Case Study HTML Reports

Prototyping is essential to rapid application development.

AppML Services are is ideal for rapid prototyping.

Prototyping HTML Reports

When a development project is in its initial state, it is of vital importance to have an efficient tool for rapid prototyping.

The AppML Service called app_htmlreport.asp is the perfect tool for rapid prototyping of HTML reports. With this Web Service you can prototype your HTML reports with only a few lines of AppML code. You don't have to write any HTML code. Just link to the AppML Service like this:

app_htmlreport.asp?appname=appml_description.

Look at the examples below:

Customized HTML Reports

The AppML HTML Report Service is also perfect for producing HTML reports with a corporate layout. 

By changing the styles in the standard stylesheet app_htmlreport.css, you can easily change the overall look and style of your standard reports.

Example 1 - A Simple Default Report

This example uses a very simple AppML file to describe a database element. Only the database connection and a database table is defined. Using this description, the HTML Report Service has to use its default values for data selection and presentation: 

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<appml>

<database>
  <connection>northwind</connection> 
  <maintable>Customers</maintable>
</database>

</appml>

Click here to see the output produced by the HTML Report Service.

Example 2 - A Report with SQL

In this example we have substituted the <maintable> element from the previous example with an <sql> element to control the selection of data:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<appml>

<database>
  <connection>northwind</connection> 
  <sql>
  SELECT CompanyName,ContactName,City FROM Customers
  </sql>
</database>

</appml>

Click here to see the output produced by the HTML Report Service.

Example 3 - A Report with a Query Filter

This third example uses an AppML description with added information about how the user can query and filter the report at runtime:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>

<appml>

<database>
  <connection>northwind</connection> 
  <sql>
  SELECT CompanyName,ContactName,City FROM Customers
  </sql> 
</database>

<filters>
<query>
  <field>CompanyName</field>
  <value>a</value>
</query>
<query>
  <field>City</field>
  <sql>select distinct city from customers order by city</sql>
</query>
</filters>

</appml>

Click here to see the output produced by the HTML Report Service.

!!! Use the FILTER link at the top of the report to filter the report.

Example 4 - A Report with Query and Order-By Filters

This example is the same as the previous, with an added information about how the user can change the sorting of the report at runtime:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>

<appml>

<database>
  <connection>northwind</connection>
  <sql>
  SELECT CompanyName,ContactName,City FROM Customers
  </sql> 
</database>

<filters>
<orderby>CompanyName</orderby>
<query>
  <field>CompanyName</field>
  <value>a</value>
</query>
<query>
  <field>City</field>
  <sql>select distinct city from customers order by city</sql>
</query>

<orderselect>
  <field>CompanyName</field>
  <field>ContactName</field>
  <field>City</field>
</orderselect>
</filters>

</appml>

Click here to see the output produced by the HTML Report Service.

!!! Use the FILTER link at the top of the report to filter the report.

Example Northwind Reports

• Sales by Category
• Sales 1997
• Quarterly Orders
• Ten Most Expensive Products

The AppML Description

The AppML description for the reports above look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" ?>
<appml>

<database>
<connection>northwind</connection> 
</database>

<htmlreport name="ten_most_expensive">
<sql>
select * from [Ten Most Expensive Products]
</sql>
</htmlreport>

<htmlreport name="sales_by_year">
<sql>
select * from [Sales by Year]
</sql>
</htmlreport>

<htmlreport name="sales_by_category">
<sql>
select * from [Sales by Category]
</sql>
</htmlreport>

<htmlreport name="sales_1997">
<sql>
select * from [Product Sales for 1997]
</sql>
</htmlreport>

<htmlreport name="quarterly_orders">
<sql>
select * from [Quarterly Orders]
</sql>
</htmlreport>

</appml>

Save A Lot Of Development Time

Note that all the examples above use exactly the same AppML Service to produce the HTML report. Using an AppML Service like this can save you a lot of development time.

Development Partners Wanted

Refsnes Data has just completed a large development project based on AppML. It has been estimated by our developers that development time has been reduced by 75% compared to ordinary web development.

For new projects and for development of next generation AppML web services, Refsnes Data is seeking new development partners. Read more.

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