Technical Issues - Report Generator Tutorial I  - Getting Started

This page supplements material in FilmStar/Scantraq printed or online manuals. The Report Generator allows you to generate printed reports with graphics. Another option is to utilize Microsoft Word.

The Report Generator combines graphics and text. It can be used for data sheets in DESIGN or QA reports in MEASURE. The same technology prints run-sheets in MONITOR. Click File.. Report Generator <F7>.

Click Edit.. Template <Ctrl+T> or the Template icon to edit the Report Template. Text within double arrow brackets <<...>> are format or action commands. Commands are thoroughly documented in the help system under Report Template.


Report Template for above document

Format commands Name, Size, Align, Bold apply to fonts. Texts like FTG Software Associates not surrounded by brackets are printed in the document. In this case Action commands are Review (as in Design.. Review <Ctrl+R>) and FSPlot. <<FSPlot>> (without numbers) also works, but is problematic because graph size will then be whatever it was when the FSPlot window was last closed.

Print output will be acceptable for most purposes, but resolution can be improved for glossy brochures, etc. This is accomplished by increasing bitmap size while changing the zoom factor. Here we double the size of the FSPlot window and compensate with a 50% zoom factor:

<<FSPlot 50, 100, 21000, 16200>>

Another option for high resolution printing is setting FSPlot to metafile mode. Metafiles are scalable vector files (can be made huge), while bitmaps are somewhat more WYSYWIG compatible and support more line types. Metafiles require thorough testing and are not suitable for web graphics. Unless the highest quality scalable fonts are required, bitmaps are recommended.

DESIGN templates are saved with Graph Axes (*.axw) or FILM Archive (*.faw) files; MEASURE templates are saved with Scan Method (*.scw) files. Additional print setup parameters are reached through Edit.. Setup <Ctrl+S>. These are saved in the same locations as the Report Template.

The Report Organizer (File.. Organize <Ctrl+Z>) saves up to ten (8K character limit) templates. While similar to the FSPlot Customizer, DESIGN and MEASURE templates are saved separately. The capability was implemented in DESIGN 2.61.3660 and MEASURE 2.51.1460.

The Report Generator allows you to save files in proprietary format (*.prt), as Adobe Acrobat (*.pdf, Acrobat is not required) and as Word rich text format (*.rtf). RTF only supports metafile graphics and has minor formatting difficulties requiring manual editing in Word. Files saved in proprietary PRT format can be viewed in the Report Generator via File.. Retrieve Report <Shift+F7> in the DESIGN or MEASURE main window. Another option is to print to the XPS Document Writer.

Reports can be immediately printed to the default printer with File.. Quick Print Report <Ctrl+F7>. Users unfamiliar with the Report Generator should test basic facilities before proceeding to advanced topics. Since you will surely want to embed graphics, familiarity with FSPlot is essential.

Copyright © 2023 FTG Software Associates
 Last updated on January 31, 2023