Issues encountered while evaluating product

[Jean-François Turcotte]

Hi,

I would first like to say that I am very impressed by the Stimulsoft Reports.Wpf product, and can fully appreciate all the hard work that went into it. We are currently evaluating this solution and building a demo with it to possibly use this component in our next major software. During our demo building phase, we have encountered several issues with the end-user designer. I would like, if possible, to know the status or each issue, or simply to report them if they have not been logged thus far.

1- In the textbox expression editor, using the ‘word wrap’ option from the right click menu: This option works the first time, but whenever the expression window is closed and re-opened, the word wrapping functionality is not re-applied, even though the option is still checked in the right click menu. This forces us to remove and re-apply the word wrap option each time the expression window is opened.

2- I could not call the ‘DateDiff’ function directly in a textbox expression, the report validator returned an error saying the word ‘DateDiff’ was not a recognized keyword or function in this context. I Can use other functions such as IIF and SumIf in the same context.

3- In the expression editor window, the scrollbars on the right do not work when trying to use the mouse to drag and drop the bar itself. It only works using the scroll wheel or the up and down buttons of the scroll bars (same thing for the horizontal scroll bar)

4- I select a textbox to display it’s properties in the properties list panel. I then select the value inside the ‘Text’ property, to remove the caption of the selected control. Hitting the delete or backspace key removes the text in the property list, but then hitting the enter key or clicking on another control only seldom removes the text from the textbox. Clicking on the textbox again reveals that the text was not removed (as well as still being set on the actual control in the design panel). Retrying sometimes work, or using the righ click menu ‘Clear contents’.

5- Using the following expression on a textbox in my report: {IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 0 && dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days 0 && dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days <= 30))}. The report checker component warns me that ‘HTML tags are used in the text…’ which I do not use… I am merely displaying a currency amount or an empty space if the value is 0. I do not understand the reason for this warning in this context.


I would also like to submit the following usability suggestions that I think would greatly enhance the experience using this designer.

1- It should be possible to select multiple controls using the mouse with a selection rectangle when the controls are placed inside a band control. For example, Microsoft Visual studio allows such a mechanism by holding down the 'Shift' key while drawing our selection rectangle, to avoid moving the container band itself. It gets pretty tedious selecting many controls inside a band using the 'Control' key to move them together.

I think that is all for now. Thank you and keep up the good work!

[Alex K.]

Hello,

1- In the textbox expression editor, using the ‘word wrap’ option from the right click menu: This option works the first time, but whenever the expression window is closed and re-opened, the word wrapping functionality is not re-applied, even though the option is still checked in the right click menu. This forces us to remove and re-apply the word wrap option each time the expression window is opened.

We couldn't reproduce this bug.
Please check the latest prerelease build.

2- I could not call the ‘DateDiff’ function directly in a textbox expression, the report validator returned an error saying the word ‘DateDiff’ was not a recognized keyword or function in this context. I Can use other functions such as IIF and SumIf in the same context.

We couldn't reproduce this bug.
Please send us a sample report which reproduses the issue.

3- In the expression editor window, the scrollbars on the right do not work when trying to use the mouse to drag and drop the bar itself. It only works using the scroll wheel or the up and down buttons of the scroll bars (same thing for the horizontal scroll bar)

We couldn't reproduce this bug.
Please check the latest prerelease build.

4- I select a textbox to display it’s properties in the properties list panel. I then select the value inside the ‘Text’ property, to remove the caption of the selected control. Hitting the delete or backspace key removes the text in the property list, but then hitting the enter key or clicking on another control only seldom removes the text from the textbox. Clicking on the textbox again reveals that the text was not removed (as well as still being set on the actual control in the design panel). Retrying sometimes work, or using the righ click menu ‘Clear contents’.

For confirmation of a property be set in the Property Grid, you need to either press the Enter key or click another property. When going directly to a component the property will not be applied.

5- Using the following expression on a textbox in my report: {IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 0 && dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days 0 && dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days <= 30))}. The report checker component warns me that ‘HTML tags are used in the text…’ which I do not use… I am merely displaying a currency amount or an empty space if the value is 0. I do not understand the reason for this warning in this context.

Thank you for the bug report.
We are working on the problem. We will let you know when the solution is available.

1- It should be possible to select multiple controls using the mouse with a selection rectangle when the controls are placed inside a band control. For example, Microsoft Visual studio allows such a mechanism by holding down the 'Shift' key while drawing our selection rectangle, to avoid moving the container band itself. It gets pretty tedious selecting many controls inside a band using the 'Control' key to move them together.

Thank you for your suggestions.
Unfortunately, this is a very complicated moment, and, possibly, requires a huge work in redisigning. So, on the current moment, this will be left "as is".

Thank you.

[Jean-François Turcotte]

I installed and checked the latest pre-release version (21 Feb 2011 release)

1 - I can still reproduce this issue. The option is saved and reapplied in the right click popup menu, yet the word-wrap is not applied, this problem does not occur on the initial application of the option, but when I subsequently re-open the expression window which contains a long expression that cannot fit completely in the horizontal view.

2 - I can still reproduce this issue. The expression I used was the following: {IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, DateDiff(dtpQueryDate.Value, CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90) == (decimal)0, "", SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90))}
this gave me the error "The name 'DateDiff' does not exist in the current context"

3 - I can still reproduce this issue. When expanding my data sources/connections/data objects, a scrollbar appear because teh content is too long to fit in the height of the expression window. This scrollbar can only be manipulated using the scrool wheel or the up and down arrows. It cannot be dragged and dropped by it's central bar component. Neither can the horizontal scroll bar in the same container.

Thank you and have a nice day!

[Alex K.]

Hello,

1 - I can still reproduce this issue. The option is saved and reapplied in the right click popup menu, yet the word-wrap is not applied, this problem does not occur on the initial application of the option, but when I subsequently re-open the expression window which contains a long expression that cannot fit completely in the
horizontal view.

The issue is fixed. Please check the latest build when it will be available.

2 - I can still reproduce this issue. The expression I used was the following: {IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, DateDiff(dtpQueryDate.Value, CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90) == (decimal)0, "", SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90))}
this gave me the error "The name 'DateDiff' does not exist in the current context"

We are working on the problem. We will let you know when the solution is available.

3 - I can still reproduce this issue. When expanding my data sources/connections/data objects, a scrollbar appear because teh content is too long to fit in the height of the expression window. This scrollbar can only be manipulated using the scrool wheel or the up and down arrows. It cannot be dragged and dropped by it's central bar component. Neither can the horizontal scroll bar in the same container.

The issue is fixed. Please check the latest build when it will be available.

Thank you.

[Ivan]

Hello,

The expression I used was the following: {IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, DateDiff(dtpQueryDate.Value, CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90) == (decimal)0, "", SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90))}
this gave me the error "The name 'DateDiff' does not exist in the current context"

We are working on the problem.
As a workaround, please use the following expression:

Code: Select all

{IIF(SumIf(CustAging.Balance, Stimulsoft.Report.Dictionary.StiFunctionsDate.DateDiff(dtpQueryDate.Value, CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90) == (decimal)0, "", SumIf(CustAging.Balance, dtpQueryDate.Value.Subtract(CustAging.DocOrderDate).Days > 90))} 

Thank you.