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The sphere report form provides additional means of filtering the selected sphere table beside those available to the other forms and shows the currently selected set of sphere items which will be included in a standard report. As well as the sequence and level filters, you can also select for a subset of the table based on selection criteria which operate on the attribute fields.

Filtering

Select a sequence-based subset by highlighting the sequence filter and entering the desired characters. (See the notes on filtering in Common Features and Facilities.) Then press enter.

Select a level by highlighting the level filter and entering the desired level number or expression (See the notes on filtering.) To display all levels delete the level filter entry. Then press enter .

Select attribute filters by highlighting the desired attribute field and entering either a precise match or an expression to define your requirements. Quotes are not used for either type. You must ensure that the format of your entry is appropriate. In the example, an expression is shown to include only entries made before (less than) a fixed date and you will see that the comparison entry is a correctly formatted date. When you have set the attribute filters, click the Ext Flt Set button. While attribute filters are in operation, this button will change its label to "Ext Flt Reset" and clicking it once more will clear all the filter fields and make them inoperative; the button label will revert to its original value.

The no of rows field is reset each time that a filtering operation is performed.You can use this to determine the approximate length of a printed report and to limit the filtering further if so desired.

Sort Order

The screen table contents can be displayed in order of their sequence codes, the default, or in alphabetic order of their names. A selected report will be prepared in the same order as the table. To switch between the two available orders, click the Sort button.

Printing

To choose a report, click the Print button. If you intend to request the Related Items report, you should first choose the Related Sphere you want shown from the radio buttons set. A dialogue box will be displayed offering a choice of report and with facilities for adding a customised sub-heading for the chosen report. Click the appropriate radio button in the box to print the report. The available reports are:

When you choose a report rather than a screen print, you may add a sub heading to the report by typing it into the report sub heading field of the report choice dialogue box. This will then appear on the title page of the printed report. Available related spheres are shown in black type while those for which no relations table exists are disabled.

See the sample reports pointed to above. You may find the simple screen report valuable as a means of capturing the precise format you used in specifying a reporting set.