The software house combit, maker of the internationally renown component List & Label, has now released version 14. List & Label comes equipped with a host of new features and accord-ing to combit breaks existing boundaries to set new standards, offering developers new per-spectives for creating reports. A special feature that List & Label developers have implemented to ease the use of the Designer is the inclusion of a real-data-preview, a real time sa-ving impact for all end users.
“It’s a completely new design feeling” says Jochen Bartlau, Project Manager of List & Label, talking about the new features of the Designer and with a wink in his eye adds: “Now there is no reason to leave the Designer ever again”. That means the impact of changes can now be seen with real data, without having to leave the Designer. Within the preview there is also an integrated index to ease the navigation through the report. Additionally the page layout of the output file breaks boundaries set by the previous versions: it is now possible to mix different formats within the same document. In earlier versions it was only possible to have one layout format e.g. portrait or landscape – now multiple formats are possible as well as the choice of printer type. Using a single record from the database, the user can define real rows – for example with tolerance values, target and measured – that can be represented in a line diagram with respect to time.
Software developers get their money’s worth too with the new version: new for Professional and Enterprise Edition 14, the generation of DOM code is now automatically provided by the List & Label object model directly from the project file which according to combit saves precious time. The DOM viewer has been completely reworked, now including a search utility for objects and properties. Additionally a project file can be used as a general storage to help developers along. For this purpose, the project parameter interface has been extended with a method and allows the storage of SQL queries or even complete data sets within a project. One of many highlights of version 14 is an extended formula assistant, better overview of property values, magnetized help lines in the Designer and your own Designer actions e.g. in combination with DOM: select a style sheet at the click of a button.
The Standard Edition of List & Label 14 is available for 370 Euro, Subscription Editions Professional starts at 1380 Euro and Enterprise at 2094 Euro. For a valid subscription Version 14 is inclusive.
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List & Label 14: the new features:
Integrated real data preview: Integrated real data preview: Users see instantaneously the effects of their changes. The time saved is huge, printing and export can now be started from the Designer, without having to compromise on functionality available in the preview, such as printing, exporting, sending e-mail and a slideshow mode.
Different layout regions: The user has more creative freedom regarding the layout of output files such as paper format and printer destination. Different formats can now be mixed within the same document so that printing each sheet can be targeted to a de-sired printer.
Charts: With a single record from the database, real rows can be defined e.g. expected values with actual and tolerance values. This enables a line diagram to have all values displayed with respect to time.
Preview: An index is automatically created to ease the overview when previewing a document. Thanks to the List & Label viewer the user can navigate through the report comfortably and exceedingly fast. Also the handling of pictures is speeded up: when several JPEGS are being used the data size is now reduced by up to 80%. Optional image smoothing is also attractive to the eye.
DOM: Properties, individual objects up to complete projects can be created as .NET code by a single DOM API call. Instead of using a pencil and ruler the user designs exactly where it is most convenient: in the Designer. That means from a project file the DOM code can be auto-matically created. Additionally the DOM viewer has been re-worked and now includes a search facility.
Designer: A better and more user friendly interface for the handling of object properties: optio-nally described in meaningful text what it’s all about. As soon as you modify values and change them from the default setting, the properties are displayed in bold format. Enter the term “Na-me” in the field list and all fields including “Name” will be visible. This can be used for functions and fields/variables so saving time when you are searching: “what was the full name of the function, just remember something with date“. Help lines have become magnetic, but only via request using the CTRL-key. Now the user doesn’t just move the help lines but also everything docked to it. The project parameter interface now allows the use of project files as general storage, this way enabling parameterized reports. Besides functions and objects, the user can now in combination with DOM and Designer, create their own designer actions at a click of a button. New with version 14 is the support for Delphi 2009.
List & Label: Product description
With the combit List & Label software, developers can equip their own applications easily and quickly with efficient functions to assist in the areas of reports, statistics, forms, lists and labels. Only a few lines of code are required to integrate the report generator into existing applications. The Designer, which can be passed on to end users without having to pay additional license fees, is available in 15 languages. The development tool for extensive reporting functions as well as web reporting is available in German or English and can process almost all character sets. All three editions of List & Label can be integrated into a large variety of programming languages.
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