Using both 'enable suppression" plus a formula

[Grelber]

Our system vendor (not Crystal Decisions) is telling us that the way to use the supression option for the detail section of the report is to enable suppression (click the checkbox) and then go into the formula editor and write your formula. I have not found this to work correctly and am just using formulas to conditionally suppress. Is our vendor messed up? What happens when you do both?

 

[synapsevampire]

Either works.

It isn't required to check the box if you are using a formula.

So yes, your vendor is messed up.

Then again, you said that it doesn't work if you do check it, care to qualify that?

-k

 

[Grelber]

It has been a while since I did both, however I can say that the output I got was different if I did both as opposed to just using a formula. The question came up because I attended a meeting yesterday where the vendor gave a webcast on the subject. I and another user brought up the issue and the vendor rep was "puzzled".

 

[synapsevampire]

If you have a specific example, please share it, otherwise I'll assume that it was in an old or unpatched version as I get the same results.

-k

 

[Grelber]

Am using Seagate Info v7.5.2 dated 11/29/2000. The version of Crystal Reports in this product is v8.0.1.18 dated 12/9/2000. I have received no patches from vendor. Again, we do not work directly with Crystal Decisions and must get our updates from our system vendor.

Thanks for your info....k

 

[lbass]

As I understand it, the formula will override the checkmark. But, in cases where the formula cannot be applied, the checkmark or lack of it becomes the default condition. Specifically, there is a difference if you are using the next or previous function and there is no next or previous record.

For example, if you have a checkmark for detail suppression, then the first record will not appear if you use a formula like:

{table.clientID} = previous({table.clientID})

If you uncheck it, the first record appears. You could also leave the box checked and change the formula to correct for this problem:

Not onfirstrecord and
{table.clientID} = previous({table.clientID})

Since discovering this difference, I tend to NOT check the box, but just enter the simpler conditional formula. I'm not sure how this applies to other formatting, but I would think that the "default" condition (checkmark or not) could have an impact whenever a formula can't execute for whatever reason.

-LB

 

[Grelber]

Yes, having not used both the checkbox and formula together for some time the "previous" looks familiar as the circumstance where I was seeing differences.

Thanks

 

[synapsevampire]

Ahhh, good point, LBA, I hadn't considered a previous function.

Like you, I never check it.

-k