August 18, 2011 at 10:47 am
SQL Server version: 2005
Hello,
I have a report that initially I created and published to be exported in PDF format. The PDF format looks perfect and is exactly what I wanted to do. I was then told, at the last minute, that oh sorry this report cannot be in PDF it needs to be in Word or Excel. First I tried converting the PDF to excel... and that just totally farged up. It kept the formatting properly but all the data was in code and spread out in all the wrong places.
So, I went back to my subscription and told it to export it as Excel (since Word is not an option in 2005). The Excel version is all screwed up as well. Its not screwed up as much but it still requires manual intervention to get the report to look properly.
I have attached the output and if you take a look at it, it has compressed all the row sizes to default sizes. So, for example on "tab1" sheet if you expand row 15 you will see that in column C there is a bunch more data in that cell. But it thinks the row should be the default size. If you expand row 17 you will see a lot more data in the "official status" cell show up as well.
I have compressed this report down to just a few rows but the report is very large and spans 3 sheets... Tab1, Tab2, and Tab3. It spits it out in 3 sheets because I have group page breaks in the report design.
So, my question is: is there any way to get SQL to export this report more cleanly? It also spits out my report date which is in column I and J in a funky format as it seems to be putting the calcuation there and not the actual date. I am not sure if I have just designed this report badly or if this is just the way it will always have to be. It also merges all the columns together in a funky manner as well.
Any assistance is appreciated!
August 19, 2011 at 6:45 am
Hello,
To answer your question please read
When exporting to Merged cells row-heigths are not extend automatically. If you are able to get rid of the merged cells by carefully redesign your report:-) your troubles are over.
One additional hint try to put all of your text into the table-object.
Regards Kees
August 23, 2011 at 7:09 am
Ok thanks, I will give that a try.
August 23, 2011 at 9:40 am
Cool, I was able to fix it by making everything the same width and moving the report to as close to 0,0 as I could. I also deleted one of my text boxes that was outside the table.
Thanks again.
August 24, 2011 at 1:57 am
I learnt this the hard way. One of the most frustrating things when you come across it for the first time.
For these formating reasons I tend to design reports differently dependent on output. When going through the report scope for customers in the planning stage I always show them examples of how badly a report designed to be viewed in a browser only, or exported to PDF, can look when exported to Excel. This helps to get the message across that I need to know how the reports will be used by users before I develop them.
The message does not always get across though;-)
August 24, 2011 at 5:18 am
Well that was part of the problem... I had originally designed it in PDF format and it was beautiful and my boss actually called it a "thing of beauty". So, I published it and off it went... then about 2 hours before it was due to our client she says OMG this can't be in PDF, which was about 2 weeks after I had developed it and shared the results etc.
So, needless to say it pissed me off. 🙂
But, its all good now. 🙂
Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic. Login to reply