Specifications

CHAPTER 6 Enhancing Reports
Users Guide 201
Previewing without
retrieving data
If you do not want InfoMaker to retrieve data from the database automatically
when the Preview view opens, you can clear the Retrieve on Preview option.
The Preview view shows the report without retrieving data.
❖ To be able to preview without retrieving data automatically:
1 Select Design>Options from the menu bar.
The Report Options dialog box displays.
2 Clear the Retrieve on Preview check box on the General page.
When this check box is cleared, your request to preview the report does
not result in automatic data retrieval from the database.
Retrieve on Preview check box is available in the Report wizards
During the initial creation of a report, you can set the Retrieve on Preview
option.
InfoMaker uses data
caching
When InfoMaker first retrieves data, it stores the data internally. When it
refreshes the Preview view, InfoMaker displays the stored data instead of
retrieving rows from the database again. This can save you a lot of time, since
data retrieval can be time consuming.
How using data from
the cache affects you
Because InfoMaker accesses the cache and does not automatically retrieve data
every time you preview, you might not have what you want when you preview.
The data you see in preview and the data in the database can be out of sync.
For example, if you are working with live data that changes frequently or with
statistics based on changing data and you spend time designing the report, the
data you are looking at may no longer match the database. In this case, retrieve
again just before printing.
Explicitly retrieving
data
You can explicitly request retrieval at any time.
❖ To retrieve rows from the database:
• Do one of the following:
• Click the Retrieve button in the PainterBar.
• Select Rows>Retrieve from the menu bar.
• Select Retrieve from the Preview view’s pop-up menu.