Formatting Objects

Explore some of the report formatting options.

Using the Format Editor is another, more complex method of formatting. Some of the more frequently used features of the Format Editor are the options listed on these tabs:

Common

On the Common tab, you can suppress the field, keep the field together if a record spans more than one page, control borders of the field, limit the number of lines that the field can print, rotate and align text, add tool-tip text, and lock the size and position of the selected object.

Border

On the Border tab, you can select line styles, drop shadows, and the color for the border and the background. Clicking Background opens a second color selection list for you to choose a fill color for the text object.

Font

On the Font tab, your options include the changing the font, style, size, and color. You can also add a strikeout (a line through text) and underline effects. The sample box shows you the results of your choices.

Hint

Many of the attributes that you see in the Format Editor have the formula buttons next to them. These buttons are used for conditional formatting, or applying a condition to a specific format using a formula.

Paragraph

If you select a string field or text object to format, the Format Editor offers these options on the Paragraph tab.

First Line

Enter the distance in inches (or the default measurement for your report) that you want the first line of the paragraph to be indented from the rest of the paragraph. 

Left

Enter the distance in inches (or the default measurement for your report) that you want the paragraph to be indented from the left margin of the page. 

Right

Enter the distance in inches (or the default measurement for your report) that you want the paragraph to be indented from the right margin of the page. 

Line Spacing

Enter the spacing you want for lines as a multiple of the font size you are using, or as an exact number of points. 

Of

Use this box to enter the multiple that you want to use (if you selected Multiple for Line Spacing), or the number of points (if you selected Exact for Line Spacing). 

Reading Order

Use the options in this area to define whether your text is to be read from left to right or from right to left. 

Text Interpretation

Use this list to select the type of pre-formatted data (string or memo fields only) or text you are inserting in a field. Crystal Reports extract information about the font, size, style, color, and paragraph and displays the data or text with the specified attributes. 

Number

If you select a numeric field to format, the Format Editor offers these options on the Number tab.

System Default Number Format

This option checks the settings in your Windows control panel and uses those settings for your numeric fields.

Currency Symbol Area

This option enables you to display a currency symbol and its type, if applicable.

Customize

Use this button to see more detailed formatting options on the Custom Style dialog box. 

Date and Time

If you select a Date, Time, or DateTime field to format, the Format Editor offers these options on the Date and Time tab.

Style

From this predefined list, choose a date/time style to apply to the field selected on your report. When you choose System Default Long Format or System Default Short Format, the program uses the time and date formats from the Regional Settings Properties dialog box in the Windows Control Panel. 

Customize

Use this button to see more detailed formatting options on the Custom Style dialog box. 

Boolean

If you select a Boolean field to format, the Format Editor offers these options on the Boolean tab.

This list includes all the formats in which Boolean fields can be displayed. Select the desired format from this list. 

Hyperlink

Use this tab to create a hyperlink to a web site, an e-mail address, a file, or a report object. The hyperlink is saved with your report and is available to other users as a way of viewing additional information. 

Hyperlink type

Click the type of hyperlink you want to create. Hints about how to use each option are provided on the bottom of the tab in the "Helpful hint" section.

Hyperlink Information

Use this section of the tab to enter the appropriate hyperlink information (the URL of a web site, for example).Hyperlink information is available for all Hyperlink types except No Hyperlink,Current Website Field Value, and Current E-mail Field Value.

Browse

Use Browse to search for files using the Open dialog box. Browse is available only for the "A File" option. 

Helpful hint 

Use these hints to learn how each Hyperlink type works and what it will add to your report. 

Text objects are containers that hold information. A text object can contain a character, words, or a paragraph.

Text objects and the elements inside them can then be independently formatted with fonts, color, and tabs.

To display a title or a label on your report, create a text object.

To print text and field information together, you embed the data into a text object. For example, you might want to create a form letter with the beginning "Dear Mr. Smith", where "Mr." and "Smith" are two different fields in the data source, and you manually add the salutation.

If you were to put these three fields into a text object (separated by a space), Crystal Reports joins them together:

• Mr. Paul Smith

• Ms. Elaine Jones

• Ms. Carol Smith-Jones

Use the Format Painter to copy formatting properties from one report object to one or more target objects. The Format Painter button displays on the Standard toolbar when you select a source object in your report. If you apply formatting to a target field that is not the same as your source field, then only the common properties are applied.

Play the following video to see how to use the Format Painter

Some things to keep in mind about the Format Painter:

• The Format Painter does not copy hyperlink information to a target object or field.

• The Format Painter does not copy formatting that is applied through use of the Highlighting Expert.

• The Format Painter does not copy formatting from text or template objects to database fields.

• When using a Date and Time field as your source, a target field’s date or time properties are changed; the reverse is also true (that is, a Date field or a Time field used as your source also affects the date and time properties of a Date and Time field).

• This table lists the source report objects and fields and the applicable targets you can use with the Format Painter.

Use the Text Rotation to vertically align the fields and text-based objects on your report.

The degree of rotation options are:

• 0 degrees: default setting.

• 90 degrees: direction of text is bottom to top, left to right.

• 270 degrees: direction of text is top to bottom, right to left.

The Report Explorer appears when you select the Report Explorer command from the View menu, or when you click the Report Explorer button on the Standard toolbar. The Report Explorer displays a tree view of the sections in your report and lists the report objects contained in each section. The Report Explorer works like a "report navigator," so you can work with report objects directly from the explorer.