Consultor Eletrônico

Status: Unverified

SYMPTOM(s):

Cannot display a character calculated field using SUBSTRING

Report Builder

CAUSE:

Report Builder import the definition of the record field format from Data Dictionary once the report is created. This doesn't mean that you cannot display a longer part of the field than the one specified in the Data Dictionary but just that the default and initial format for a field will be taken from there.
When you use the function SUBSTRING against a field you still use this definition for the field in itself. So if you try to display the characters from 31 to 40 and the data format definition for that field is X(30) you'll get a blank display.

FIX:

Changing the format in Data Dictionary in this case doesn't change anything as these definition are saved in the report once the report has been created.
To fix the problem just using this workaround:
1) Right click wherever in the report and select insert field.
2) Insert the field causing the problem.
3) You can see now that the field is displayed using the definition stored in the report.
4) Right click on the field and select Format
5) Change two parameters:
5.1) the Character format from X(original number) to X(new value) where "new value" is big enough to be included in the SUBSTRING interval.
5.2) Change the Width to the same "new value"
6) Now you can delete this field, the new format definition have been saved.