EK RTF - readme

EK RTF report are non visual components which allow to use all power of MS Word or other rtf-compatible editor to create, preview, edit and print your reports.

How to make it working:

Design time:
• create report template in any text processor
• save it in RTF format
• place EkRtf component on a form
• set InFile (input rtf template) property

Run time:
• prepare data in your application, create variables if necessary
• run report using one of Execute or ExecuteOpen methods
• run MS Word (or other editor) if you want to view, edit or print your document

See more details in documentation "creating report template" section.

This library is the next step after .Net version of 2006 year.

Compatibility with previous version of components: if you use previous version EkRTF_VS.dll and want to migrate to the new component, change reference EkRTF_VS.dll to EkRTF_ClassLibrary.dll in your project, and change in your code namespace EkRtfFunc to EkFunc.

It has the same functionality as Delphi components version 3.15 for Win32.
The component code is compiled in Visual Studio C#.
Target platform is .Net v. 2.0. It may be used in projects for .Net 2.0 and higher.

Differences comparing to Delphi version are:

1) Binding data with report. New property ReportData is used to attach data to the report template ;
2) Report variable methods AsDate AsDateTime work with .Net System.DateTime type instead of Delphi's TDateTime;
3) All images in this version are inserted as hexadecimal code instead of binary. Scale of image is computed basing on real image size and resolution. It may not coincide with the scale that Word shows in image properties;
4) No variables available at design time;
5) EkUDF class - property FunctionName is now used instead of Name for user defined functions;
6) User functions with udfrImage result type expects that new UDFResult object will be created in function code;
7) Fdtm() format function works with .Net "Custom DateTime Format Strings" instead of Borland format strings;
8) New designer for user defined function;

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3. LICENSE
Probably, this software contains an errors, and will contain them in the future. You use it on your own risk.

This license agreement covers your use of the EK RTF report components, its source code, documentation, dcu, bpl, dll and other files, hereinafter referred to as "SOFTWARE". You may use it and distribute it according to this following License Agreement. If you do not agree with these terms, please remove the SOFTWARE from your system.

SOFTWARE IS DISTRIBUTED "AS IS". NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND IS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. THE AUTHOR WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DATA LOSS, DAMAGES OR ANY OTHER KIND OF LOSS WHILE USING THIS SOFTWARE. THIS PRODUCT IS FREE ONLY FOR EVALUATION USING.
YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR COPY OF THE SOFTWARE IF YOU USE IT IN COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.

You may Install and use the SOFTWARE for the purposes of designing, developing, testing, and deploying application programs which you create. However,your programs must add primary and substantial functionality, and may not be merely a set or subset of any of the libraries, code, packages or other files of the SOFTWARE;

You may not create a components, library or standalone executable application (whether it be freeware, shareware or a commercial product) which directly or indirectly competes with the SOFTWARE.

Any part of the source code may be changed by author of the SOFTWARE in future versions. These changes may include the removal of classes, properties and methods or the creation of new classes, properties and methods.

This license is subject to change without notice in future updates to the SOFTWARE.

If you use the components in the commercial projects, you must register the software on the web site http://ekrtf.code.net.ru

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4. INSTALLATION

Install the library in Visual Studio as described in ReadMe_Install_Eng.pdf document.
If you have installed the old versions 4.xx of component for Visual Studio, first remove it.
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5. TROUBLESHOUTING

Before running demo projects, check that you have application associated with doc and rtf files.
Otherwise output files will be saved on disk, but will not open automatically.
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6. CONTACT INFORMATION

if you have any questions, comments or suggestions email to support@code.net.ru
See the latest version of Ek RTF Report on component home page at http://ekrtf.code.net.ru