General Tab, Report Control Properties Dialog Box (Report Builder)

  • Article

Makes it possible for you to set general options for report controls in the Report Designer or Label Designer.

Note

This tab replaces the functionality of a number of native Visual FoxPro dialog boxes when the Report Builder is active.

  • Caption
    (Label controls only) Specifies label text. Clicking the ellipsis (…) button opens an editing dialog box so that you can view and edit the entire text for the Label control.
  • Expression
    (Field controls only) Specifies an expression, such as the name of a variable or table field. The expression is evaluated at report run time as the report engine renders output from the Field control. Clicking the ellipsis (…) button opens the Expression Builder so that you can build an expression. For more information, see Expression Builder Dialog Box.

Control source type

(Picture/OLE Bound controls only) Specifies the source for a Picture/OLE Bound report control. Valid sources include the name of an image file, the name of a General field in a table, or an expression or variable that contains a file name or non-General character field for the report control. For more information, see How to: Add Pictures to Reports, and How to: Add General Fields to Reports.

  • Image file name
    Specifies that the control source should contain a literal image file name.

    Important

    Do not enclose the file name in quotation marks ("").

  • General field name
    Specifies that the control source should evaluate to the name of a table or cursor's General field.

  • Expression or variable name
    Specifies that the control source should be an expression or variable that evaluates to:

    • An image filename.

    • A non-General character field.

    • A string literal containing an explicit file name.

    • An object reference to a form Image object that has its PictureVal property set appropriately.

      Tip

      The use of an Image object's PictureVal property as a image source in a report is only supported in object-assisted output mode. It will work in backward-compatible mode, in some cases, but results are not guaranteed. For example, in backward-compatible mode, Picture/OLE Bound controls with this source may not respect the Clip sizing option. For more information, see SET REPORTBEHAVIOR Command.

Control source

(Picture/OLE Bound controls only) Specifies a string, expression or variable name that evaluates to the source of the Picture/OLE Bound control. Clicking the ellipsis (...) button performs a different action depending on the value of the Control source type:

  • Image file name

    Displays the Open dialog box so you can select a file. For more information, see Open Dialog Box.

  • General field name

    Opens the Expression Builder so that you can select a General field. For more information, see Expression Builder Dialog Box, and General Field Type.

  • Expression or variable name

    Opens the Expression Builder so that you can build an expression or select a variable. For more information, see Expression Builder Dialog Box.

If source and frame are different sizes

(Picture/OLE Bound controls only) Specifies how the control should be displayed when the dimensions of the control do not match the default size of the control source:

  • Clip picture (Default)

    The rendered output of the control source always appears anchored at the upper left corner of the control frame.

    If the control source is larger than the frame, only the upper left region of the control source that fits inside the dimensions on the control is displayed.

    If the control source is smaller than the control outline, the control will resize to fit, or remain transparent in the area not covered by the rendered control source.

  • Scale picture, retain shape

    The rendered output of the control is displayed reduced in size so that the largest dimension fits inside the constraints of the frame of the control. The rendered output retains its relative proportions.

    Tip

    This option protects the picture or General field from vertical or horizontal distortion.

  • Scale picture, fill the frame

    The rendered output of the control is scaled to completely fill the dimensions of the control frame, stretching it vertically or horizontally as necessary.

    Note

    This setting might cause vertical or horizontal distortion

Center general field horizontally in frame

(Picture/OLE Bound controls only) Centers the General field when it is smaller than the frame that contains it. Otherwise, the General field displays in the upper-left corner of the frame.

Object position

Specifies position settings for the report control.

  • Float
    Specifies that the control moves down the page when a control that appears above it extends downward.
  • Fix relative to top of band
    Specifies that the control remain in position relative to the top of the band that contains it.
  • Fix relative to bottom of band
    Specifies that the control remain in position relative to the bottom of the band that contains it.

Stretch with overflow

(Field controls only) Specifies that the bottom of a Field control is extended vertically down the page to contain the full value of the evaluated expression.

Stretch downwards

(Rectangle controls only) Specifies how a rectangle control should change its shape as the evaluated content of a band forces the band to extend.

  • No stretch
    Specifies that the bottom of the Rectangle control does not expand vertically as the band stretches to accommodate data in Field controls.
  • Stretch relative to tallest object in group
    Specifies that the bottom of the Rectangle control stretch vertically to adjust to the tallest object in the group.
  • Stretch relative to height of band
    Specifies that the bottom of the Rectangle control stretch vertically downward when the band stretches to accommodate data in Field controls.

Size and position in layout

Specifies positioning and size for the report control in the Report Designer.

  • From page top
    Specifies a value from the top of the page to position the report control.
  • From left
    Specifies a value from the left of the page to position the report control.
  • Height
    Specifies a value for the height of the report control.
  • Width
    Specifies a value for the width of the report control.

See Also

Reference

Report Control Properties Dialog Box (Report Builder)