SUPER NATURAL
DEFINING A TITLE (The Layout Editor)

A title on a report defines the purpose of the report for the person reading it. By default, Super Natural inserts the selection criteria statements as the title if no other title is specified.

Super Natural contains a full-featured editor that allows you to control all aspects of the physical layout of the report. This is called the Layout Editor. Use the Layout Editor to add a title, change field headers or control break text, add or edit display fields, or double space the report. The most common use for the layout editor is to include a title.

IMPORTANT: Once you enter the Layout editor and then exit it, you can no longer use the Worksheet screen to change the report layout, even if you did not make layout changes. However, you can CANCEL-PF12 out of the Layout Editor (instead of EXIT-PF3) and nothing is affected.

Type LAYOUT on the command line and press enter and the Layout Overview menu appears:


 09:57                   *** NATURAL REPORT MANAGER ***                 96-10-28
 Layout LSNCLASS               - Layout Overview -                       NRMPAGE
                                                                                
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     I               Title                I                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     I               Header               I                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     I                List                I                     
                     I                                    I                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                     I               Group                I                     
                     I                                    I                     
                     I                1 10                I                     
                     I                                    I                     
                     I                                    I                     
                     +------------------------------------+                     
                                                                                
 Command ===> EDIT TITLE                                                   
 Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
       Help  Set   Exit  Field Edit  Flip              Tech              Canc   


From the command line, you can edit each individual section of the report as shown on the overview screen, or you can choose to "Edit All" of the sections. To change the title only, type EDIT TITLE on the command line and press Enter. The Layout Editor screen appears:


 10:05                   *** NATURAL REPORT MANAGER ***                 96-10-28
 Layout LSNCLASS                - Layout Editor -                        NRMEDIT
                                                                   More:       >
   Transaction Fields                      Delimiter Class    Attrib.  Color    
 1 RTKEY-TERM-SID                 A12      Blank     Text     Default           
 2 CLASS-ROSTER                   A14      ;         Text     Intens.           
 3 TERM-COLLEGE                   A6       (         Output   Default           
 4 TERM-DEGREE                    A7       )         Output   Intens.           
 5 TERM-MAJOR                     A7                                            
 6 TERM-ACAD-ACT                  A5       Escape Char. = .   Header Char. = &  
 All   ---010---+----+----+---030-- ( Title ) +---050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
 (XXXXXXXX ;SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS(XXX Ttl
 (XXXXXXXX ;SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS(999 Ttl
           ;SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS     Ttl
                                                                             Ttl
                                                                             ___
                                                                             ___
                                                                             ___
                                                                             ___
                                                                             ___
 You are on the first page.                                                     
 Command ===>                                                                   
 Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
       Help  Set   Exit  Field Edit  Flip  -     +     Tech  <     >     Canc   

The Layout Editor screen is divided into 3 sections. The bottom half of the screen is the edit area. This is where you work to change and rearrange the objects on the report.

The default title of a transaction contains the time and date stamp, the transaction name and the page number. The placement of these elements are denoted by the variables "(XXXXXXXX", shown on the screen above. The S's are place markers of where the title text should go (by default, the selection criteria is inserted as the title text). To include your own title, remove the string of S's, or type over them.

There are dot-commands available which allow you to move and delete text and output fields in the edit area. To easily remove the S place-markers, type .d over the semi-colon preceding the S's, and press Enter.


Top   ---010---+----+----+---03 ( All Elements ) 050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX .dSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS(XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX .dSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS(999 Ttl
          .dSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS     Ttl
                                                                            Ttl

Then, type in the title as you want it to appear. By default, there are 4 lines available to type the title text, although you can add another if desired (the maximum number of lines for the title is 5).

Typing the text at the left causes the title to be left aligned on the printed report.


Top   ---010---+----+----+---03 ( All Elements ) 050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX  University of Delaware                                      (XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX  96F Math Majors                                             (999 Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
Yeilds this result:
11:30:19  University of Delaware                                       96-10-28
ISNCLASS  96F Math Majors                                              1       

     TERM     SID     DEGREE  PRI     REG                                      
                             MAJOR   HOURS                                     
     ---- ----------- ------ ----- ----------                                  
                                                                               
     96F  001-43-1004 BAAS   MATH        3.00                                  
     96F  001-43-1005 BAAS   MATH        0.00                                  

You can center the text by eye to center the title on the printed report.

Top   ---010---+----+----+---03 ( All Elements ) 050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX                 University of Delaware                       (XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX                     96F Math Majors                          (999 Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
Yeilds this result:
11:34:30                   University of Delaware                      96-10-28
ISNCLASS                      96F Math Majors                          1       
                                                                               
                                                                               
     TERM     SID     DEGREE  PRI     REG                                      
                             MAJOR   HOURS                                     
     ---- ----------- ------ ----- ----------                                  
                                                                               
     96F  001-43-1004 BAAS   MATH        3.00                                  
     96F  001-43-1005 BAAS   MATH        0.00                                  


You can use the TEST command from the layout editor to see a sample of what the results will look like before you actually run the transaction. The test results screen looks like this:
11:40:39                   University of Delaware                      96-10-28
LSNCLASS                      96F Math Majors                          1       
                                                                               
                                                                               
     TERM     SID     DEGREE  PRI     REG                                      
                             MAJOR   HOURS                                     
     ---- ----------- ------ ----- ----------                                  
                                                                               
     AAA  AAA-AA-AAAA AAAA   AAAA        9.00                                  
     AAA  AAA-AA-AAAA AAAA   AAAA        9.00                                  
     AAA  AAA-AA-AAAA AAAA   AAAA        9.00                                  
                                                    
** Control Break (1) **                             
     DEGREE :  AAAA                                 
Cnt       0000000                                   
Tot                                      9.00       
Sum                                      9.00       
Avg                                      9.00       
Max                                      9.00       
Min                                      9.00       
NCnt                               00000000         
NAvg                                     9.00       
NMin                                     9.00       

When the title is entered to your satisfaction, exit the Layout Editor by pressing PF3 (Exit), and then press PF3 again to exit from the Layout Overview screen. The Worksheet appears once again.

11:48                      ***** SUPER NATURAL *****                   96-10-28
SNCL3                            - Worksheet -                           SN3011
                                                                  More:     +  
Ref DB    Field Name                         Seq   S/C  Func Def  Info Del     
AA  1S    RTKEY-TERM-SID .................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AB  1S*   CLASS-ROSTER ...................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AC  1S    TERM-COLLEGE ...................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AD  1S    TERM-DEGREE ....................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AE  1S    TERM-MAJOR .....................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AF  1S    TERM-ACAD-ACT ..................   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AH  1  2  RT005-TERM-CODE ................   L__   ___   __   __   __   __     
AI  1  2  RT010-SID ......................   L__   S2_   >_   __   __   __     
AJ  1  2  RT020-CUR-RHRS .................   L__   ___   >_   __   __   __     
AQ  1  2  RT105-PRI-COLLEGE ..............   ___   ___   __   __   __   __     
AR  1  2  RT115-PRI-DEGREE ...............   L__   C1_   __   __   __   __     
AS  1  2  RT120-PRI-MAJOR1 ...............   L__   ___   __   __   __   __     
DI   V    *TIMX ..........................   L__   ___   __   __   __   __     
DJ   V    *DATX ..........................   L__   ___   __   __   __   __     
                                                                               
                                                                               
Layout has been successfully modified                                          
Command ===>                                                                   
Enter-PF1---PF2---PF3---PF4---PF5---PF6---PF7---PF8---PF9---PF10--PF11--PF12---
      Help  Next  Exit  Field Incl  Flip    -     +         Sel   Run   Canc   

Since the Layout Editor now controls the layout of the report, the Seq column has been disabled, and L's appear in place of the sequence numbers. You must now use the Layout Editor for any additional changes to the layout. You may however, still change the selection criteria, logic, and calculations without the concern of the Layout Editor.


Variables in a Title

You can specify fields as variables in the title. The variables are replaced by the actual value of the field at the time the transaction is run. Using variables instead of typing the values reduces the number of modifications required when the transaction changes.

In our example, we will place a variable for the term and the major in the title. To place the variable, you need to reference Section A of the layout editor screen (the Transaction Fields list). Scroll through the list of fields by moving your cursor anywhere within Section A and pressing PF8 (Forward) and PF7 (Backward). Stop scrolling when the field RT005-TERM-CODE is visible.

In the Edit Area, move the cursor to where you want the Term to appear. Then type a delimiter from Section B followed by the number which corresponds to the field in Section A. The delimiters for output fields are either "(" or ")", and the number corresponding to RT005-TERM-CODE is 2. These are highlighted in the screen below.

Layout LSNCLASS                - Layout Editor -                        NRMEDIT
                                                                  More:       >
  Transaction Fields                      Delimiter Class    Attrib.  Color    
1 TERM-ACAD-ACT                  A5       Blank     Text     Default           
. RT010G                         *G1      ;         Text     Intens.           
2 RT005-TERM-CODE                A3       (         Output   Default           
3 RT010-SID                      A9       )         Output   Intens.           
4 RT020-CUR-RHRS                 P3.2                                          
5 RT025-CUR-EHRS                 P3.2     Escape Char. = .   Header Char. = &  
All   ---010---+----+----+---030-- ( Title ) +---050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX                   University of Delaware                     (XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX                     (2                                       (999 Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
When we press Enter, the edit area changes to reflect placement of the field. The X's are place markers for the field width (RT005-TERM-CODE is 3 characters wide).
All   ---010---+----+----+---030-- ( Title ) +---050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX                   University of Delaware                     (XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX                     (XXX                                     (999 Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
We can continue with the example by placing RT120-PRI-MAJOR1 in the title as well. Follow a similar procedure as above. After the fields are placed, the word "Majors" can be typed on the line. The Edit Area should look something like this:
All   ---010---+----+----+---030-- ( Title ) +---050---+----+----+---070--- Typ
(XXXXXXXX                   University of Delaware                     (XXX Ttl
(XXXXXXXX                     (XXX(XXXX Majors                         (999 Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
                                                                            Ttl
This would yeild the following result:
10:34:30                   University of Delaware                      96-10-30
ISNCLASS                      96F MATH Majors                          1       
                                                                               
                                                                               
     TERM     SID     DEGREE  PRI     REG                                      
                             MAJOR   HOURS                                     
     ---- ----------- ------ ----- ----------                                  
                                                                               
     96F  001-43-1004 BAAS   MATH        3.00                                  
     96F  001-43-1005 BAAS   MATH        0.00                                  


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