Re: Next assignment - Reports

["Aaron Bartell" <aaronbartell@xxxxxxxxx>]

Well stated Pete.   I agree that in the end we are simply looking for a well
defined interface for an RPG programmer to make use of.

Did you already announce your tool on another list?  I am not on all the
different lists anymore - takes too much time reading all the posts :-)

Aaron Bartell
http://mowyourlawn.com

On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 4:39 PM, Pete Helgren <Pete@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Some of this conversation has me scratching my head a bit because I am
> now not sure what the issue is.  The original focus was on a report tool
> that would deliver HTML and PDF's to end users.  And, given the nature
> of this list, an RPG solution would be the most palatable.  So let's say
> that you have two solutions in front of you.  One that is written top to
> bottom in ILE RPG.  No wrappers around API's just pure RPG code.  Your
> second solution would be a "classic" use of ILE: An RPG wrapper around a
> Java solution (or C, or Cobol, or whatever).  In both cases the
> design/layout of the report is done by a "designer".  You just provide a
> prompt screen to capture parameters and then submit the job.  The output
> arrives in the IFS (or whatever delivery method you choose).
>
> Your RPG programmers just have to know this: (Complete code here:
> http://code.midrange.com/8c39fc95d0.html )
>
> Report Name: The path and name of report template file
> ReportOutput: The path and name of generated report file
> Parameters: A list of key/value pairs that pass in the report parameters
> Output Format: A String value that denotes the file format: PDF, HTML,
> XLS, RTF, TXT, CSV, ODT
>
> Then call it: (This is one of the API's in the RPG Report Generator Open
> Source project I am working on)
>
>     success = rre_iPrintCompiledReport(
>                              lReportName :lReportOut
>                              :lReParam
>                              :lOutFormat );
>
>  From my perspective the RPG programmers using the API don't have to
> know how it works internally, they just need to know how to call it and
> how to recover from errors.  The only clue to the underlying language
> here is that the data types in the procedure interface are jString,
> jMaps but otherwise your programmers don't have to know anything.  That
> is why I am rather surprised at the discussion about the underlying
> language/technology used.  If the API is well documented, it doesn't
> make any difference what generates the output.
>
> Am I missing something here?  Outside of performance issues, is there
> any reason a solution needs to have any more RPG in it than just the API
> interface?
>
> Pete
>
> Aaron Bartell wrote:
> > > Just curious, but what would be the reason to convert HTML to PDF?
> >
> > The one big benefit to PDF's are that they have ALL their resources
> > inclusive to the file, whereas HTML cannot embed images.
> >
> >
> > > Since you're more adept than I am at Java, how about you considering a
> port
> > >
> > to IBM i?
> >
> > I was hoping you were going to ask that :-)  Now I just have to find the
> > time to do it.  I will be out of town till Tuesday but maybe the wife
> will
> > let me work a little on our trip :-)
> >
> > Aaron Bartell
> > http://mowyourlawn.com
> >
> > On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 12:28 PM, Nathan Andelin <nandelin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> > > Brad,
> > >
> > > I appreciate you post; including the humor ;-)
> > >
> > > I'm a big fan of HTML for page layout, and agree that HTML works for
> > > reports, too.  I've written complex HTML layouts with absolute
> > > positioning that look good on the screen as well as paper.  But some
> > > users prefer PDF to prevent content modifications, and PDF printing
> > > works so well;  no need to instruct users how to set
> > > header-footer-margin options in the File-Print dialog, for example.
> > >
> > > Nathan.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Sent using goWebtop from Laszlo Systems.
> > > Try it yourself : http://www.gowebtop.com
> > >
> > >
> > > On Wed, Apr 23, 2008 at 10:57 AM, Bradley V. Stone wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > > > Nathan,
> > > >
> > > > Just curious, but what would be the reason to convert HTML to PDF?
> > > > You can
> > > > print both.  Yes, PDF is popular, but HTML can be used to view online
> > > > and if
> > > > done right, will print nice as well.
> > > >
> > > > I've been telling customers for years that creating reports in HTML
> > > > instead
> > > > of spooled files isn't a bad idea.  But spooled files still do have
> > > > their
> > > > place.  That's what CGIDEV2 and my eRPG SDK and others are all
> > > > about...
> > > > creating dynamic reports, going paperless, etc.
> > > >
> > > > How many times do users run a report, print it out, just to view a
> > > > small
> > > > piece?  when it's online you can save paper.  :)
> > > >
> > > > The biggest issue with this is rewriting apps to do HTML instead of
> > > > spooled
> > > > files.
> > > >
> > > > Now, converting HTML to a spooled file may be the way to go.  :)  then
> > > > write
> > > > all your reports in HTML, then when you want to print it convert the
> > > > HTML to
> > > > a spooled file.
> > > >
> > > > Just thinking out loud.. lol.
> > > >
> > > > Bradley V. Stone
> > > > BVSTools - www.bvstools.com
> > > > eRPG SDK - www.erpgsdk.com
> > > --
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