Setting a report break for a sort field

Any or all of the 10 sort fields can specify that a change in the sort field value is to generate a break in the report. Follow these steps to establish an initial break status for a sort field.

Highlight the field in the Sort Fields list.

Select Sort functions > Change break status.

An uppercase letter B is displayed in the FLAGS column of the Sort Fields list to indicate that the report is to break and generate a new page when that field changes. If you select Change break status again, a lowercase letter b is displayed to indicate that the report is to break without a page break when that field changes. Each time you select this function, the break status toggles between B and b. To clear the break status for a field, select Sort functions > Clear break status.

At each report break, ReportWriter computes a subtotal for any field that is totaled at the end of the report. (See Designating a field to be totaled.)

For example, we decided to sort our report by sales representative. By setting a B break on the Sales representative field, a new page of the report will start when the name of the salesperson changes. If Sales year-to-date is to be totaled at the end of the report, ReportWriter will compute a subtotal of sales year-to-date for each salesperson.

At each report break, ReportWriter generates a break summary line. When the report does not contain fields being totaled, the break summary line contains the following:

The break description
The break count (the number of records printed in the break set)

When one or more fields are being totaled, the break summary line (sometimes referred to as the subtotal line) contains the following:

The break description
The word “total”
The break count in parentheses
The subtotal amounts

For break summary lines, the break description is the value of the field on which the break is occurring. For example, if you are breaking on a field that contains the day of the week, the break description for the first break set would be “Monday,” the next would be “Tuesday,” and so forth. For information about suppressing record counts and/or break total descriptions, see Specifying miscellaneous design options.

Breaks are hierarchical.

For instance, we’ve set a break on both the Sales representative field and the State field, and ReportWriter will generate subtotals on each sales rep, as well as subtotals for each state for each sales rep (in addition to a grand total for the entire report). See figure 1. The Sales representative break (B) will also generate a new page, while the State break (b) will not.

Clearing the break status for a sort field

Highlight the field in the Sort Fields list.

Select Sort functions > Clear break status.

Clearing a report break also deletes any associated pre- and post-break lines and their conditionals. For more information, see Creating a pre- or post-break line.