Two column report of Visit Areas

[John Dykema]

Running ver 11 on windows 7 & 10. We have Visit Areas assigned A thru G. I want to print a report for our Directory showing
Group A and B on the first page, C and D on the 2nd page, and so on. Group G will end up on it's own page by default.
I've got the report showing the two columns but group A is on both columns and B is on the next page in 2 colums.
The page size will not be an issue since each group has only 25 Family records in it.
Please, how do I set up the Data Groupings to accomplish this?
Thank you.

[Zorak]

Create a variable called m.vagroup. Set the Initial Value to "" and the expression to:

Code: Select all

IIF(INLIST(visit_desc,"A","B"),"Group AB",IIF(INLIST(visit_desc,"C","D"),"Group CD",IIF(INLIST(visit_desc,"E","F"),"Group EF",IIF(visit_desc="G","Group G","No Visit Area Assigned"))))

What this does is checks the visit area and sets the variable to "Group AB" if the visit area assigned is A or B, and so on down the line, until the default value at the end for families that have "No Visit Area Assigned". Copy that and make whatever changes you need to it, as it's a chore to get the right number of commas and parentheses in the right places with nested IIFs.

No, group your report on the m.vagroup and tell it to start each group on a new page. You can add the m.vagroup field in the group_header if you want to show the group name on each page.

[John Dykema]

Thank you Zorak. I'm making progress but I'm only getting one name per page and same name in both columns.
Also I've set up "Pastoral Care Groups" in the Page Header band and want that printed on each page
and I have "Group " m.vagroup in the group header band. The word 'Group' is getting printed above both columns but
I'm not getting the 'A' or 'B' code printed.
I guess that's enough for this round, lol

[Zorak]

Be sure the expression is "Group "+m.vagroup. You were missing the +, at least in your post here.

Where is it that you have the family name field in the report? Which band? It should be the Detail band. It sounds like you might have the name field in the column header or group header band?

[John Dykema]

I guess I've been away from Variables for too long now. I'll summarize what I've done.
I created the m.vagroup variable with your expression and set initial value it to "", Reset value based on Report, Calculation None.
My Date Grouping nesting order is m.vagroup and I group on m.vagroup with Starts on New page.
My Page header = Pastoral Care Groups
Group Header = Group +m.vagroup Group +m.vagroup (2nd column)
I've tried "Group "+m.vagroup, too.
Detail Header = UPPER(ALLTRIM(Qmf_temp.lastname)) + ', ' + Qmf_temp.salut
What I'm getting is-

Pastoral Care Groups

Group (no A) Group (no B)
________ _________
DOE, Joe & Jane DOE, Joe & Jane (same name)
Only one name on the page
Please advise. JD

[Zorak]

You will need the group header expression to be "Group "+m.vagroup.

If you have set up columns properly, you shouldn't see the second column in your report designer window. Delete the fields you have put in column 2 and then go to File > Page Setup. Choose Columns - Number: 2 and then optionally set the desired width, spacing, and left margin.

This is what I've got and it's working as expected. Also, the report I created was in Family Mailing List, since Visit Area is a Family Mailing List field.

[John Dykema]

Thanks much Zorak.
I've followed your samples almost to the 'tee' (I think) but I have it set for Landscape printing, with Group A and B on the left half, c and D must be on page 2, etc. I have shared for you to see:
Capt1 is how I set my Query
Capt2 is the Design window
Capt3 is page 1 of the printout. Notice only 1 name gets printed.
Note my Col headers are not printing right.
Capt4 is page 2. Group b people start on lower part of Col A and the first person of Group C is on the bottom of that "b" column. Seems like the groups aren't breaking.
Thank you for your patience.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AsR3g3cVEcA-h3TmBUHVtMhNJYCT
Hope I shared these 4 pics correctly.
John

[NeilZ]

Looks like it worked John !!

[Zorak]

It looks like you've got the group header expression typed into a label instead of a field, which is why it is just printing out the expression rather than showing you the output.

Once you get the column headers working, it may be clear why that one family is printing on a page by themselves.

[John Dykema]

Wow, why can't I get this? Please have patience.
I entered the word GROUP (no quotes) into a label because that does NOT change. I followed that up with a FIELD with +m.vagroup because that data WILL change.
In the Page Setup I have 2 colums, width is 3.900,
Print area is Printable page
Col print order is Top to Bottom and I've tried other variations of that.

I still do not get the group letters A, B, etc to show. and now there is NO column 2 showing and every other page has no name on it.
John

[Zorak]

You don't need the label + field. Just have the expression on the field be

Code: Select all

"Group "+m.vagroup

[John Dykema]

Oh boy. I did a copy of your fild expression, drew a new blank fld, and pasted the "Group "+m.vagroup to it. I always like to click on VERIFY.
It gives me a Operator/Operand Type mismatch and even if I do run it still no dice here.
Maybe I'd better just do the copy/paste thing from a one col report which we've always used before.

I'm running v11.1 dated 12/6/16

[Zorak]

Is the "initial value" of the m.vagroup still showing 0 instead of ""?

It sounds like PowerChurch thinks that variable is going to be a number, which is what that initial value controls on the Variables screen.

[John Dykema]

Yes there are two quotes in the "initial value" of the m.vagroup like ""
JD

[Zorak]

If you like, you can export your current report to a zip file and send it to me. I'll have a look and see what I can see.

In PowerChurch, go to Utilities > Import/Export Custom Reports > Export Custom Reports. Follow the onscreen prompts to export this report. That will create a zip file in the location you choose. You can then attach that zip file to an e-mail addressed to customreports at powerchurch dot com and it will make its way to me.

We can follow up via e-mail after.