Create text Report ?

[Shako]

Hi

how can i create a nicely formatted report with out using excel or word?

I need a way to display to the user in a formatted way, Like Bold text with underlining different font sizes, How can i do this?

[RobertoBozzolo]

Hi Shako,

reporting in CVI has always been a challenge. First of all take a look at this old discussion that unfortunately had no follow up.

When planning for reporting in a CVI application at present I can think to those different instruments:

• A text-only report, generated by creating appropriate lines of text and calling PrintTextBuffer; very olod fashioned, only personalization possible is text and column spacing; the report can be saved as-is and printed later
• Creating a dummy panel where to put text to be printed and send to printer via PrintPanel; very large possibilities of personalization: the panel acts as a template, using listboxes or text controls you can adapt the report to your needs; possibility to embed graphs and images (logos and so on); preview possible, limited possibilities to save reports (one image file per page)
• Use NI Report Generation instrument driver (nireport .fp) that ships with CVI: very large possibilities of personalization; no preview possible nor saving report facility; look at the samples in samples\reportgen folder
• Use Excel or Word reporting; large possibilities of personalization but those programs must be installed in the system together with CVI application; operating on MS programs via ActiveX is not the easiest beast to manage but it can be done
• Use a PDF virtual printer that can be managed to produce multi-page reports; this argument has been discussed here and here

I have personally used the PrintPanel way a lot until we moved to Haru PDF library to produce native PDFs

[Shako]

Its nice to hear that a reporting is in the piplines.

None of the solution are ideal.

NIReport would be great if i could preview it.

The Panel option was my last resort,To add controller dynamically is a pain.

I cant use word or excel because the user would have to have it installed on there pc and alot of them dont using word or excel.

Is there a way to display PDF's in a CVI panel?

[Shako]

Could you please attach an example for using Haru PDF?

I got another application which Haru PDF would be great.

[RobertoBozzolo]

I have added a sample project using this library to the Developer Zone Community: you can find it here. Feel free to ask or comment about it.