Any program that can be initiated from a command-line operation can be defined as a function and assigned to user groups within Data-Basics software. Data-Basics uses a combination of Registry and User-Defined Function records to construct the command-line value that launches the external application.
Testing Your Registry Entries
The system does not verify the validity of registry entries. Be sure to test your registry entries after completing them to verify that they are functioning correctly.
Setting Values are Uppercase-Lowercase Sensitive:
The Setting Value is case-sensitive: be sure that you enter the value exactly as specified in the documentation. If the documentation specifies a value of true, do NOT enter True or TRUE.
Create a registry entry for the application that you wish to launch.
Id: Application name (or whatever else makes sense) and contents:
Setting Key: path Setting Value: full path
to an executable (in the case of crystal report files, each one is its own executable, so each one requires a registry entry). Instead of specifying a path, you may specify a filename extension that defines the application to be launched as shown below)
Setting Key: extension Setting Value: fileextention
This option may be used INSTEAD of the path option above. This option enables you to identify the file extension appropriate for use with the external app. Following is an example of the old and new setting as it applies to MS Excel:
Registry Id: excel
Setting Key: exe Setting Value: EXCEL.EXE
Old setting ... Setting Key: path Setting Value: C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office
New setting ... Setting Key: extension Setting Value: xls
The new way is preferable because it doesn't need to assume that every SAMPRO user has Excel installed in the same path. Instead it retrieves the necessary info for xls-type files from the Windows Registry.
Setting Key: parms Setting Value: list of parameters
Specify any parameter that should be applied to the command-line after the executable. For example, this could be the Access database you wish to launch.
Once you have created a registry entry defining the link to the external application, you will next create a user-defined function to actually launch the application.
Id: A unique function id.
Name: The description associated with the user-defined function for the Menu Display.
Menu Category: Report, or Starter, or Viewer (defines which menu should display the function)
Application: Application name (from your registry entry)
Application Parameters
Specify any "additional" parameters that should be applied at the end of the command-line.
Example: Access
Registry Id: access
Setting Key: path Setting Value: c:\program files\microsoft\msaccess.exe
parms= c:\my documents\reports.mdb
User Function Id: accessreport
User Function Name: Report My Access Report
Menu Category:`Report
Application: Access
Application Parameters: /x myreport
Resulting Command-line:
c:\program files\microsoft\msaccess.exe c:\my documents\reports.mdb /x myreport
This command will launch the application "access", open the file "report.mdb" , and run the macro "myreport"
Example: Excel
Registry Id: excel
Contents: exe=EXCEL.EXE
extension=xls
User Function Id: excelclient
User Function Name: Report Client Spreadsheet
Menu Category:`Report
Application: excel
Application Parameters: \\myserver\excelreport\client.xls
Enhanced Capabilities
Enhanced capability allows for the specification of the executable "path" in a single registry entry as an "application" definition, enabling many User Defined Functions to be created from a single registry entry. This is particularly helpful for applications such as Crystal Reports where each files is defined by a unique executable.
Create a registry entry with...
Id: Application name (or whatever else makes sense) and contents:
Contents: exeNameInParms=true
Create a user-defined function with:
Id=unique function id
Name=description associated with user-defined function for Menu Display
Menu Category=Report, or Starter, or Viewer --to define which menu should display the function
Application=Application name
Application Parameters= the name of the specific executable file
Example
Registry Id: Crystal
Contents: path= c:\my documents\crystal report files\
Contents2: exeNameInParms=true
User Function Id: Report_One
User Function Name: Report One of My Crystal Reports
Menu Category:Report
Application: Crystal
Application Parameters: report_one.exe