Operation Manual

Using Formulas
Specifying formulas
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424 Crystal Reports User’s Guide
Tip: The Workshop Tree can be docked. By default, it appears docked on the
left-hand side of the Formula Workshop, but you can manually dock it on the
right-hand side. In free-floating mode, the Workshop Tree can be dragged to
any location in the workshop.
Working with the Formula Editor
The Formula Editor is a component of the Formula Workshop. Use the
Formula Editor to create and modify the content of formulas.
Understanding the sections of the Formula Editor
The Formula Editor contains four main windows.
Choosing the syntax
The Expressions Editor Toolbar of the Formula Workshop contains the drop-
down list where you choose either Crystal or Basic syntax for the formula you
are creating.
Note: Changing the syntax from Crystal syntax to Basic syntax or vice versa
will change the list of functions in the Functions window as well as the list of
operators in the Operators window. The functions and operators differ from
syntax to syntax.
The available report fields remain the same since the report fields are
available to each syntax.
Window Description of contents
Report Fields Report fields contain all database fields accessible
for your report. They also contain any formulas or
groups already created for the report.
Functions Functions are prebuilt procedures that return values.
They perform calculations such as average, sum,
count, sin, trim, and uppercase.
Custom functions are also listed in this window.
Operators Operators are the “action verbs” you use in
formulas. They describe an operation or an action to
take place between two or more values.
Examples of operators: add, subtract, less than, and
greater than.
Formula text window Area where you create a formula.