Formatting of a report plays very important role in information presentation. In Intellicus, you can apply different kind of formatting effects on entire cross-tab or each component of the cross-tab. Formatting generally includes:
- Alignment
- Text Format
- Cell Dimension
- Color preferences
Figure 13: Format tab of cross-tab properties dialog box
These options are set on Format tab of Crosstab Properties dialog box. Some of the options are applicable to all type of fields. Some of the options are available to fields of date types and that of numeric type.
Alignment and formats
General Options
Alignment
This is a drop down box, having three options:
Figure 14: Drop Down Box
- Left: Values are left aligned in the cell. This alignment is generally used when character and date type fields are placed in the cell.
- Right: Values are right aligned in the cell. This alignment is generally used when number type fields are placed in the cell.
- Center: Values are placed in the center of the cell.
To apply an alignment,
Figure 15: Setting Alignment
Back Color
BackColor sets the color to be used for background of selected cell.
Figure 16: Setting the background color
Fore Color
Figure 17: Setting font color (fore color)
Font
Figure 18: Setting font properties
Width and Height
Cross-tab are given default row height and column widths. However, it can be set to a specific value also.
Figure 19: Column width and row height
Actual width and height of a cell depends on width and height of respective header rows.
Tip: Set height of innermost row header. Set width of summary fields. Set height of row totals (summary) separately.
Display Field
Note: Presently, the Display Field feature is operational only for unbound cross-tabs.
This is a dropdown list. It lists all the fields that are available to be used in cross-tab. If you want to create a cross-tab based on a field (in row header or column header) and display another field (may be for better readability and understanding), you can use this option.
Figure 20: Setting display field
Based on what you want to display in the row header / column header, you may have to use any of the available database field or create a calculated field (formula field) and use it.
Visible check box
Check (select) this checkbox if you want this cell to appear on the cross-tab.
Sometimes it happens that you want to have one field as summary field, but another one on row / column summary. In that case, another field can be placed on summary field, with Visible checkbox as clear.
Figure 21: Visible check box
Tip: To achieve the above functionality, place two fields as summary fields, hide the one that you want to use for row summary. And on Row summary, hide the one that you used for field summary.
For fields of number type
Number Format
When a number type field is used as column header or row header you may like to see the field in the right format such as pre-set number of decimal places.
Figure 22: Setting number format
Options on Data Format dialog box (for Number type fields) are:
Decimal Places
Using the spin buttons set the number of digits you want on the right side of decimal places.
Use 1000 Separator
Check (select) this check box to have 1000 separator comma in the number.
Negative Numbers
Select the right option to show negative numbers.
For fields of date type
Date Format
When a date type field is used as column header or row header you may like to see the field in the right manner.
Figure 23: Setting date format
A number of date formats are available on Data Format dialog box, including formats that will display only month, day, year or their combination.
Title for cross-tab
You can place title in the top left cell of the cross-tab. Titles can be setup for row header, column header and cross-tab itself.
Formatting of background and cell Borders
Formatting of cross-tab background and borders is setup from Settings tab of Cross-tab properties dialog box.
Making use of ready-to-use schemes
Intellicus Studio has a number of pre designed ready-to-use schemes. To apply a scheme, select it from Scheme dropdown box. Scheme includes cell background and fore colors also.
Background color
When a cross-tab control is placed on a report, its height and width is set. Background color will appear when there is no enough data to cover entire space (on the right side or lower side) reserved for cross-tab.
Figure 24: Cross-tab background color
Border
Border is line that appears between cells. You can set following attributes for border.
Border check box
Check (select) this check box to make the borders visible.
Color
This is to set color of the border. The method to set color is same as that for background color.
Style
This defines appearance of the border.
Figure 25: Border and style for cross-tab
Select the option that you want from Style dropdown box.
Width
This defines width of the border. Specify a number that is more than zero.
Examples
Use of light formatting
Following is the example from previous chapter having simple formatting effects:
Figure 26: Effects of Light Formatting
The effects given are:
- Row and column headers are set as Bold.
- Back colors applied to all the cells in logical manner. Similar color for row and column of totals, one color for all the summary cells and similar color for row and column headers.
- Alignment of BranchCode to center.