833.txt
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     Use a Report to Create a Fixed Field ASCII File
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     PRODUCT:  R:BASE                    VERSION:  5.5 for Windows
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     CATALOG:  Forms, Reports & Labels   AREA   :  Reports
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     In R:BASE 5.5 for DOS, you use Import/Export (Gateway) to export an
     ASCII fixed field file. In R:BASE 5.5 for Windows, that option is
     not available in the Import/Export utility. However, the reports
     feature in R:BASE 5.5 for Windows includes the ability to make a
     report that is as wide as a row of data. You can make a report that
     is wider than the standard 14 inches, in fact, you can go as wide as
     99 inches.
 
     The following steps describe how to make a report in R:BASE 5.5 for
     Windows that creates a fixed field ASCII file.
 
     1. Create a quick column-wise report on the table or view you want to
     export from. If a view, the view must have column aliases assigned.
 
     2. Delete the page header section (PH) and the column headings
     included in the section.
 
     3. Modify report settings. Change the Lines per page option to -1.
     Margins are set to 0.00 for the left margin and 99 for the right
     margin. Also, check the option "Remove Initial Carriage Return".
 
     4. Resize the column objects as necessary. For example, a 40
     character TEXT field requires approximately three inches of width.
     This step involves some trial and error. Most non-TEXT fields will
     print all the data using the default width.
 
     Note: Do not specify field justification through object Properties;
     the properties are ignored when printing a report to a file. If you
     need to justify fields, use the Picture Format option to specify
     justification (right or left).
 
     5. Place the objects right next to each other on a single horizontal
     line.
 
     When the objects are placed right next to each other, it can be
     difficult to see where one object ends and the next object begins.
     Define a different background color for each object. The color
     setting is ignored when the report is printed to a file, but helps
     when laying out the report in the Report Designer.
 
     6. Make sure all the objects are in alignment and are at the top of
     the report.
 
       Select an object. Move the object up until the top edge of the
       object is at the top of the report.
       Choose Layout: Select All. All of the objects are
       selected.
       Choose Format: Top Align. All the objects are aligned
       across the top edge of the report.
       Click outside the multi-select border to clear the
       selected objects.
 
     7. Move the bottom line of the detail section right up to the bottom
     edge of the located objects. You can move the line up beyond the
     bottom edge of the objects, and R:BASE will automatically drop it
     back to the bottom edge of the objects. There should be no space
     between the line and the objects.
 
     8. In the "R:BASE R> Prompt" window, before printing the report, set
     the number of display lines to 0 so there are no form feeds included
     in the file. Print the report using these commands:
 
     SET LINES 0
     OUTPUT report.dat
     PRINT reportname
     OUTPUT SCREEN
     SET LINES 20
 
     The data is printed with approximately 19 characters per inch, i.e.
     an object placed one inch wide translates to 19 characters in the
     ASCII file. View the output file in a character-based editor, such
     as DOS EDIT, to determine the actual starting and ending column
     locations for the data.