Object Prompt and Alias in Report Data Options

[sunnyphoenixier]

I am running into a situation that I would appreciate any help you may give. Here it is:

1. There is one object prompt containing 8 attributes.
2. When select one out of 8 attributes to run the report, user do not want the attribute column name to be displayed because their names are very long.
3. What I did was to go to Report Data option and set the Alias of the object Prompt to space ' '. So, you won't see the prompt on the report editor although it is still there since it appears to be ' '.
4. However, when users select one attribute to run the report, the attribute name is displayed on the report. Basically, the Alias for the object prompt has no effect on objects it contains.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Phoenixier

 

[dmcmunn]

Seems like a strange requirement to me. Why not just rename the existing attributes ?

This solution is a hack, but you could duplicate your 8 attributes and make their names something more displayable.

Or if more obfuscation is required, use names like "ATTR1", "ATTR2", "ATTR3".

Best,
dmcmunn

 

[entaroadun]

I've had to do this before. You have an attribute that you need to be called A in some reports and B in others.

Let A refer to the attribute with the long name. Let B refer to an attribute with the abbreviated name. Just build another attribute B one-to-one parent of the attribute A.

Use B in your object prompt. The B name will be in the prompt and it will be in the report template after the user answers the prompt.

However, if you need the prompt to contain attribute name A, yet display attribute name B in the template... I don't know how to go about doing that without custom code.

 

[sunnyphoenixier]

Thanks you both for the quick response!

It is a strange request, Dmcmunn. And you got it right, Entraroadun. A needs to appear in the prompt while B needs to appear on the report. Basically, users want to be prompted with 8 long name attributes, but select only one. After that, they want to see only the values of that attribute, but not the name any more.

I did actually achieved this by changing the Backgroud color of the Prompt to be the same as the font color. However, the long name still takes lots of space so the reprot doesn't look "balanced".

Please let me know if you have any other thoughts.

Thanks,

Phoenixier

 

[entaroadun]

Are you displaying in Desktop or Web?

 

[sunnyphoenixier]

On the web.

 

[entaroadun]

You can point the report to a specific XSL, and modify that XSL to not display the attribute name for that specific attribute.

Someone else on the forum can help you with that. I need a refresher.

 

[sunnyphoenixier]

That's a very good suggestion. Thanks, Entaroadun!

Phoenixier

 

[FLB]

Actually, if you are using 7.5 or 8.0, you will want to use a transform instead of an XSL.
Also please note (I just ran into it....) that when the user export the report in PDF/Excel, they will see the "default" report details..... :-( Please help me get my enhancement request go higher on the list! 8-D

Thanks,
FLB