QTIPS - BREAK-ON Headings

David Edkins of D.E. Associates writes, "Further to the Break-On discussion, I wonder how many of your subscribers are aware that the Break-on options 'B' coupled with the Heading option 'B' gives the developer complete control over the Heading and Footing blocks in R/List reports."

For example, this technique can be used to provide headings and footings that:

• include the contents of more than one Break-on field!
• include application specific details (e.g. company name)
• include user specific details (e.g. User name)
• include report specific details (e.g. selection parameters - perhaps set up in labelled common via a collector window.
• include printer formatting sequences

My preferred approach is as follows:

• Add the clause BREAK-ON BREAK "'B'" to any R/LIST report.
• Also add the clause HEADING "'B'" to the R/LIST report.
• Define a dictionary BREAK (possibly on VOC) that creates the appropriate HEADING block. This can include any number of linefeeds (just include CHAR(13) : CHAR(10) in the string). The block must be returned in @ANS.

Editor's note - As an example of this simple but effective technique it might be instructive to try the following. Create a dictionary item on the DICT of VOC called BREAK and include the formula

  Equ CRLF$ To Char(13) : Char(10)
  @Ans = "Type = ":@Record<1>:" - File = ":@Record<3>
  @Ans := CRLF$ : "Demonstration Heading" : CRLF$

and then run the TCL statement

  :LIST VOC BY F1 BREAK-ON F1 "'P'" JUSTLEN "L0" BY F3
  BREAK-ON F3 "'P'" JUSTLEN "L0" F4 JUSTLEN "L30"
  BREAK-ON BREAK "'B'" HEADING "Test of break on'LBL'"

(Volume 4, Issue 1, Page 5)