[comp.databases] dBase-type reports

lyne@nro.cs.athabascau.ca (Lyne Eaker) (02/22/91)

Does anyone know of a REALLY easy but very powerful report maker for 
dBase databases.  Specifically I have a database written in FoxPro.  I 
have developed a very complex relational database over the past three 
summers, and this will finally be the last summer.  However, the people I 
have made it for are not technically oriented and know (nor should they 
need to) little about computers or databases.  Once I leave they need to 
be able to make new reports as policies change, thus I need a report 
generator that is easy to use and supports all types of relations.

Thanks.

broy@vaxa.weeg.uiowa.edu (Barbara Roy) (02/22/91)

In article <8y8PX1w163w@ersys.uucp>, ersys!lyne@nro.cs.athabascau.ca (Lyne Eaker) writes...
>Does anyone know of a REALLY easy but very powerful report maker for 
>dBase databases.  Specifically I have a database written in FoxPro.  I 
>have developed a very complex relational database over the past three 
>summers, and this will finally be the last summer.  However, the people I 
>have made it for are not technically oriented and know (nor should they 
>need to) little about computers or databases.  Once I leave they need to 
>be able to make new reports as policies change, thus I need a report 
>generator that is easy to use and supports all types of relations.

I HIGHLY recommend R&R Reportwriter by Concentric Data. I've only used their
dBase version, but I believe a version is also available for FoxPro. It is a
very powerful report generator and menu driven, so it is easy to use. It is
FAR superior to dBase's own reportwriter - at least the one provided with
dBase III+. dBase IV  incorporated many of its capabilities in its
reportwriter.

Barbara Roy, Weeg Computing Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA. 52242
Phone: 319-335-5506  
Internet: broy@vaxa.weeg.uiowa.edu     Bitnet: broyva@uiamvs
Disclaimer: My opinions are solely my own and may change daily.

tleylan@pegasus.com (Tom Leylan) (02/22/91)

In article <8y8PX1w163w@ersys.uucp> ersys!lyne@nro.cs.athabascau.ca (Lyne Eaker) writes:
>Does anyone know of a REALLY easy but very powerful report maker for 
>dBase databases.  Specifically I have a database written in FoxPro.  I 
>have developed a very complex relational database over the past three 
>summers, and this will finally be the last summer.  However, the people I 
>have made it for are not technically oriented and know (nor should they 
>need to) little about computers or databases.  Once I leave they need to 
>be able to make new reports as policies change, thus I need a report 
>generator that is easy to use and supports all types of relations.
>
>Thanks.

Lyne,

I believe that there is only one commercial report generator that can do
what you want and that would be R & R Report Writer  from Concentric Data
Systems.  I personally don't use it but many, many people do and some folks
won't write reports without it.

I don't know how un-technically oriented one can be and still get the correct
reports out but I don't think it's 10th grader type stuff.  Obviously they will have to have some idea about "files" and "records" and "relationships" and
"boolean operators".  They can title the report "Average Sales for California
Customers" but if they don't compute the average and they don't restrict the
view to State = "CA" they obviously won't get the correct answer.

Hope that helps.

tom
ex-Senior Systems Analyst / Nantucket Corporation
(you really should have used Clipper instead of FoxPro)

awd@dbase.A-T.COM (Alastair Dallas) (03/04/91)

> In article <8y8PX1w163w@ersys.uucp>, ersys!lyne@nro.cs.athabascau.ca (Lyne Eaker) writes...
> >Does anyone know of a REALLY easy but very powerful report maker for 
> >dBase databases.  Specifically I have a database written in FoxPro.  
> >...thus I need a report 
> >generator that is easy to use and supports all types of relations.

In article<4552@ns-mx.uiowa.edu>, broy@vaxa.weeg.uiowa.edu (Barbara Roy) writes:
> I HIGHLY recommend R&R Reportwriter by Concentric Data. I've only used their
> dBase version, but I believe a version is also available for FoxPro. It is a
> very powerful report generator and menu driven, so it is easy to use. It is
> FAR superior to dBase's own reportwriter - at least the one provided with
> dBase III+. dBase IV  incorporated many of its capabilities in its
> reportwriter.

It is my opinion that software (in the dBASE world at any rate) tends to
play leapfrog.  III+ inspired R&R to do better, but I think dBASE IV is
superior to R&R (although they may have a new version out now which I
haven't seen).  I think the original poster's requirements for report
writing as well as ad hoc queries and maintainance would be very well
served by dBASE IV.  R&R is an excellent product, as well.

-- 
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|which does not monitor my outbursts here.  I reserve all rights to my
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