The MS WORD Based Two Phase Technique for Building Report from Information Systems

• Main Authors: S. A. Bol'shakov, S. B. Spiridonov
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: MGTU im. N.È. Baumana 2015-01-01
• Series: Nauka i Obrazovanie
• Subjects: information system; programming; output document; report building; database result set; macros; Visual Basic for Application (VBA); MS Word
• Online Access: http://technomag.edu.ru/jour/article/view/217

<p>The article considers a universal MS Word processor-based two-phase technique to build and generate output documents of information systems. It describes technological and program aspects of the approach. This technique has been quite successfully using in a number of information systems to show in practice that breaking down a forming process of the output document into two stages is efficient and useful.</p><p>The approach concept is that the process of building output document has to be broken into two stages. At the first stage in the program applications to the information system, available procedures selects data from a DB and writes results in the separate text interface file of a specified structure. The program applications execute abovementioned actions in the language used by all information system. At the second stage, there is a start of the universal type text editor (MS Word in our case universal type) which provides final generation of output document using the built-in programs - macros realized in the built-in VBA language (Visual Basic for Application) in the pre-prepared template. The environment of a universal word processor also enables forming the template. Then, if necessary, it is possible to save the output document under a new name, edit and format it, in addition. The main thing is that an ordinary user applies the familiar environment of a universal text editor. A user has no difficulties in development, which are often available in work with universal generators of reports. We also note that new MS Office versions are interchangeable and allow easy using new versions without changing templates and generation programs of output documents.</p><p>Considerable convenience in maintenance and autonomous debugging allowed systems, grounded on it, to increase considerably a life cycle and form a basis for modernization and maintenance.</p><p>The particular advantage when using two-phase technology is shown when debugging procedures of the output documents formation because even for complicated algorithms, when splitting process into parts, considerable simplification of debugging process and its decreasing duration and labor input are observed. We also note that such approach can be also a basis for the office systems realization based on universal word processors. Then a DB can save document text content with a template type and name of document.</p><p>The article considers ways to build the elementary type of the output documents, i.e. reports. The presented material, algorithms and debugged procedures enable a reader to repeat independently this process or even to create the own report using MS Word. We note that this technique can be used as well for tabular and for matrix reports. Algorithms for building such documents are more difficult and have their features. We have intention to consider them in our further articles in the field concerned.</p>