What’s New In v5.4.4?
Introducing the latest update for Dotnet Report, v5.4.4, which brings several new features and improvements aimed at enhancing user experience and functionality. This release focuses on expanding search capabilities, introducing custom fields, validating relations in report creation, and allowing drag-and-resize functionality for charts and graphs.
The Key New Features include
- Enhanced Search Functionality in Report Management
- Improved Custom Fields and Improved Data Table Search in Report Creation
- Relations Validation and Enhancements in Report Creation
- drag and resize charts/graphs in dashboard and report
Enhanced Search Functionality in Report Management
Current Functionality
Previously, the Manage Reports page featured a search box that allowed users to search for reports by Name, Description, and Datafield. For instance, searching for “Order ID” would retrieve and display all reports where “Order ID” appeared as a Name, Description, or an internal Datafield.
However, the search functionality was limited to single-parameter searches. Users could not simultaneously search for multiple parameters, such as “Order ID” and “Order Date”.
What’s New
We have now enhanced the search functionality to allow users to search using multiple parameters with “And” and “Or” operators, making report searches more powerful and flexible.
New Features and Enhancements
- Multiple Parameter Search:
- Users can now search for reports using multiple parameters at once.
- For example, searching for “Order ID” and “Order Date” will fetch all reports where both “Order ID” and “Order Date” are part of the Name, Description, or Datafields.
- “And” and “Or” Operators:
- And Operator: This operator allows users to search for multiple parameters simultaneously, requiring all conditions to be met for the search results to be displayed.
- Example: Searching for “Order ID” and “Order Date” will display reports where both parameters are found in the Name, Description, or Datafields.
- Or Operator: This operator provides the flexibility to search for reports that match any one of the given parameters.
- Example: Searching for “Order ID” or “Order Date” will display reports where either of the parameters is found in the Name, Description, or Datafields.
- And Operator: This operator allows users to search for multiple parameters simultaneously, requiring all conditions to be met for the search results to be displayed.
- Enhanced Search Results:
- The search results will highlight which reports have all matching fields and which ones have at least one of the matching parameters.
- This feature makes it easier for users to identify reports that fully or partially meet their search criteria.
Benefits
- Improved Search Efficiency: Users can now perform more comprehensive searches, saving time and improving report management.
- Greater Flexibility: The addition of “And” and “Or” operators provides users with greater flexibility in how they search for reports.
- Enhanced Usability: Highlighting matching fields in the search results enhances usability and helps users quickly identify relevant reports.
Improved Custom Fields and Improved Data Table Search in Report Creation
Current Functionality
When creating a new report, the “Choose Data for Report” section allows users to select a data table and the data fields from any table to use in report creation. Previously, searching for a particular table in the data table dropdown and creating custom fields were not available.
What’s New
We have introduced two major enhancements to improve the report creation process: Custom Fields and Search Functionality in the Data Table Dropdown.
1. Custom Fields
Overview: Users can now create custom fields by selecting and joining fields from different tables, provided they have a defined relationship.
Features:
Custom Field Creation:
- Custom fields can be created before or after selecting a table from the data table dropdown.
- A “Custom Fields” button is available under the “Choose Data for Report” section. Clicking this button opens a new section for custom field creation.
Custom Field Section:
- Field Label: Allows you to set a label for the custom field you are creating.
- Data Format: Allows you to select the data format (e.g., string, number).
Field Formula:
- You can select multiple fields from different data tables to create a formula.
- Example: If you select “Order ID” from the Orders table and “Product Name” from the Products table, you can create a formula like “OrderID + ProductName”. The resulting custom field might display as “OrderName(ProductName)” [e.g., 10248 Queso Cabrales].
Selected Fields Management:
- Selected fields can be easily cleared by hovering over them to reveal a delete icon, allowing you to remove the field and add a new one.
Saving Custom Fields:
- It is necessary to save the custom field with the specified details before executing the report.
2. Search Functionality in Data Table Dropdown
Overview: Enhanced the “Choose Data for Report” section with a search functionality to improve the selection of data tables.
Features:
- Search in Data Table Dropdown:
- When creating a report and choosing a data table, a search box is now available in the dropdown.
- This search functionality allows you to quickly find and select the desired data table, improving efficiency and ease of use.
Benefits
- Improved Report Customization: Custom fields allow for more tailored and detailed reports by combining data from multiple tables.
- Enhanced Usability: The search functionality in the data table dropdown makes it easier to find and select the necessary tables, speeding up the report creation process.
- Greater Flexibility: Users have more control over the data included in their reports, enabling more precise and meaningful analysis.
Relations Validation and Enhancements in Report Creation
Current Functionality
Previously, users could select multiple data fields from different tables to create or execute reports without any automatic validation of the relationships between those fields. This could result in errors or incorrect data being presented in the reports if the selected fields did not have any defined connection or relation.
What’s New
We have introduced a new enhancement to ensure data integrity and provide error validation when creating or executing reports with multiple data fields from different tables.
New Features and Enhancements
1 Relation Validation During Report Creation:
- When creating a new report, if a user selects multiple data fields from different tables, the system will now validate the relationships between those fields before allowing the report to be executed.
- Example: If a user selects fields such as “District,” “Substitute ID,” and “Has Substitute” from the Absence table, and “Category Type” and “Description” from the Categories table, the system will check for any defined connections between these tables.
2 Error Prompt on Execution:
- If the selected data fields do not have any connection or relation in the database architecture, an error will be prompted before the report is executed.
- The error message will clearly indicate the conflicting data fields and inform the user to review the selected data fields.
- Example Error Message: #Datafield Name that conflicts in joining tables# do not have a relation, Please review selected data fields” e.g Category do not have a relation, Please review selected data fields”
Benefits
- Improved Data Integrity: Ensures that reports are created with valid data relationships, preventing errors and ensuring accurate data representation.
- Enhanced User Experience: Provides immediate feedback to users about invalid data selections, allowing them to correct issues before executing reports.
- Error Prevention: Reduces the likelihood of encountering errors during report execution by validating data field relationships in advance.
Drag and Resize Charts/Graphs in Dashboard and Reports
Current Functionality
Previously, when executing a report with charts, the charts were displayed in a fixed size, offering no flexibility for resizing. Users were unable to adjust the chart sizes according to their needs.
What’s New
We have introduced a new resizing feature for charts in reports and dashboards, providing users with greater control and customization.
New Features and Enhancements
1. Resizing Charts in Reports:
- Interactive Resizing:
- Users can now resize charts within reports by hovering over the chart. The sides of the chart will become highlighted, providing controls to upsize or downsize the chart based on user preference.
- Persistent Sizing:
- Once a report is closed and re-executed, it will remember the last resized chart size and open the report with the chart in the same size as before.
2. Resizing Charts in Dashboards:
- Toggle Button for Arrangement:
- A new toggle button labeled “Arrange this Dashboard” has been introduced. By default, this toggle button is off to prevent unwanted changes.
- When enabled, users can change the size of all the report widgets available on the dashboard.
- Interactive Resizing:
- Similar to reports, hovering over any chart on the dashboard will highlight its boundaries, allowing users to resize it according to their preference.
- Persistent Sizing:
- The resizing functionality is also implemented in the extended version of charts, which appears when clicking the expand icon on each report widget. The resized chart will be saved locally and displayed in the last set size when re-opened.
Benefits
- Enhanced Customization: Users can now tailor the size of charts to better fit their viewing preferences and requirements.
- Improved User Experience: The ability to resize and remember chart sizes enhances the overall usability and flexibility of the reports and dashboards.
Consistent Layout: Ensures a consistent layout for charts and graphs, whether viewed in the short version or the expanded view.izations have been implemented to accelerate dashboard loading times. These improvements focus on reducing latency in loading widgets and enhancing overall responsiveness of the dashboard interface.