I make an RTFD report template in TextEdit and read this template into an NSMutableAttributedString. My template contains keywords such as FIRST_NAME, LAST_NAME, etc. I then substitute the keywords in the attributed string with real data, and then initialize an NSTextView with the string. This text view can be printed, or the attributed string can be written to an RTFD or other type of file. I haven't tried substituting graphics into the report template yet.

One big benefit of this simple technique is that end-users can customize the report template themselves using TextEdit.

You can certainly print a view created in IB, but NSTableViews, etc. are designed for the screen and don't look good in print.

Dave

On Jan 14, 2009, at 3:01 PM, Jon C. Munson II wrote:

Namaste!

I could be missing the obvious, however, my question is whether a report writer tool (like Crystal Reports or MS Access, by way of example) exists
for Cocoa?

I Googled around for a bit tyring to find something (other than ReportMill).

I've looked at (and read) the printing-relevant Apple dox. I've read the relevant chapter in Hillegass' book too. I can see how much work writing
pretty reports is going to be.

Unless...

I missed a point concerning an NSView - it knows about PDF, etc.

The dox don't really go into this much, so here's a follow-on question to
the first:

If I take the time to draw out a view in IB with all my fields, etc., will
that print as-is?  This, then, would become the report writer, right?

I'm looking for good, solid advice on creating reports. I do have some graphics I'd like to include in my reports, but most are lists, and some are
lists with child details too.

Many thanks in advance (and I hope this isn't a Help Vampire question)!!!

Peace, Love, and Light,

/s/ Jon C. Munson II
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