Capturning Field Values

[TEM3]

Using CR 8.5/Oracle Tables:

I have records grouped by transaction dates. I wish to display the item numbers of those records horizonally. In other words, instead of:
1
2
5
8
9

I want to display the field {item number} in each group as:

1,2,5,8,9

Can I read the contents of the item number field of each appropriate record into a formula somehow and cancatenate them to print horizontally as above? If so, some example code would be great.

If there is an easier/better way, please let me know.

 

[synapsevampire]

Assuming that they're numeric, we'll use the 3 formula method:

Group Header Formula:
whileprintingrecords;
stringvar MyValues:=""

Details Formula:
whileprintingrecords;
stringvar MyValues:=MyValues&totext({table.field},0,"")&",";

Group Footer Formula:
whileprintingrecords;
stringvar MyValues;
Left(MyValues,len(MyValues)-1)

-k

 

[TEM3]

Actually, they are not numeric, but that should not be a problem. I will adjust your formula accordingly and try it. Thanks once again.....

 

[TEM3]

Using the following set of formulas and playing around as to which Group header/footer they would reside in, it worked perfectly!

//Group Header Formula

whileprintingrecords;
shared stringvar MyValues := "Items # "

//Details Formula

whileprintingrecords;
shared stringvar MyValues := MyValues & (trim({LABITEM.Lab Item Number}) & ", ");

//Group Footer Formula

whileprintingrecords;
shared stringvar MyValues;
Left(MyValues,len(MyValues)-2)

Now, a formatting question.....

Since the list of items (MyValues) can get pretty long and span three lines or more, is there a way to set the text box in the Group Footer to "grow", like you can in a details section text box? I hate to have a one line "MyValues" take up the same report space as a four line "MyValues"!

 

[synapsevampire]

Why aare you using a text box since this is a formula?

Just place the formula in the group footer and select Can Grow under the options.

-k

 

[TEM3]

OK, must have missed it. Since it is text, it is acting as a text box.......

 

[synapsevampire]

You would have saved yourself a good deal of time by just being specific in the beginning, such as stating the data types.

A common occurence with posts is to try to describe with text instead of posting technical information, think of posting as creating a mini-spec, you would have gotten the proper formulas the first go around.

Glad it worked out.

-k

 

[TEM3]

Yes, and I found the "Can Grow" check box I did not find before. Again, thank you!

New problem though.....

Apparently there are a few worst-case Cases that have so many items, I get the "A string can be at most 254 characters long" error message.

Time to learn some Crystal Reports error trapping.....

Any additional suggestions??

 

[TEM3]

I guess I could do something like:

//Details Formula
shared stringvar MyValues;
shared stringvar MyValues2;

whileprintingrecords;

if len(MyValues) < 240 then
MyValues := MyValues & (trim({LABITEM.Lab Item Number}) & ", ")
else
MyValues2 := MyValues2 & (trim({LABITEM.Lab Item Number}) & ", ");

I would initialize and display both MyValues and MyValues2.....

 

[CoffeeManOhYesIAm]

hmmm, TEM3, maybe you could use a Cross-Tab thingy to arrange your records with your item numbers horizontally?