RIP

Reportwriter Interactive Painter

Printed reports are an integral part of any computer application. They may be a fundamental part of the business application itself (e.g. statements, remittance advices, picking lists, etc..), or they may be regular or ad hoc management reports.

The design, programming and production of these reports can be an expensive and time consuming process.

In addition to the production of printed output for new computer applications, many IT users have to maintain and modify existing reports, which are often written in COBOL, but which, in many cases, are inadequately documented.

RIP can help you to save time and money, whether you are generating new reports or re-engineering existing COBOL batch programs. It enables you to design reports and produce samples for your user. It then automatically generates the layout code for Application Master or COBOL.

Existing COBOL reports can be taken onto the RIP screen design system which is used to re-design and re-document the report; RIP is then used to generate the layout code.

What is RIP?

RIP is a dictionary based report designer for producing and editing draft versions of a report layout.

When RIP is used to design a report:

• The designer types fixed report text directly onto the video screen as it is to appear in the final report.
• RIP correctly reserves space on the report layout for the variable fields based on details held in the DDS. These can be taken on from existing COBOL programs.
• Individual fields or whole areas of the completed report design may be changed, moved or altered with great ease.
• RIP produces an exact copy of the report design on the appropriate printer & stationery, using realistic values for the variable fields.
• RIP automatically generates the layout code to be incorporated in the REPORT-PROGRAM. This can be COBOL or Application Master.

So what can you expect if you use RIP?

TIME SAVING

RIP saves time for user and DP staff because:

1. You don't have to produce Program Specs which define the page layout.
2. Changes to the design can be made in seconds (not hours) with no further work on the part of the designer to change the layout code.
3. Old (and poorly documented) reports can be re-engineered with small effort.

BETTER QUALITY

RIP improves the quality of service to the user because:

4. The user gets rapid confirmation of his design instructions, produced by the computer on the same stationery which he will have for the final product.

RIP will give large reductions in the time and cost of producing REPORT-PROGRAMS.

Technical Features

• Menu Driven Designer's Interface
• Rapid Control Key commands for experienced designers
• Designer can manipulate whole blocks of fields and text
• Full Report Master General Purpose component structures supported
• Whole report is designed on screen, then split into REPORT-PROGRAM/COMPONENTS
• Defines Fields based on DDS ITEMS or defined at runtime
• Will process existing + LAYOUT, + HEADER, etc. or previous RIP designs
• Generates sample reports for Specification / User Approval / Checking Pre-Printed Stationery / Operator Line-up
• Samples have realistic values in fields
• User-Hooks allow easy tailoring to site printing methods
• DDS Multiple Project Management is supported