The Format Step is a key step in the Query Object workflow, typically used as the final step. It primarily defines how the fields in the query are displayed and organized for the end users. It allows you to set field captions, group labels, formatting, and other display properties to ensure the data is presented in a user-friendly format.

Open

Key Properties in the Format Step

1. Field

   • Name of Field: This is the original name of the field, which is read-only.

   • Source: This specifies the step from which the field originates. It helps trace each field’s source in a complex Query Object.

2. Caption

   • Enter: This is the field's display name as seen by users in reports. You can customize it for readability or clarity.

3. Hyperlink

   • Options:

     • URL: You can set the field to open a URL.

     • Drill Down to another Report: Configure the field to drill down into another report based on a parameterized link.

     • The hyperlink properties also allow defining the target frame (new window, same frame, etc.) and the parameters passed to the drill-down report.

4. Group Label

   • Enter or Select: This allows you to group fields together. For large datasets, categorizing fields into groups can improve readability and navigation.

5. Hidden

   • Select/De-select: Allows the field to be hidden from the report or from subsequent Query Objects that use this Query Object as a data source.

6. Geographic Role

   • Enter or select from list: If the field contains GIS data (e.g., country names or coordinates), it can be mapped to geographic roles for use in mapping visualizations.

7. Format

   • Width: Specifies the default width of the field when added to a report (values range from 1-100).

   • Output Format: Defines the format string for how the field’s data will be displayed (e.g., date, number, currency).

   • Align: Aligns the field’s data (left, right, or center) when added to a report.

   • Input Format: Defines how the data will be prompted (useful for filtering or entering date/IP address formats).

   • User Time Zone: Specifies the time zone for date fields, allowing for conversion and display according to the user's time zone.

Hyperlinking a Field

You can configure a field to act as a hyperlink, enabling users to navigate to other resources or reports directly from a field's value. For example, in a sales report, you could hyperlink the country name to open a detailed report for that specific country.

Hyperlink Options:

• URL: The field will open a specified URL when clicked. This is often used for external links.

• Drill Down to another Report: The field can link to another report, passing parameters for detailed views. This is common for multi-level reporting.

Hyperlink Dialog Properties:

• Select Report: Choose a report to drill down into.

• Target: Define where the report will open (e.g., new window, same window).

• Report Parameter: Map a parameter from the current report to the drill-down report.

• System Parameter: Pass system parameters from the current report to the drill-down.

Data Format Dialog

The Data Format Dialog allows you to specify how the field’s data should be formatted for input and output.

• General: No specific format.

• Number: Allows validation and formatting of numbers, including options for decimal places and thousand separators.

• Currency: Format as currency, with options for symbols and decimal places.

• Date: Format the field as a date, with options to append time or choose a locale-specific format.

• Time: Formats the field as a time value.

• Percentage: Treats the field as a percentage, multiplying by 100.

• Scientific: Formats large numbers in scientific notation.

• Text: Allows you to convert text to lower case, upper case, or apply other text formatting.

• Network ID: Format for IP addresses and MAC addresses.

Locale Default:

You can apply the locale default format by selecting it from a locale configuration file, which ensures the format aligns with the user's locale settings.