In specifying data for a report, you have more options for specifying complex SQL statements when you use SQL Select as the data source. When you choose SQL Select, you go to the SQL Select painter, where you can paint a SELECT statement that includes the following:
More than one table
Selection criteria (WHERE clause)
Sorting criteria (ORDER BY clause)
Grouping criteria (GROUP BY and HAVING clauses)
Computed columns
One or more arguments to be supplied at runtime
Saving your work as a query
While in the SQL Select painter, you can save the current SELECT statement as
a query by selecting File>Save As from the menu bar. Doing so allows
you to easily use this data specification again in other reports.
For more information about queries, see “Defining queries”.
To define the data using SQL Select:
Click SQL Select in the Choose Data Source dialog box in the wizard and click Next.
The Select Tables dialog box displays.
Select the tables and/or views that you will use in the report.
For more information, see “Selecting tables and views”.
Select the columns to be retrieved from the database.
For more information, see “Selecting columns”.
Join the tables if you have selected more than one.
For more information, see “Joining tables”.
Select retrieval arguments if appropriate.
For more information, see “Using retrieval arguments”.
Limit the retrieved rows with WHERE, ORDER BY, GROUP BY, and HAVING criteria, if appropriate.
For more information, see “Specifying selection, sorting, and grouping criteria”.
If you want to eliminate duplicate rows, select Distinct from the Design menu. This adds the DISTINCT keyword to the SELECT statement.
Click the Return button on the PainterBar.
You return to the wizard to complete the definition of the report.
Click OK.
