Task 8:

Create a report title

All your report needs now is a title. To display a title, you can use either a label element, a text element, or a data element. The following list describes each type of element:

n	The label element is suitable for short, static text, such as column headings.

n	The data element is suitable for displaying dynamic values from a data set field or a computed field.

n	The text element is suitable for multi-line text that contains different formatting or dynamic values.

In this procedure, you use a text element and HTML tags to format the text. Note that you are not required to use HTML to create formatted text. If, however, you are well-versed in HTML or web design, you might prefer using HTML to create a block of formatted text.

1	Choose Layout to return to the layout editor.

2	Choose Palette.

3	Drag the text element from the palette, and drop it above the table.

4	On Edit Text Item, select HTML from the drop-down list that displays Auto.

When you select HTML, you can embed HTML tags or CSS properties in the text. You can type the tags or you can insert the commonly used HTML tags that the text editor provides.

5	Specify the following text in the text area, shown in Figure 1‑35:

<CENTER><B><span style="font-size: larger">

Customer List

</B></span><BR>

<FONT size="small">For internal use only</FONT><BR><BR>

Report generated on <VALUE-OF>new Date( )</VALUE-OF>

</CENTER><BR><BR>

Figure 1‑35

Text with HTML tags

6	Choose OK, then preview the report. The report should look like the one shown in Figure 1‑36.

Figure 1‑36

Report preview showing formatted report title

As you can see, using the text element with embedded HTML enables you to

n	Use different formatting for each line in a multi-line text block.

n	Insert dynamic values, such as the current date.

Alternatively, you can use

n	Two label elements to display the first and second lines of static text

n	A data element to display the third line that contains the dynamic value