Reports Overview

Reports is AGi32's equivalent to a page layout program. Reports allows you to create multiple page reports and place different views of your job file and images in any position across the pages. These can be wireframe views (Plan, Isometric, Elevation of your Model mode layout), rendered views or external images you import into AGi32. Include text as you like, whether it is descriptive directly from AGi32, external text files or text notes and titles. Complete your presentation with a border and title block with your logo.

The Reports process begins by selecting one of three methods for creating a report. The default method is simply "Create Report". This method allows you to quickly create a multi-page dynamic report using various templates. The report contents are automatically generated from the selected schedules in the Create Report dialog and your Model Mode and Render Mode Viewpoints. This is the place to begin as it is quick presentation output in an automated mode.

It is important to note that you cannot modify the model in Reports. To make changes to the views or the job file, you must exit Reports and return to AGi32's Model Mode. These changes include adding or modifying luminaire locations, increasing text size for calculation points, etc. To change modes, just click on the Model Mode tab (or Render Mode tab). You can go back and forth between all three modes at will.

Reports dialog

The page layout process begins by selecting the Reports command. The first time Reports is accessed in each job file, the Reports - Report dialog will appear, prompting you to select the report attributes.

The default tab, Create Report, is the simplest method. In this method, Reports will obtain information from your project and automatically create the report. This information includes Schedules, Views and Viewpoints saved in Model Mode, and Render Viewpoints. The report that is created is a Dynamic Report.

The Load Existing Report tab allows you to select from existing reports, called Sample Reports, which extract information from the current environment. For your convenience, AGi32 is shipped with several factory-created Sample Reports that you may use and customize. You may also save reports to this list for future use.

The Create Custom Report tab allows you to start completely from scratch to create a report to your specifications. When creating a custom report, the page setup defaults to the last selected page count, paper size and orientation. When a US paper size is selected (units in inches), the Reports drawing units are also specified in inches. When a metric paper size is selected (units in mm), the Reports drawing units are specified in millimeters. If the desired page size is not listed in the Page Size pull-down menu, it may be created by selecting Custom Page Size and specifying its width and height.

Reports page margins default to 0.5 inch (or 12.5 mm) and may be changed as required. However, if the margins are set smaller than the printer's minimum margins (as typically occurs with large-scale plotters), the entities on the page may be clipped when printed. To determine your printer's minimum margins, open the Printer Properties dialog (from the Windows Control Panel) or refer to the printer reference manual.

Reports Interface

After selecting one of the report setup methods, you will be presented with the Reports interface. The Toolkit provides access to the Reports and Drawing/Schedules commands. The Reports Toolkit provides page control commands as well as Viewports, Imageports and general Report functionality.

Additional page navigation tabs are provided at the bottom of the Reports desktop.

To print the report, use the Print icon on the Common toolbar.

Reports are automatically saved with the job file. There is no need to save the report unless you would like to use the report as a template for future work.

Moving Around in Reports

The Reports interface includes its own units system. The units used in Reports are different than those used in Model Mode, as you are working within the confines of individual pages. Depending on the page sizes chosen in the Custom Report or Report Properties dialogs, the units will be in inches or millimeters. When US Customary System units are used (inches) , the Snap increment is automatically set to 0.1 inch. When Metric units are used (mm) , then Snap increment is automatically set to 10 millimeters. Coordinates respective to Pager Builder units are shown in the Coordinate Display section at the lower-left corner of the Reports desktop.

Viewports and Imageports

In Reports, you can create two types of windows to append to your pages, Viewports and Imageports. Viewports are dynamic and assigned to visible Views and Viewpoints created in Model Mode views. It is possible in Model Mode to create multiple Views or (even easier) multiple Viewpoints. Imageports contain visible rendering images from Render Mode (Render Viewpoints), or external graphics images. The page layout is created by arranging various Viewports and Imageports on the selected pages and augmenting it with AGi32's drawing tools and text.

When the cursor is moved over an Imageport or Viewport, the cursor changes to an eleven o'clock arrow to indicate that the ports can be moved by dragging them with the mouse. When the cursor moves over an Imageport or Viewport border, it changes to a double-headed arrow to assist in resizing the port. Click and drag the double-headed arrow to resize the port.

When an Imageport or Viewport is placed on a page, the cursor cross-hairs disappear behind the port. Due to the nature of Imageports and Viewports, they will always appear in front of all other entities on the screen. However, drawing entities can be placed on top of Viewports (but not Imageports). To accomplish this, you must first hide the contents of the Viewport before you can place drawing entities in its place. To hide the contents of all Viewports, select the Hide Viewport command from the Reports menu or use the Ctrl+D key sequence to toggle Viewport contents on and off.

To leave Reports and return to Model Mode, simply click on the Model tab. You can exit AGi32 from any mode, including Reports, you will be prompted to save your file first if changes have occurred since the last save.

Locking and Unlocking Pages

The Lock and Unlock buttons are found in the Reports Toolkit.

Unlock: Any of the pages in the report can be modified.

Lock: All of the pages in the report are "locked" and therefore cannot be modified.

Z Order of Entities

Imageports maintain z-order when printed. In other words, overlapping Imageports will print as displayed

Viewports do not maintain z-order when printed. They are drawn on the page 'layer'. Overlapping Viewports will be 'merged' together and therefore we generally do not recommend overlapping these entities.

Imageports always have a higher z-order than the page. Therefore, Imageports always are printed on top of Viewports if they overlap, regardless of the current display.

Saving a Defined Page or Report as a Template

Reports makes it easy to save any individual page or report you create as a template to be used with other job files. This feature can save the time required to add logos, title blocks, borders and more to your output as you need only create your "look" once for any given report layout and/or individual page and orientation. When a page or report has been saved, you can rearrange its contents as necessary each time you open it in a different job file.

Report files are saved individually in the PageBuilderReports folder specified in the Tools-System Settings-File System Tab. By locating your PageBuilderReports folder in a central location, the reports can be shared.

Individual pages of a report may also be saved for reuse outside the local job file. However, these pages are stored in your AGI32_GeneralDB database in the AGi32 installation folder. Saved pages cannot be shared with other users; only reports are stored independently.

Dynamic Entities in Saved Report Pages

The following entities will dynamically update themselves based on the associated content in the current job file. When using the Sample Report method: To achieve the most consistent presentations and fewest layout modifications necessary, we recommend that you standardize on View and Viewpoint names and entity labels whenever possible.