Modifying Attached Report Specs

Report Writer allows you to attach a previously saved sort or retrieve spec to your Report. Attached specs take precedence over any Retrieve or Sort you used to get your current result set. If there are both Retrieve and Sort specs saved with your Report, any result set (retrieved records) you obtain in Sesame will be ignored by the Report when run. If only a retrieve spec is attached, the Report will override only the current retrieve. If only a sort spec is attached, the Report will override only the current sort.

If you attach a sort spec to your Report, but do not attach a retrieve spec, your current result set of records will be the ones included in the Report - in the attached Sort Spec order - and it will be easy to run the same Report against any result set.

Attaching a saved spec makes a copy of that spec in your Report. Later changes made to the original saved spec will not affect the Report design.

To attach a Sort or Retrieve spec to your Report:
In Sesame Designer,

1. Open the Report
2. Select Attach Specs from the Commands Control Panel. **The Attached Specs Editor opens.**
3. From the Spec Type dropdown, choose the type of spec to attach (Sort or Retrieve)
4. From the Attach Spec dropdown, choose Select A Different Spec From the Select A Spec dropdown, choose the spec name from the list of those saved in the database
5. Click the Attach button
6. Click the Close button

To remove an attached spec, follow the steps above, and choose [NONE] - Detach Current Spec from the "Select A Spec" dropdown.

You can also attach a Sort Spec while you are creating your Report in Sesame Designer by opening your Form in Preview Mode:

1. Open Preview Mode and open the Main Form in Search/Update mode
2. Set the records to sort
3. Open the Spec Manager. Select Sort from the dropdown and click the Save tab
4. Name the Spec and click the Save button
5. Click Close, Exit Preview Mode to return to your Report design
6. Follow the steps above for attaching your Spec