Specifications

About using OLE in reports
486 InfoMaker
• OLE presentation style
The OLE presentation style is similar to an
OLE object in a report. The difference is that the OLE container is the only
control in the report. The underlying data is not presented in column
controls and there are no other controls, such as bitmaps or text. The OLE
object is always associated with all the rows in the report.
• OLE database blob column OLE objects that are stored in the database
in a blob column are displayed in each row of the report.
You can also add ActiveX controls (also called OLE custom controls or OCXs)
to reports. ActiveX controls range from simple visual displays, such as meters
and clocks, to more complex controls that perform spell checking or image
processing.
Activating OLE
objects
When you are working in the Report painter, you can start the server
application for an OLE object by selecting Open from the pop-up menu. Once
the server application has started, you can use the tools provided by the server
to edit the initial presentation of the object.
When you preview a report that has one or more OLE objects associated with
it, you cannot activate the OLE objects. When you preview a report, InfoMaker
retrieves data from the database and displays the report as it will appear when
printed. For this reason, activation is not possible.
To activate an OLE object, you first need to add the report that contains the
object to a form. Once you have done this, you can activate the server
application.
If the OLE object is associated with all rows retrieved and is in the foreground
or background layer, not the band layer, users can activate the object. If the
object is associated with a single row or page or is in the band layer, users can
see the object but cannot activate it. Reports created using the OLE
presentation style are always associated with all rows.
Unlike OLE objects, ActiveX controls are always active. They do not contain
objects that need to be opened or activated.
What's next
Whether you are inserting an OLE object into a report or using the OLE
presentation style, you use the same procedures to define, preview, and specify
data for the OLE object. Because of their similarities, the next section discusses
both OLE objects in reports and the OLE presentation style. The last section
discusses OLE database blob columns.