Need Help Adding Fields To PO Form in Vantage 8.0

Yahoo Archive
1
Mark,

Glad you figured it out. You may want to test the bug I referred to
earlier with regards to reports. If you've got a report you wrote
from scratch using ODBC connections (using the menu option for
Custom Report Link), and run it after this report (a standard
Vantage report with an added ODBC connection), I believe the custom
report will lock up. That's been our experience here. Could you
test that and see if the same thing happens to you?

Thanks.
Kevin

--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "markewhittaker"
<markewhittaker@...> wrote:
>
> I was able to solve my problem using the ODBC connection. I
created
> a subreport which added the extra data needed for the po form. In
> the subreport, I set the Current Datasource to the .xml file
> generated by the purchase order print and added the porel and
> podetail tables. I then added the odbc connection as a datasource
> and added the extra tables that were not already part of the
purchase
> order .xml file. Then the report started pulling in the needed
data
> to display on the po form. However, it was rather slow pulling in
> the data from the odbc connection (about 90 seconds for a 1-item
> po). I had two tables that were needed in my odbc connection that
> were only being used to link other tables, but no info from these
two
> tables was needed to print on the po form. I added a field from
each
> of these tables to the po form and then it pulled in the data
> instantly. So I left the fields there and just hid them on the
> form. Weird, I know, but it worked. Maybe this will help someone
> else in the future.
>
> I have one last problem that I need help with. When pulling
records
> from the partrev table, is there a way to get Crystal to display
only
> the record with the most recent effectivedate? Currently if I
have
> two approved revisions of a part, they both print, when I only
need
> the most recent one to print. Anyone know how to do this with
> Crystal? I have been playing with the formula editor, but I am
> shooting in the dark.
>
> --- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "markewhittaker" <markewhittaker@>
> wrote:
> >
> > A query would not work in my case. We are trying to print specs
> for
> > a part on a purchase order. Specs for things such as penetrant
> > inspection and chemical-resistant finishes. We attach those
spect
> to
> > the parts using the partmtl table. I think printing them on the
po
> > may be a requirement for government contracts. We had it custom-
> > programmed by Epicor in the 6.1 system, but now that we are
> > converting to 8.0 I was hoping to add it in-house without
waiting
> for
> > several weeks and paying extra for custom programming again.
> >
> > I wasn't aware that the SDK was needed. It seems strange to
give
> the
> > user the ability to go through all the motions of adding extra
> tables
> > and fields to a form, but not allow them to populate with data,
> > without so much as an error message to let you know you are
wasting
> > your time.
> >
> > I will try the odbc method mentioned earlier. I found a
document
> on
> > this site about adding an odbc connection from Crystal to
Vantage.
> I
> > will post my results later.
> >
> > Thanks to all.
> >
> > --- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@>
wrote:
> > >
> > > > We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> > > > feature to the standard po form so that it will print any
> records
> > in
> > > > the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as
the
> > > > podtl records.
> > >
> > > Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to
accomplish?
> > What you are
> > > describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for
> > simple queries
> > > like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that
> they
> > are then
> > > available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no
hardcopy
> > report to
> > > print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report
and
> > we'll go from
> > > there.
> > >
> > > Mark
> > >
> >
>
2
I admit that I am a complete noob when it comes to Crystal Reports,
and I need help here. I have searched and read through numerous
related topics but have not gotten anywhere.

We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
feature to the standard po form so that it will print any records in
the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
podtl records. I went into Report Data Definition, created a
duplicate of the poform, added the partmtl table to it, and selected
the fields that I want to print and any fields that would provide
linking information. I went into Report Style and created a new
style for the PO Form and pointed it to the new report data
definition I just created. I bring up a po and do a print preview,
using the new style, and generate the .xml file. The .xml file has
the new table and fields listed, but the section which shows actual
data for the other fields has nothing listed for the new fields. I go
into Crystal Reports, create a duplicate copy of the POForm.rpt, go
into Set Datasource and set it to the .xml file previously created.
I first tried adding the partmtl table to the report and linked
partmtl to podtl using the fields company, partnum, revisionnum, with
the arrow pointing from podtl to partmtl. I had no luck with that,
so I have now created a subreport with the new table and linked it to
the podtl table. But every time I hit the refresh button, I get no
information form the partmtl table. Can someone please tell me what
I am missing? Since I am getting no data from the partmtl table in
the .xml file, does that mean that the report data definition is not
done correctly? Does anyone have a link to more info on this? When
I try to bring up application help on the report data definition
within Vantage, I get nothing. Any help is appreciated.
3
Unfortunately, The report data definition application will let you add
tables but there is no way to populate those tables if you do not have
the SDK.

There is a way to do an ODBC sub-report in Crystal, but I have no info
on that, Hopefully the kind gurus in the group will shed some light on
this and we will both learn :-)

Bernie.

________________________________

From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of markewhittaker
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 3:56 PM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Vantage] Need Help Adding Fields To PO Form in Vantage 8.0



I admit that I am a complete noob when it comes to Crystal Reports,
and I need help here. I have searched and read through numerous
related topics but have not gotten anywhere.

We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
feature to the standard po form so that it will print any records in
the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
podtl records. I went into Report Data Definition, created a
duplicate of the poform, added the partmtl table to it, and selected
the fields that I want to print and any fields that would provide
linking information. I went into Report Style and created a new
style for the PO Form and pointed it to the new report data
definition I just created. I bring up a po and do a print preview,
using the new style, and generate the .xml file. The .xml file has
the new table and fields listed, but the section which shows actual
data for the other fields has nothing listed for the new fields. I go
into Crystal Reports, create a duplicate copy of the POForm.rpt, go
into Set Datasource and set it to the .xml file previously created.
I first tried adding the partmtl table to the report and linked
partmtl to podtl using the fields company, partnum, revisionnum, with
the arrow pointing from podtl to partmtl. I had no luck with that,
so I have now created a subreport with the new table and linked it to
the podtl table. But every time I hit the refresh button, I get no
information form the partmtl table. Can someone please tell me what
I am missing? Since I am getting no data from the partmtl table in
the .xml file, does that mean that the report data definition is not
done correctly? Does anyone have a link to more info on this? When
I try to bring up application help on the report data definition
within Vantage, I get nothing. Any help is appreciated.






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
4
> We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> feature to the standard po form so that it will print any records in
> the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
> podtl records.

Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish? What you are
describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for simple queries
like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that they are then
available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no hardcopy report to
print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and we'll go from
there.

Mark
5
Not to step on Mr. Whittaker's toes...

Lets say I have about 50 different quality requirements that could apply
to any purchased part.

Now lets say each of those requirements is assigned a two digit code and
the text of those requirements is stored in a UD table.

Now each purchased part that has a requirement has the codes stored in
the Part table.

When I want to print a PO, I want the text of every quality requirement
that is coded in the Part table, printed on the PO.

I can not get info from even the Part table to show up in the POForm
report output let alone the actual text that I want on the PO from the
UD table.


So do I have to maintain dozens of lines of purchasing comments for each
part or does it make more sense to maintain a handful of two digit codes
and only maintain the text in one location?


Just a real world example

________________________________

From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf
Of Mark Wonsil
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 4:34 PM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Need Help Adding Fields To PO Form in Vantage 8.0



> We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> feature to the standard po form so that it will print any records in
> the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
> podtl records.

Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish? What
you are
describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for simple
queries
like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that they are
then
available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no hardcopy report
to
print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and we'll go
from
there.

Mark






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
6
A query would not work in my case. We are trying to print specs for
a part on a purchase order. Specs for things such as penetrant
inspection and chemical-resistant finishes. We attach those spect to
the parts using the partmtl table. I think printing them on the po
may be a requirement for government contracts. We had it custom-
programmed by Epicor in the 6.1 system, but now that we are
converting to 8.0 I was hoping to add it in-house without waiting for
several weeks and paying extra for custom programming again.

I wasn't aware that the SDK was needed. It seems strange to give the
user the ability to go through all the motions of adding extra tables
and fields to a form, but not allow them to populate with data,
without so much as an error message to let you know you are wasting
your time.

I will try the odbc method mentioned earlier. I found a document on
this site about adding an odbc connection from Crystal to Vantage. I
will post my results later.

Thanks to all.

--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@...> wrote:
>
> > We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> > feature to the standard po form so that it will print any records
in
> > the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
> > podtl records.
>
> Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish?
What you are
> describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for
simple queries
> like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that they
are then
> available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no hardcopy
report to
> print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and
we'll go from
> there.
>
> Mark
>
7
> When I want to print a PO, I want the text of every quality requirement
> that is coded in the Part table, printed on the PO.
>
> I can not get info from even the Part table to show up in the POForm
> report output let alone the actual text that I want on the PO from the
> UD table.
>
> So do I have to maintain dozens of lines of purchasing comments for each
> part or does it make more sense to maintain a handful of two digit codes
> and only maintain the text in one location?

Ah, I didn't get that from Mr. Whittaker's first post.

Of course, having note codes is an excellent idea. The only issue with note
codes is historical tracking. If your quality notes change and you reprint a
PO, do you want the historical notes printing or the updated notes? Some
systems will automagically expand note codes into text and insert them into
the PO at entry time instead of print time so that there's some historical
traceability, others expand note codes at print time.

So there's two ways you could approach this: expand note codes at entry time
or at print time. In either case, you would want to enter your quality codes
in the purchasing comments of the part, e.g. %ID%, %FA%, etc.

Expand notes at PO Entry:
If you had the SDK, you could write a function that would expand your codes by
doing a search and replace. Without the SDK, you should be able to write an
.Net program that does a search/replace on an active control, on highlighted
text, or at least by using the clipboard.

Expand notes at print time:
This method requires one to "hardcode" the notes into the Crystal report. (One
may be able to write a Custom Function that looks up codes in a table but I
have not written one and am not sure if that methodology would work with
Vantage.) Basically, you would replace the PODetail.commentText field with a
formula that looked something like:

Stringvar newComment;
newComment:=PODetail.commentText;
newComment:=replace(newComment,"%FA%","This part requires first article
inspection");
...
<repeat for each code>
...
newComment:=replace(newComment,"%ID%","Please identify all parts with proper
serial numbers.");
newComment;

The disadvantage to this procedure is if the text is really long.

Finally, there's an Internet approach. You could publish your quality specs
online and include the URL in your purchasing notes so the vendor can look up
the spec online. If you email purchase orders then the supplier could click on
the URL to print the spec.

Food for thought.

Mark W.
8
Mark,

If the tables are available and you are updating the Report Data
Definition, they should populate. My suggestion would be to pull up
the XML that printing the form generates and seeing if the data is
not in there.

If it is not in there, it sounds like a bug within the generation of
the XML, and you should report this to tech support.

In the meantime, depending on your timeframe, the ODBC option is
always a quick fix. I'd recommend that over having customizations
done for you.

Kevin

--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "markewhittaker"
<markewhittaker@...> wrote:
>
> A query would not work in my case. We are trying to print specs
for
> a part on a purchase order. Specs for things such as penetrant
> inspection and chemical-resistant finishes. We attach those spect
to
> the parts using the partmtl table. I think printing them on the
po
> may be a requirement for government contracts. We had it custom-
> programmed by Epicor in the 6.1 system, but now that we are
> converting to 8.0 I was hoping to add it in-house without waiting
for
> several weeks and paying extra for custom programming again.
>
> I wasn't aware that the SDK was needed. It seems strange to give
the
> user the ability to go through all the motions of adding extra
tables
> and fields to a form, but not allow them to populate with data,
> without so much as an error message to let you know you are
wasting
> your time.
>
> I will try the odbc method mentioned earlier. I found a document
on
> this site about adding an odbc connection from Crystal to
Vantage. I
> will post my results later.
>
> Thanks to all.
>
> --- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@> wrote:
> >
> > > We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> > > feature to the standard po form so that it will print any
records
> in
> > > the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as
the
> > > podtl records.
> >
> > Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish?
> What you are
> > describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for
> simple queries
> > like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that
they
> are then
> > available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no
hardcopy
> report to
> > print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and
> we'll go from
> > there.
> >
> > Mark
> >
>
9
I was able to solve my problem using the ODBC connection. I created
a subreport which added the extra data needed for the po form. In
the subreport, I set the Current Datasource to the .xml file
generated by the purchase order print and added the porel and
podetail tables. I then added the odbc connection as a datasource
and added the extra tables that were not already part of the purchase
order .xml file. Then the report started pulling in the needed data
to display on the po form. However, it was rather slow pulling in
the data from the odbc connection (about 90 seconds for a 1-item
po). I had two tables that were needed in my odbc connection that
were only being used to link other tables, but no info from these two
tables was needed to print on the po form. I added a field from each
of these tables to the po form and then it pulled in the data
instantly. So I left the fields there and just hid them on the
form. Weird, I know, but it worked. Maybe this will help someone
else in the future.

I have one last problem that I need help with. When pulling records
from the partrev table, is there a way to get Crystal to display only
the record with the most recent effectivedate? Currently if I have
two approved revisions of a part, they both print, when I only need
the most recent one to print. Anyone know how to do this with
Crystal? I have been playing with the formula editor, but I am
shooting in the dark.

--- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "markewhittaker" <markewhittaker@...>
wrote:
>
> A query would not work in my case. We are trying to print specs
for
> a part on a purchase order. Specs for things such as penetrant
> inspection and chemical-resistant finishes. We attach those spect
to
> the parts using the partmtl table. I think printing them on the po
> may be a requirement for government contracts. We had it custom-
> programmed by Epicor in the 6.1 system, but now that we are
> converting to 8.0 I was hoping to add it in-house without waiting
for
> several weeks and paying extra for custom programming again.
>
> I wasn't aware that the SDK was needed. It seems strange to give
the
> user the ability to go through all the motions of adding extra
tables
> and fields to a form, but not allow them to populate with data,
> without so much as an error message to let you know you are wasting
> your time.
>
> I will try the odbc method mentioned earlier. I found a document
on
> this site about adding an odbc connection from Crystal to Vantage.
I
> will post my results later.
>
> Thanks to all.
>
> --- In vantage@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@> wrote:
> >
> > > We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> > > feature to the standard po form so that it will print any
records
> in
> > > the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
> > > podtl records.
> >
> > Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish?
> What you are
> > describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for
> simple queries
> > like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that
they
> are then
> > available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no hardcopy
> report to
> > print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and
> we'll go from
> > there.
> >
> > Mark
> >
>
10
Hi Mark,

One way of doing it is to create a group in the report for Partum and
placing the records in the group header section instead of the details
section.



Hope this helps.



Cheers

Abhi



_____

From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
markewhittaker
Sent: Tuesday, 29 August 2006 5:41 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Vantage] Re: Need Help Adding Fields To PO Form in Vantage 8.0



I was able to solve my problem using the ODBC connection. I created
a subreport which added the extra data needed for the po form. In
the subreport, I set the Current Datasource to the .xml file
generated by the purchase order print and added the porel and
podetail tables. I then added the odbc connection as a datasource
and added the extra tables that were not already part of the purchase
order .xml file. Then the report started pulling in the needed data
to display on the po form. However, it was rather slow pulling in
the data from the odbc connection (about 90 seconds for a 1-item
po). I had two tables that were needed in my odbc connection that
were only being used to link other tables, but no info from these two
tables was needed to print on the po form. I added a field from each
of these tables to the po form and then it pulled in the data
instantly. So I left the fields there and just hid them on the
form. Weird, I know, but it worked. Maybe this will help someone
else in the future.

I have one last problem that I need help with. When pulling records
from the partrev table, is there a way to get Crystal to display only
the record with the most recent effectivedate? Currently if I have
two approved revisions of a part, they both print, when I only need
the most recent one to print. Anyone know how to do this with
Crystal? I have been playing with the formula editor, but I am
shooting in the dark.

--- In vantage@yahoogroups <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com> .com,
"markewhittaker" <markewhittaker@...>
wrote:
>
> A query would not work in my case. We are trying to print specs
for
> a part on a purchase order. Specs for things such as penetrant
> inspection and chemical-resistant finishes. We attach those spect
to
> the parts using the partmtl table. I think printing them on the po
> may be a requirement for government contracts. We had it custom-
> programmed by Epicor in the 6.1 system, but now that we are
> converting to 8.0 I was hoping to add it in-house without waiting
for
> several weeks and paying extra for custom programming again.
>
> I wasn't aware that the SDK was needed. It seems strange to give
the
> user the ability to go through all the motions of adding extra
tables
> and fields to a form, but not allow them to populate with data,
> without so much as an error message to let you know you are wasting
> your time.
>
> I will try the odbc method mentioned earlier. I found a document
on
> this site about adding an odbc connection from Crystal to Vantage.
I
> will post my results later.
>
> Thanks to all.
>
> --- In vantage@yahoogroups <mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com> .com, "Mark
Wonsil" <mark_wonsil@> wrote:
> >
> > > We are on Vantage 8.0 and Crystal Reports XI. I want to add a
> > > feature to the standard po form so that it will print any
records
> in
> > > the partmtl file which have the same partnum and revision as the
> > > podtl records.
> >
> > Let's step back for a moment, what are you trying to accomplish?
> What you are
> > describing sounds more like a Business Activity Query and for
> simple queries
> > like this, they are quite easy to write. The cool part is that
they
> are then
> > available in places like PO Search screen, so there's no hardcopy
> report to
> > print and work from. Describe a bit why you need the report and
> we'll go from
> > there.
> >
> > Mark
> >
>





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]