Use this dialog to create report format files that can be used to generate user defined formattable reports. It can also be used to create your required outputs, such as Parts list and Nets list in your own format.
User Reports can be generated for PCB and Schematic designs, for Symbol, Footprint and Parts library items and for items from the Pulsonix Vault.
Commands
As a quick reference to commands, the link below direct you to command pages:
Locating this option
Available from: Output, Report Maker
Shortcuts
Default Keys: None
Default Menu: Output
Command: Report Maker
User Reports
User Report format files contain commands that define what is output to the report, what order this information is output and what fields are output for each design item that is reported.
Format files are accessed from a a set of folders known to Pulsonix. Use the Folders option from the Setup menu to change the location of these files.
User report scripts can be generated and edited using the Report Maker dialog, found on the Output menu. Use of this dialog is described in more detail below.
When the format files are complete, the user reports can be run from the Reports dialog, found on the Output menu. Symbol library reports can be run from the Library Report dialog by using the Reports button on the Library Manager dialog. Part library reports can be run from the Parts Library Report dialog by using the Reports button on the Library Manager Parts page. Vault reports can be run from the Vault Report dialog by using the Reports button on the Vault Manager Browser page.
User reports can also be run from within the CAM Plot Output system by creating plots assigned to them.
User reports can be inserted into PCB or Schematic designs to document manufacturing or design information, for example a component variant report in a PCB design, or an ungated pins report in a schematic design. You can access attributes on a inserted report to help control the report contents. See Insert User Report and Drawing Commands for more details.
You can assign running of user reports to keys using the Tools tab in the Customise dialog.
You can also write user reports to perform complex selection of components and nets in the current design.
Report Maker Dialog
The following dialog allows you to create new format files, edit existing format files and view reports by running these files on the current design.
Areas of the Report Maker dialog
Format
The ‘Format’ drop down list is a list of all the available report format files (.rff) found in the reports Folders.
New
Choose a format file to open, or use the New button to create a new one, optionally copied from an existing one.
Save and Save As
After the format’s script has been changed, use the Save button to save these changes to the format file, or use the Save As button to copy to a different file name.
Options
The Options button enables you to change the text colour of commands in the Format Script section.
Description
The Description entry is for labelling the format file. This description is displayed in the Reports option when the file is selected in the list. It is provided to give an indication of the activity of the file when run.
Available In
Format files can be set as available for any combination of Schematics and PCB designs, or for any of the Library types, or for a Panel design or to be run from the Vault. Do this by selecting the respective check boxes. If you create a format file for multiple report types, then later switch one of the types off, you may find that some commands in the ‘Format Script’ are marked with a small red cross to indicate that they are unavailable for this report type.
Commands
The actual commands shown in the list on the left side of the dialog will vary depending on the currently selected line in the script. The list is divided into sections; the top section are general commands that can be applied anywhere in the script, the middle section are commands used to control reporting of lists of items, and the bottom section includes commands for reporting fields specific to the currently selected line or portion of the report script.
Format Script
The format script is a list of commands that are run through on the current design to produce the required report. They are displayed in a ‘tree’ style, much like the Windows Explorer style of displaying files and folders. This allows you to hide or show portions of the report to make it easier to view.
Buttons for Adding Commands
The buttons between the commands list and the format script box provide you with the tools to add commands into the script.
Add
Commands are added from the command list by selecting the required command in the list, and clicking on the Add button, or simply by double-clicking on the command in the list. The new command is added after the currently selected line in the script and a dialog may be displayed if extra information is required for the command.
Note: If you keep the Ctrl button pressed while selecting the command, it will be added before the currently selected line.
If
The If button allows you to add a “flow of control” command into the script such that ‘if’ a specified field passes a test, then the indented commands following the If command will be run.
Adding this command will display a Edit If Command dialog for you to use to specify which field you are testing, how you are testing it and what condition it must meet before the following (indented) commands in the script are run. You can also optionally specify a list of commands to run if the condition is not satisfied (‘Else’ switch).
While
The While button allows you to add a “flow of control” command into the script. While a condition is satisfied, the indented commands in the script following the While command will be repeatedly run.
Adding this command will display a Edit While Command dialog for you to use to specify the variable name that will have its value tested and the condition the value must meet in order to keep running the following (indented) commands in the script.
Buttons To Edit The Script
Buttons down the right-hand side of the script box provide you with the tools to manipulate the commands in the script.
Edit
Use this to edit the currently selected command in the script. Double-click on the command in the script will have the same effect. The appropriate edit dialog will be presented for you to alter the details of the command. Not all of the details are displayed in the command text shown in the script, so use this to view this detail as well as changing it.
Copy
Use this to copy the currently selected command in the script and insert it after it, but at the same level. This copy then becomes selected and is ready to be moved up or down to the required position in the script. If the command has associated indented commands, for example with an If command, then these will also be copied.
You can also copy an item by keeping the Ctrl key pressed whilst dragging the command with the left mouse button.
Delete
Use this to delete the currently selected command from the script. If the command has associated indented commands, for example with an If command, then these will also be deleted. You can alternatively use the Del key for this operation.
Enable/Disable
Use the Disable and Enable buttons to set whether the currently selected command in the script is to be ignored when running the report. an exclamation mark will appear before the command if it is disabled.
Up and Down
Use these buttons to move the currently selected command Up one place or Down one place in the script.
If a command is currently at the top of its indented section, pressing Up will move it out of this section and remove a level on indentation to form part of the higher level commands. For example, selecting the first command in the indented section following a While command will move it out of the set of While commands and place it immediately before the While command in the script.
Conversely, if a command is currently just above a command that contains an indented command set, pressing Down will move it down into the top of the indented section.
You can also drag a command with the left mouse button held down to reposition it in the script. When you let the button back up the item will be moved to that position. If the Ctrl key is held down whilst dragging, a copy will be made of item before moving it.
Indent
Use this to add indentation to a set commands. Indentation can be used for a couple of reasons:
- To add clarity to a portion of commands in a script. It might be a long IF statement that you need to indent to view clearer.
- By Indenting a section of script, even commands outside of IF and ELSE statements, perhaps commands that follow the IF statements, such as End Of Line and Blank Line, you can then opt to Copy the commands or move them to another part of the script.
When the Indent button is pressed, after typing in a Comment into the dialog, you must select the portion of script required for indentation. This is an interactive command so drag the mouse up and down to select the portion of script required. The comment is displayed in the script along with an indentation indicator. The indent can then be ‘closed’ up to further aid clarity of your script.
Unindent
Use this to remove the Indented status on a selected set of commands.
Delete All
Use this to remove the entire script.
Undo and Redo
Use Undo to put back any changes to the script that have been performed by the previous operations in the current session. Use Redo to put it back to what you had prior to doing an Undo.
Test
Press this to run the format script on the current design and produce a report to use to check that the script is working as intended. You will be warned if the design format is not checked in the Available For boxes.
Resizing the Dialog
Drag the bottom right corner of this dialog to change it’s size. Enlarging it allows you to see more of the script. The size and position will be remembered for the next time you use the Report Maker.
Related Topics
Assigning Reports To Keys | Commands | Drawing Commands | Options | Folders | Generate Reports | Inserting Reports Into The Design | New Format File