DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (CA)

VISUAL BASIC (Semester-III)

II M.COM (CA) Sub Code-18MCC32C
UNIT – V
Tables and Reports-Data grid control, Flex grid control, Data Report - Data Report Designer.

Tables

There are many controls like combos, list box, grid control, which are used to design a form to
display the data from a database table. We can access and manipulate the data of tables by using
the data access objects, like DAO, ADO etc. The record set object represents a complete set of
records from an executed command or from an underlying base table in the database.

Information from a database table is fetched by the DAO and then supplied to various data aware
controls like Text Box, DBListBox, etc. Command objects can reference a table in a database, a
stored procedure, a database or a SQL statement to modify or retrieve records.

Data Grid Control

The Windows Forms DataGrid control displays data in a series of rows and columns. The
simplest case is when the grid is bound to a data source with a single table that contains no
relationships. In that case, the data appears in simple rows and columns, as in a spreadsheet. For
more information about binding data to other controls, see Data Binding and Windows Forms.

If the DataGrid is bound to data with multiple related tables, and if navigation is enabled on the
grid, the grid will display expanders in each row. With an expander, the user can move from a
parent table to a child table. Clicking a node displays the child table, and clicking a back button
displays the original parent table. In this manner, the grid displays the hierarchical relationships
between tables.

The DataGrid can provide a user interface for a dataset, navigation between related tables, and
rich formatting and editing capabilities.

The following picture shows a DataGrid bound to data with multiple tables:

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Flex Grid Control

FlexGrid control (MSFLXGRD.OCX) you can create utilities to display, filter, edit, validate and
update your data. For example, such utilities could include:
1. data entry & validation
2. high level reports
3. ported spreadsheet macro applications retaining cell layout & format
Included in VB4(32-bit), VB5 and VB6, are several grid-orientated controls aimed at managing
rows and columns of data, however one of the most versatile, hence its name, is the FlexGrid.
Most of the other grid objects are specifically designed for data binding, whereas the FlexGrid
has many collections of properties, methods and events that lend themselves to several
environments in addition to just data-binding.
One of the most powerful applications of the FlexGrid is in managing data from database tables
in an unbound state. That is, to populate & edit the FlexGrid and write the contents back to the
database in code. This may seem a pointless exercise as objects such Microsoft's Data Bound
Grid Control are written specifically for this purpose, except these grids simply display the

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contents of a recordset, record by record, field by field. Whereas the FlexGid can populate the
grid in any manner, examples of which are:
1. separating grouped data with blank rows/columns,
2. adding sub/grand-total rows/columns,
3. changing the colour of the cell background or text in individual or multiple cells,
4. reacting to the state of the data, e.g. highlighting negative values,
5. validating entered data e.g., numeric values, positive values, permitted date ranges etc.

These are just a few of the possibilities available with FlexGrids, we'll take a look at more later
on.

One important point is that in addition to the grid controls available as standard to Visual Basic,
many third party grid controls are available that boast impressive features such as embedded
combo boxes, picture boxes, custom data validation etc. Many of these are excellent controls,
however they all come at a price proportional to the size of their feature list.
That said, most of the functionality found in these third party grids can be accessed with
FlexGrids with a little extra code which we'll cover in this article and as well as saving money,
you'll gain knowledge of creating and customising your grid controls to suit your specific
application and you won't have to remember to distribute those third part runtime dll's that
custom controls often require.

Using the FlexGrid

To use the FlexGrid in your application, right click the Toolbox or select the Project menu and
choose 'Components'. The Components dialog box appears.

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Components Dialog Box
Select Microsoft FlexGrid Control and copy the control onto your form from the Toolbox. The
default FlexGrid will appear on the form.

Default FlexGrid Appearance

There are a few simple formatting tips to improve to appearance of the FlexGrid:

First of all, it's good practice to determine the initial number of grid rows and columns using the
Row and Col properties respectively. Then set the number of fixed rows and columns (those that
hold row and column headings - raised and in grey) with the FixedRow and FixedCol properties
respectively.
To ensure the columns are the correct width to fit inside to FlexGrid, first set a variable to the
width of the FlexGrid, allowing for a vertical Scrollbar width. Then use this variable to resize to
individual column widths, by dividing it by the number of columns.
The height of individual rows can be changed to accommodate multi-line headings. This is done
by simply multiplying the appropriate row height by a scaling factor, in this case two, to double
the height.
When increasing the size of a row height, to make sure text uses the extra available space, use
the WordWrap property the ensure text continues on the next cell line.
Regarding writing text to the grid there are two main methods. The first one is using the Additem
method, this writes text to an entire row in one action and is therefore useful for adding headings.
The vbTab constant is used to distinguish adjacent cells. The second method to populate grid
cells with text is to directly address individual cells and use the TextMatrix or Text property and
set the cell's text.

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Initialised FlexGrid Appearance

Data Report
It helps you design a report that displays fields and records from the underlying table or query.
A report is an effective way to present data in a printed format. You can display the information
the way you want to see it
You create the report using a graphical object called Data report designer controls. Data report
designer controls. Include: a data-bound Textbox control, a function control which displays
calculated figures, and Image control for inserting graphics, labels that display captions, and a
line and a shape control that graphically organizes the data.
Note: Although the data report designer controls are similar to Visual Basic intrinsic controls,
data report designer controls have a limited subset of features. When the Data report designer is
added to a project, the designer’s controls are placed in the Visual Basic toolbox on a new tab
named data report and can be used only in the Microsoft data report.
Creating reports is a main function of any good business application. A system might have useful
data, but without a coherent way to present it, the numbers are meaningless. So, Microsoft
provides a Data Report designer. Which is used to generate eye catching reports. It is used in
conjunction with a data source such as the data environment designer.
The Data Report generates reports using records from the database. To use it.
1. Configure a data source, such as the Microsoft data environment, to access a database.
2. set the Data member property of the data report object to a data member.
3. set the data member property of the Data Report.
4. Right click the designer and click retrieve structure,
5. Add appropriate controls to the appropriate sections.
6. Set the data member and Data field properties for each control.
7. At run time, use the show method to display the data report.

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Use the data report object to programmatically change the appearance and behavior of the data
report by changing the layout of each section object.
The data report designer also features the ability to export reports using the export report method.
This method allows you specify an export format object, from the export formats collection, to
use as a template \for the report.

Data Reporter designer

It consists of the following objects:

Data Report Object – Similar to a Visual Basic form, the Data Report object has a visual
designer. It is used to create the layout of a report.

Section object – The Data report designer contains sections which helps to configure the report
more elegantly. The sections of the Data report designer are explained in the next section.

Data report controls – special controls that only work on the data report designer are included
with it. These controls are found in the Visual Basic toolbox, but they are placed on a separate
tab named “Data Report’

Report Designer – User the report Designer to create and modify reports. When the report
designer window is active, the Visual Basic display report controls the toolbar.
Data report designer features – the data report designer has several features:
Drag and drop functionality for fields – When fields are dragged from the Microsoft data
environment designer to the data report designer, Visual Basic automatically creates a text box
control on the data report and sets the Data member and Data Field Properties of the dropped
field. A command object can also be dragged from the Data environment designer to the data
report designer. In that case, for each of the fields contained by the command object, a text box
control with be created on the date report; the Data member and Data field property for each text
box will be set to the appropriate values

Toolbox controls – The data report designer features its own set of controls. When a Data report
designer is added to a project, the controls are automatically created on a new toolbox tab named
Data report. Most of the controls are functionally identical to Visual Basic intrinsic controls, and
include a label, shape, image, textbox, and line control. The sixth control, the function control,
automatically generates one of four kinds of information: sum, average, minimum, of maximum.

Print Report – When a report is generated, it can be printed by clicking the printer icon on the
toolbar.

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File export – in addition to creating printable reports, it can be exported to text files, by clicking
the export icon and specifying text file name.
Section of the Data Report Designer

The Data report designer contains the following sections:

Report Header – Contains the text that appears at the very beginning of a report, such as the
report title, author, or database name.
Page Header – Contains information that goes at the top of every page, such as the report’s title.
Group Header/Footer – contains a “repeating” section of the data report. Each group header is
matched with the group footer. The header and footer pair are associated with a single command
object in the data environment designer.
Details- Contains the innermost “repeating” part (the records) of the report. The details section is
associated with the lowest level command object in a data environment hierarchy.
Page Footer – Contains the information that goes at the bottom of every page, such as the page
number.
Report Footer – Contains the text that appears at the very end of the report, such as summary
information, or an address of contact name.
Data report controls – When a new data report designer is added to a project, the following
controls are automatically placed in the toolbox tab named data report.
● Text Box control (Rpt text Box) – Holds the data that is supplied at runtime.
● Label control (RptLabel) – used to identify fields or sections.
● Image control (RptImage) – enables to place graphics on
● Line Control (Rpt Line)- lets to draw rules on the report to further distinguish
● Shape Control (Rpt Shape) – Enables to place rectangles, triangles, or circles 9and
ovals) on a report.
● Function control (Rpt Function) – A special text box that calculates values as the report
is generated.

Printing a Data Report

Printing a data report can be accomplished in one of two ways. The user can click the print
button that appears on the data report in print preview mode (using the show method), or you can
programmatically enable printing using the print report method. If an error occurs during
printing, trap it in the error event.
Choosing to display a print dialog box
When printing a report programmatically, you have two choices: to print by displaying the print
dialog box or by printing without displaying the dialog box.
To display the print dialog box.
1. Add a command button to a form.
2. In the button’s click event, place the following code: data report1. print report true.

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The print dialog box allows the user to select a printer, print to file, select a range of pages to
print, and specify the number of copies to print.

Printing without a Dialog Box

In some cases, you may wish to print the report without user intervention. The print report
method also gives you the option of selecting a range of pages to print, either all, or a specified
range.
To print without displaying the dialog box
1. Add a command button to a from
2. In the button’s click event, place the following code:
Data report1. Print report false
Or, to specify a range of pages to print, use the code below:
0 Data report print report false, rpt created with the data report designer.

Print Report Method

At run time, prints the data report created with the data report designer.
Syntax
Object. Print report (Show Dialog, Range, and Page From, Page To)
The print report method syntax has these parts:
Past description object required. An object expression that evaluates to an object in the applies to
list. Show dialog Optional. A Boolean expression that determines if the print dialog box is
shown. Range optional. Sets an integer that determines if all the pages in the report will be
executed or a range of pages, as shown in setting. Page from optional. An integer that sets the
page from which to start printing. Page to optional. An integer that sets the page at which to stop
printing.

REFERENCE :
1. Programming Microsoft Visual Basic- Francesco Balenda, WP Publications and
Distributors.
2. Visual Basic 6-Gary Cronell, TataMcGraw Hill Publishing Company Ltd.
3. Visual Basic 6 – How to Program, H.M.Deitel., P.J .Deital and T.R.Nieto

Prepared by Dr.N.SHANMUGAVADIVU