Global Changes?

[stewm]

Hello, I'm not sure how to do this. Let say I create a number of reports with for example that use a blue font and white background that would be used over a period of 2 weeks.

After 2 weeks the users say for example I want all the reports to have a green font and black background.

Is there a way to create reports from the beginning and then in the future changing parameters in only one spot or a template or something and have it ripple through all reports.

Let's say a company color scheme changes the look and feel of the corporate look. Instead of change the colors, fonts, bmps, in all 400 reports just do it in one place and it would have a ripple effect through all 400 reports.

If this can be done where do you start in the beginning stages of report building to make it work like that?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[griffindm]

Mark,

For bitmaps, use the 'link' feature rather than embedding the actual graphic in the report. This is important for two reasons. It reduces the size of the report file, and allows you to change the bitmap in the pointer location and have the change ripple through the reports when they are next run.

As for colors, if I knew in advance I would have this requirement, I would create a custom syle (perhaps named corporate), and use it for applying special colors and/or fonts. Then if you needed to make a change, change the definition in the Impromptu.ini. The drawback to this is that unless you take special steps, each user uses a separate copy of this ini installed locally on their computer. Thus you would have to run a process to update those files.

Hope this helps,

Dave Griffin


The Decision Support Group
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