Changing Group Order

[ggies07]

Hello,

This report I'm using is set up to print name tags for an event we have at our school. Usually I just print all the name from the report so we don't miss anyone. But this year we are doing RSVPs and I need to change the order of the group to only pull the names that have already RSVPed so I can print their name tags.

I was going to change the group sort order to 'specified order' and then created a new group of those who RSVPed. But it is not pulling all the names from the report, only to the letter H. Does the 'specified order' have a limited on names it can pull? I tried searching to see but didn't find anything, so I came here. Am I missing something?

Thanks!

 

[pmax9999]

What identifies a person as having RSVPed? Why not just amend the record selection formula to return only those people?

There should be no reason why, if done properly, the specified order sort would restrict the number of records retuned. Check the way you set up the group, and the "Others" tab in the Change Group Options to make sure nothing is being excluded.

Cheers
Pete

 

[ggies07]

Yeah, I'm kinda having to do this a bit sideways this year. The report is pulled from the students side in our database and therefore I can not adjust the data there or I would. So I'm having to take the report and use the 'specified order' to take those that have said they are coming to the event.

It would work this way, its just that the 'specified order' list is not pulling all the names in the report. Really weird......

 

[xxyyzz49]

Something I did to sort records in the detail section in a specified order was to create an index using a formula. Based on the value of the field I was wanting to sort the formula assigned a value in the order desired, an integer starting at 1, then set a sort on the formula. Could group on the formula too if desired.

For example say the data consisted of records with A, B, C or D and the required sort order was B, D, A then C. B would get an index of 1, D an index of 2, A an index of 3 and C and index of 4. Sort the indexes in ascending order and done.

 

[Charliy]

Or just create a formula something like:
If "A"
then 1
else
if "D"
then 2
else
if "C"
then 3
else
if "B"
then 4

and group on that formula

 

[xxyyzz49]

Real similar to what I had. Suggestion, might want to finish with an else should other values be added to the data later. One small detail suppress the field when you place it on the detail line for sorting.

My code:

if {USP_EARN_SUMM;1.SOURCE} = 'P'
then 1
else if {USP_EARN_SUMM;1.SOURCE} = 'R'
then 2
else if {USP_EARN_SUMM;1.SOURCE} = 'I'
then 3
else 4

 

[ggies07]

Interesting idea, although I don't think I follow....I'm really just using the 'specified order' to basically grab out of the list the important people, make my own group if you will, not to reorder the names in a specific way.

 

[ggies07]

This sucks if I can't figure this out because then I'm just going to have to create an excel file and then use it in Word to make name tags, when I already had a report to automatically create them.....

 

[Charliy]

No, you just need to create a formula like Pete and I have mentioned. You find something in your data that says "These guys are in group 1" and make that the first value. The criteria doesn't even need to come from just one field - you create a formula based on the criteria you need, the you can group or sort on it.

You could do something like:

if {table.paid} = 'Y'
then 1
else
if {table.response} = 'Attending'
then 2
else
if {table.response} = 'Maybe'
then 3
else 9

and make that formula your group.

I use this technique all the time to group counties into regions, or diagnosis codes into manageable groups.

 

[ggies07]

Ah, ok. I get what you mean now. Not sure I can find something with this data though. These are grandparent names taken from the Student's record and have the student's name and their guide. So I was really just going to look for names that have already RSVPed and put them in their own group, that way I don't have to recreate a name tag for them. There's nothing in the report that I could say is a certain yes or no or attending because we have not kept up with this kind of data in the database, it's just names pulled into the report. I wish we could attach files here so I could show you guys what I'm talking about. It would be a lot easier if the damn 'specified order' list would working correctly or if I could select in the database certain individuals, but those are not options.

 

[xxyyzz49]

This is just an idea that may or may not work. Create a database query of the students with the needed information and add an extra column to the query for RSVP, 'yes' or 'no' type data with all set to 'no' initially. Export that data with database facilities for a database like Access or create a new table in the database for the data, depending on what is available. Catch up the RSVP data in the new table and maintain it until ready to create name tags; implied update to report for new data source. Works for Excel too.