HANDS-ON (OLE Objects)

Static

OLE object

Embedded OLE object

The easiest way to understand the OLE concepts is to create a sample report that uses static, embedded, and linked objects in order to show their differences.

To begin, create a report using the sample data, CRAZE.MDB, and place any field in the Details section of the report. This is simply done to set up the report; since you're only interested in the OLE objects, the field you insert is unimportant.

Choose the PICTURE command from the Insert menu, choose CRAZEOLE.BMP from the \CRW directory, and when the placement rectangle appears, place the picture in the Report Header section, as far to the left as it will go.

!Right-click the picture. When the shortcut menu appears you will see that the picture is identified as an OLE object.

"Double-click the object and nothing happens. A static OLE object can not be edited in place.

Choose the OLE OBJECT command from the Insert menu. The Insert Object dialog box appears.

Click the Create From File option. The dialog box changes allowing you to type in the name of an object or browse for an object.

!Click Browse and choose CRAZEOLE.BMP from the CRW directory.

"Click OK to return to your report. A placement rectangle appears.

#Place the object in the Report Header section, just to the right of the first picture.

$Right-click this picture and you'll see that it too is identified as an OLE Object on the shortcut menu. The second command from the bottom of the shortcut menu identifies it as a Bitmap Image Object. It is an embedded OLE object.

%Now double-click the object. Note how you have remained in Seagate Crystal Reports but all of the menus and tools have

Linked bitmap image object

changed to those in Microsoft Paint. Using those tools you can edit the bitmap in place if you wish. Even though you are working with the tools of the OLE server application, you are not working on the original object; you are working with a copy of the object and nothing you do here will affect the original.

&Click the first object you placed, the static OLE object. Note that when you click the object, the tools and menus change back to those from Seagate Crystal Reports. This confirms that the static object can't be edited in place. It also shows you how to stop editing an embedded object; when your editing is finished, simply clicking outside the edited object will return you to Seagate Crystal Reports.

Choose the OBJECT command from the Insert menu. The Insert Object dialog box appears.

Click the Create From File option. The dialog box changes allowing you to type in the name of an object or browse for an object.

!Click Browse and choose CRAZEOLE.BMP from the CRW directory.

" This time toggle the Link check box on.

#Click OK to return to your report. A placement rectangle appears.

$ Place the object just to the right of the embedded object.

%Right-click this object and you’ll see that it too is identified as an OLE object. The second command from the bottom of the shortcut menu identifies this as a Linked Bitmap Image Object.

&Double-click the object. Note how Microsoft Paint opens displaying the original version of the object. Any changes you make to the original will be reflected in the version that appears in your report.

' Close Microsoft Paint and return to your report.

Converting a

static OLE object to a linked bitmap image object

Dragging and

dropping OLE objects

Right-click the first object you placed, the static OLE object.

When the shortcut menu appears, choose CONVERT PICTURE OBJECT. The Convert dialog box appears.

!Select Paintbrush Picture from the Object Type list, and click OK. You have just converted a static OLE object to an editable OLE object.

"Right-click the object you just converted and note that the second command from the bottom of the shortcut menu is now BITMAP IMAGE OBJECT, the same command that appeared with the center object you embedded.

#Now double-click the object. Note that Microsoft Paint opens just as it did for the linked bitmap image object.

$Click the SAVE button on the standard toolbar and save the report as OLE.RPT.

One more procedure needs to be demonstrated: dragging an object from a server application and dropping it in Seagate Crystal Reports. For this example, you'll work with a spreadsheet object instead of a graphic object.

NOTE: This procedure assumes that you have Microsoft Excel on your computer or another spreadsheet program which is an OLE server application.

Open both Seagate Crystal Reports and Microsoft Excel and size (tile) the program windows so they both are visible at the same time. You need to be able to see where the object is coming from and where it is going to.

In Seagate Crystal Reports, open OLE.RPT if it's not already open.

!Create a simple spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel by placing the numbers one through ten (1-10) in cells A1 through A10.

" Highlight cells A1 through A10.

#Move the pointer to the left edge of the highlighted cells until you get an arrow pointer.

$Press the mouse button and hold it down. This sets up the cells to be moved.