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Template Editor

The report tools consist of a template editor and a report editor (ReportEditor). The template editor is used to create workspace independent templates that then can be loaded from the report editor and used with a specific workspace.

Some example templates have been include that can be used by everyone with minimal editing, or can be used for ideas to more personalized templates.

The Template Editor

The template editor window consist of a ribbon with a few buttons, a list of elements and a template preview window.

The ribbon buttons include:

  • Save, Load and Print for the template. Printing is usually more relevant ones the template is used to create a report.
     
  • Build that updates the template preview window. For most changes to the template this is done automatically, but with this button it can always be done.
     
  • Filter Elements allow a dropdown filter to be used on the list of elements below, so that only the relevant elements are listed.
     
  • Portrait or Landscape button is used to set the orientation of the template. Paper Size is used to specify the paper size of the template. The available options are loaded from the default printer.
     
  • Increase, Decrease and Reset are used to change the zoom on the template preview window.

A template is made up of a list of elements, such as frames and maps. These elements will be identical for all reports made with the template, but while some elements such as frames are static and will appear exactly identical on all reports, others such as maps can be adjusted for the specific report to show specific layers. At the template level the map element mainly specify the extent of the map element on the report page.

Each element on the list include an element type symbol followed by the element type name and number if there is more than one such element on the list. Selecting the element on the list will show the extent of the element in red in the template preview window. The extent can also be read from the Left, Right, Top and Bottom numbers. These numbers can edited or adjusted directly or they can be adjusted using a few useful shortcuts.

  • Shift + arrow keys: adjust the Right or Bottom side of the extent.
     
  • Ctrl + arrow keys: adjust the Left or Top side of the extent.
     
  • Shift + Ctrl + arrow keys: move the whole extent on the page.
     
  • Caps Lock switch between 0,5 cm adjustments and 0,1 cm adjustments.

Should the extent be moved outside the printable area as defined by the default printer, it will be visible from looking at the red lines in the template preview window.

A new template start as a frame element and a map element. To add more, click on the template type symbol of one of the elements and Copy the element. In the same way it is possible to Change Type for the element or Delete the element.

The available elements include:

  • Frame. These create a frame with the given extent. They have a Line width and a Color. Note that frames are completely independent of other elements, they are simply frames that will be drawn on the report pages. All options for this element type are set in the template editor, so it does not appear on the list of elements in the report editor.
     
  • Text Box. These write a line of text between the Left and Right extent just below the Top. The Bottom doesn’t do anything here. They have a text line, some Font options and an option to adjust the text to the left edge, the center or the right edge. This element type appears in the report editor, but it is only possible to adjust the text of the text line.
     
  • Map. These create a map with the given extent. Everything about the map except its visibility and its extent is adjusted in the report editor. Each template must include a map as it is used behind the scene to set the used map node, but it does not have to be visible in the final report.
     
  • Legend. These create a list box with the given extent. The list will show the names of all active layer on the associated map. The map is set with the dropdown and the list box is updated automatically in the report if the layers on the map are changed. All options for this element type are set in the template editor, so it does not appear on the list of elements in the report editor.
     
  • North Arrow. These create a north arrow with a size controlled by the given extent. The associated map is set with the dropdown. All options for this element type are set in the template editor, so it does not appear on the list of elements in the report editor.
     
  • Image. These allow different types of images (like png, bmp and jpg) to be shown within the extent. The image is scaled to its largest possible size within the extent with the aspect ratio of the original image preserved. All options for this element type are set in the template editor, so it does not appear on the list of elements in the report editor.
     
  • Profile. These creates a section along a profile from the associated map within the given extent. The map is set with the dropdown. Everything about the section except its associated map and its extent is adjusted in the report editor.
     
  • Color Scale. These creates a color scale within the given extent. The color scale can either have an associated map or an associated profile. The map or profile is set with the dropdown. If a map is set the exact layer that should provide the color scale is set in the report editor. If a profile is set the color scale will be the color scale used on the profile and all options for this element type are set in the template editor, so it does not appear on the list of elements in the report editor.