5.3 Optional Fields and Crystal 10 1

[colpoys]

I have created several optional fields in the ICITEMO table (e.g. MSDS Required, Quality Standard Number, etc) and want to use them in a Crystal 10 report. For each optional field I am adding an Alias for the ICITEMO table. I make a link from ICITEM to ICITEMO using the ITEMNO. Then I use the record selection formula to choose records that have the right OPTFIELD, then use the VALUE in the report.

I am being asked to add a lot more optional fields to the database. The reporting will become very cumbersome. Is there a way to preselect the records for the Alias?

Also, I think ICITEMO is indexed on ITEMNO and OPTFIELD. Is there a way to create a combined key that will take me directly to the record I want? I believe this would increase the speed of processing.

Is there any easier way to approach this?

Thanks for your thoughts
Tony

 

[jayconverse]

That's just the way it is with optional fields. FWIW, if you don't need those optional fields in a selection criteria, subreports may be simpler than multiple aliases.

And you can't do anything with the keys.

Jay Converse
IT Director
Systemlink, Inc.

 

[colpoys]

Thanks, Jay. I think I understand. Except for the bit about subreports.
Are you saying that I should create a subreport to get the Optional Value? I would create a subreport that would have only one table in it. Then accept the key value as a parameter, select the record using record selection, and then either print or set a global variable with what it found?

Thanks,
Tony

 

[jayconverse]

Yep, that's it. One subreport, one table, one value. Link with ICITEM.ITEMNO, then manually add the OPTFIELD value you want in the subreport's selection criteria.

Jay Converse
IT Director
Systemlink, Inc.

 

[colpoys]

Thanks. That saves me a lot of barking up wrong trees.
Tony

 

[DjangMan]

Another option would be to use one subreport and one Shared variable per optional field. Then updating reports to add more otpional fields will be a little more efficient for you.

Good luck,

Django