Windleafe basics
The application
This application is to allow you to convert your data into some type of output that you design.
It is based on a data source of records and an output template of three parts : header, record and footer.
The data source can be a text file or database data via an OleDb or ODBC database connection.
The output template parts are from something that you have already created. A designer will be applied shortly to allow you t design output in the application. Anything that can be seen as text can be used for now.
A text output format or HTML is a good example, but rtf or a Windows docx item could be used with a careful understanding of what not to break.
The main window
This contains the main sections,
- Project details
- Button to template parts
- Data connection designer button
- Processing activation to make output
- Where the output goes to
- A results window, being a list of output files or the actual output or an HTML display
This is dependent on the options used for output - A set of buttons to save and view output
The layout is a top to bottom approach so you will find it easier to work from top to the bottom of the window
Any button that is grayed out is because an earlier action may be required before it can be enabled to assist on the data entry process.
How to use
More detail for each section is explained on other pages, but it comes down to:
- Design your output, which is either a text file or by another program that you use.
- Locate or create your data, CSV or Excel, windows folder or a database or similar
- Use the Windleafe application and create a project in a folder, probably under Documents => Windleafe
You can use an existing template or project to set the starting template and data parts - Give details to the data source
Note : Use ODBC or OleDb to connect if you are using a database or spreadsheet like Excel. More details are explained under each type. - Get or import the template parts that you designed earlier
- Place the data field parts in the template parts.
This is done by clicking in the template part where you want the field to appear and selecting the field and it’s marker type in the side panel, or typing it in directly. - Create the output by running the process
- Save if it is a single file
- View it in the folder or in the associated application and print, send or amend as desired
The fields
Field use is the key to the application and is flexible in use to allow for a variety of uses and requirements.
The fields are detailed at this page