Summing group counts

[haneen97]

Hi,
I am trying to summ the group counts using the formula below. I am getting a syntax error on the forth line. Can anyone spot it? Also is this a valid approach?


numbervar Payor_Tot := 0;
stringvar Payor := {ctc_ins_dnl_rsn_lu.NAME};

if Payor = {ctc_ins_dnl_rsn_lu.NAME} then
Payor_Tot := Payor_Tot + 1;
else
Payor := {ctc_ins_dnl_rsn_lu.NAME};
Payor_Tot := 0;
Payor_Tot := Payor_Tot + 1;

Payor_Tot;

Thanks a lot.


Mo

 

[Madawc]

I suspect you have too many semi-colons, but I'm not sure. To answer your other question, there are indeed better methods.

There are several ways to find totals: running totals, summary totals, grand totals and variables. Right-click on a field and choose Insert to get a choice of Running Total, Summary and Grand Total. Or else use the Field Explorer, the icon that is a grid-like box.

It is also possible to get get totals using a Formula Field, which can contain a Variable or a Directly Calculated Total.

Running totals allow you to do clever things with grouping and formulas. They also accumulate for each line, hence the name. The disadvantage is that they are working out at the same time as the Crystal report formats the line. You cannot test for their values until after the details have been printed. You can show them in the group footer but not the group header, where they will be zero if you are resetting them for each group.

Summary totals are cruder, but are based directly on the data. This means that they can be shown in the header. They can also be used to sort groups, or to suppress them. Suppress a group if it has less than three members, say.

Grand totals are much like summary totals, but for the whole report rather than groups. Note that summary totals include an option to have a grand total calculated on the same basis.

Variables are user-defined fields. One useful variant are shared variables to pass data from a subreport back to the main report. You can also use variables to show page totals. For normal counting I find running totals or summary totals much easier.

Directly Calculated Totals within a Formula Field can be coded directly, with commands like Sum ({ADV01.Advance}, {ADV01.AccType}). The same result can be achieved by picking up an existing Variable, and will keep the code even if the Variable itself is later deleted. Formula fields can also include Running Totals and other Formula Fields, with some limits depending on when the values are calculated.

To get yourself familiar with the idea, try doing a test report with a summary total and a running total for the same field, placed on the detail line. You'll find that the running total increases as each line is printed, whereas the summary total has the final value all along.

Madawc Williams (East Anglia, UK)

 

[lbass]

There are several errors above. It would probably be more productive if you explained in more detail what you are trying to do and provided some sample data.

-LB

 

[haneen97]

The running totals, summary, and grand totals are good for currency fields. In this case I am counting the account numbers for each company, summing those counts in the first level, and creating a grand total for that sum. Because the sum is based on a group filed, I could not use the pre built BO funcitons.

Mo

 

[haneen97]

Please disregard. I deleted the summary fields and insterted new once with running totals and grand totals and it worked fine.

Thanks any ways.

Mo