert

[davidson]

This is so frustrating - trying to do something, find a complexed , second rate workaround.

Now something as mundane as trying to remove numbers from a Heading for an appendix is turning into all day challange.

I give up, I'm going back to cutting and pasting the whole freaking thing, certainly more time-saving

[Geert Bellekens]

I feel your pain; been there, done that, got the T-shirt

Regarding the numbers and headings, the Stylesheet is your savior.  Editing styles in the style sheet is somewhat of a dark art, but you only have to do that one time. Once you have the styles in the stylesheet you need, you can apply them anywhere in the documents.

Changing a certain style then only needs to be done in one place.

It might save you a bit of frustration (or even money seeing the time you already spent on the project) to hire a consultant to do the initial setup properly.
Once you are there modifying existing well working templates is a lot easier than starting from scratch.

There's a list of registered consultants (Sparx calls us "Value Added Resellers") on the Sparx website: http://www.sparxsystems.com/partners/vars.html I'm sure you'll find one that is close to where you work that can come in for a day to kickstart your docgen template project.

It's worth it in the long run...

Geert

[davidson]

Thanks Geert.

I shall look them up!