Next and Previous

When a query is run in WorkBench, the tool will return a list of the items matching the criteria specified.

As a Cradle database can contain any number of items of information a query could find 0 to 1 million items.

Items in Cradle Database
Items in Cradle Database

The time taken to find so many items could be excessive. Therefore, queries find and return items from the database in blocks. The default size of a block is 1000 items but can be extended to 8000 items in UI Control user preferences:

User Pref Options
Retrieve Item Options in User Prefs

This means that when you run a query it will return at most N items.

Navigating between Blocks of Data

When the block is shown in the WorkBench UI, it is preceded by Previous… and followed by Next….

If you select these, then the query is re-run to find the next block or the previous block of items.

Query showing Previous option
Query showing Previous option
Query showing Next option
Query showing Next option

In this example, clicking the Next… option will retrieve the next set of items in the query:

Query showing items
Query showing items

Selecting Previous… again will return you to the previous block of items.

Reporting Items

If you are creating a report or publishing a document using a query, it is likely that you would NOT wish to be restricted by blocks of items.

Reports allow you to specify:

  • Selected items – items highlighted in the query
  • All items in this set – the block of N items
  • All matching items in database – the totality of items matching the query criteria

    Publish Table Dialog
    Publish Table options

 

How can I create the same report each month?

Report Definitions

Like many settings a report’s setup can be saved. This creates a report definition file that can be stored in the Project, User, User Type, Team or Personal areas. It can then be recalled by each user that is permitted to see those ‘directories‘.

The report definition can hold the content definition and design layout of the report.

Example – A query based report.

In this example ‘Alan’ has set up an Item Summary report based on the Test – All query. This has been saved as Monthly test report and the output shown in a browser. The example shows a selected Style, and the Options that have been selected elements that are required in the report columns.

Saving a report definition from the Report Inspector
Save Report Definition

A different user ‘Peter’ does not have the permission to create or alter definitions, but can still run the report each month as it has been added to the Project’s phases.

running a report from the phase tree
Report from a Phase

Phases/Definition Sidebar

You have users that are not permitted to access definitions directly. They might be the user that needs to trigger the report each month, then there are two ways they can access it. Opening the Definitions sidebar and drilling down to Reports -> Project the report could be triggered from here. Alternatively it could  be added as a phase. Users accessing the phase sidebar can then select and run the report definition directly without access to the report definition itself.

Permissions

You’ll need the CREATE_DEFS privilege to be able to edit the report definition.

 

Project Schema Report Options

New Cradle 7.2 Reports Feature

It just grew and grew and grew…..

As more functionality is constantly being added to Cradle, the number of elements in the project schema grow. If you want to study only part of the schema, the report could be quite long and unwieldy. Cradle 7.2 allows users to select the portions of the schema they want to show in a report.

Shows selection of part of the project schema and resultant report
Report parts of the project schema

New Cradle 7.3.1 Reports Feature

We’ve made coloursets report more clearly in the Schema Report.

option dialog and result for schema coloursets
Coloursets – Report

Coloursets are a means to easily and consistently apply foreground and background colours to diagram symbols, or item type definitions. you can see more information in the Cradle help.

Copying a Schema

Once you have set up a schema, you can always copy it to a new project.

 

Meeting Corporate Style

Match in Style

If you want your reports to match you Corporate style, you can create your own Report Styles in Cradle. Although this example of the Vibrant Corporation takes it to the extreme!

How to set report colour settings
Report Colour Settings
Cradle Reports in colours
Reports

You can save the style and apply it to each report generated throughout Cradle. This applies to HTML and RTF styles, plain text and CSV are not altered. See Cradle help for more details. Whether you are printing a list of items from the database, or the component parts of a data definition or a baseline summary, you can pick from the built in styles or create your own.

Running Reports

Reports can be run from within the Phase hierarchy (great if you need the same report running regularly) or directly through the Reports tool.

 

Updated : September 2020 -additional linksand screen shots