> I am looking for Pros/Cons on various Report Writers that can be integrated > with ColdFusion. I have one project that I would like to generate Avery > Labels through the Web Browser. This is a new area for me and all > information is greatly appreciated.
Hey Graham, You're gonna LOVE this technique! 1) Plunk down $39.95 for Avery DesignPro 2000 label software. 2) Create a new User named "LabelUser" with a unique password in your database (we did this with SQL Server). 3) Create a View object that performs whatever query (relational or not) that exposes the columns you need for your labels. Name your View something really obvious like "Labels," and if your column names are cryptic then make sure to take advantage of aliasing in the view definition itself, as your customer will be interacting with these column names. 4) Allow LabelUser to have only SELECT access to this view; disallow everyone else. 5) Create a local ODBC data source on the user's workstation that points to the IP address of the database server, and that connects using the LabelUser username and the password you assigned to that user. 6) Fire up DesignPro 2000, and use that ODBC link as your data source when creating and printing labels. 7) Create as many label templates as your customer wants, and you'll have them up and running in about ten minutes. You now have a $40 piece of well-supported, off-the-shelf commercial software handling a complex issue in a secure fashion. If the customer needs new label designs, they just fire it up and do it-- all without having to involve you (unless the both of you want it that way). Remember: you can apply filters and sorts to a View just like it was a table in your database, so let DesignPro supply such info rather then thinking you have to create separate View objects each time you want a different selection of labels. Just define your View object to expose the columns you need from whatever tables you need. The exception would be if you only ever want to create labels for a clearly-defined subset of rows. In that case you would supply a WHERE clause (or extend the JOIN clause) to handle that in your View definition so you don't have to return a ton of rows you don't need to your workstation over the Internet. Any filters you apply in DesignPro get applied to whatever rows are returned from the View object. I hope this helps, my friend! :) Respectfully, Adam Phillip Churvis Certified Advanced ColdFusion 5 Developer Productivity Enhancement, Inc. http://www.ColdFusionTraining.com E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: 770-446-8866 ______________________________________________________________________ Get Your Own Dedicated Windows 2000 Server PIII 800 / 256 MB RAM / 40 GB HD / 20 GB MO/XFER Instant Activation � $99/Month � Free Setup http://www.pennyhost.com/redirect.cfm?adcode=coldfusionb FAQ: http://www.thenetprofits.co.uk/coldfusion/faq Archives: http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists
