This started out as an easy input a student ID, pull back some data, and print out a PDF document.

It has grown to, input a student ID, pull back some data, allow the user to check some boxes, select radio buttons, type in text, and print out a PDF document.

My question is what is the best way to approach this.

A. Create the output PDF document with the student ID and all the check boxes, radio buttons, and text as variables and import/link that to Layout Composer. Which would then be esstianlly a parameter driven input screen.
Or two 'reports' one to prompt for the ID and the other with the data populated and the variables prompted for.
So then I would have one Layout Composer form that prompts for the ID and then a run button that would call the report that would be populated with the data, and prompt for the variables, check boxes, etc, and a PRINT button that would format the output report and send it to a printer. Is this another report that gets executed? I think so.
How do the paraemters get passed from the first student ID input screen to the next and then the next set of parameters passed to the output report?

B. Create an HTML input form. Which would I use, the Layout Composer, or the HTML File option.
Again the issue is prompting for the ID and then populating some of the data and then gathering the inputted data to print on a PDF output

C. Other suggestions

I've used the Layout Composer to create a launch page and run a report, but that is all.
This is like an input form and a formatted output.

I'm sure I'll need to read some of the documention closer, and I will, but it would be good to hear if somebosy has done this and how.

Thanks,
Rick

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rick Man,

A is not an option unless you use a third party product to produce the PDF form. I put in an NFR several years ago to support this.

I think option B is your best bet.

Thanks Waz.
A point of clarification. Option A isn't to create a fillable PDF only to create a PDF output after gathering the info.
So to my mind it is like 3 fexs, 1. to prompt for the student id, 2. to bring back some data and populate an input form, i.e. prompt screen/launch page, and 3. to output a PDF report.
But even for option B I'm not sure how to pass the data from one screen to the next. I'm thinking global variables?
Maybe I'm making this too hard. That's why I posted the question.

Rick, you could try to build something fancy with AJAX and all the jazz.

However, if I were to do it in WebFOCUS I would rely on .fex procedures acting as wrappers to the actual HTML files.

a) Create an HTML file where you'll capture Student ID. Create a fex as the target procedure so &STUDENT will be passed as parameter to your fex.

b) Within that fex, use &STUDENT as a filter to get all info you need (TABLE FILE STUDENT ... HOLD AS ALPHA) and populate some &variables with those values (via -READ). Then, use -HTMLFORM student_form.htm to load the next screen (which you also built in HTML composer).

c) student_form.htm will have a set of items in screen whose values you'll default to the &variables read before and that can be referenced as !IBI.AMP.var;. Here your user will be able to change whatever they need and upon clicking Run, a new target fex (the one you created to build the PDF report) will run and all parameters from the screen will be passed on to that.

Sorry if my explanation is rather confusing but the idea behind it really not that complex.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: njsden,

Makes sense. Now I just need to getter done.
I'll keep you posted.
Thanks

quote:

getter done

What part of NC r ya frum?