Contents of the Book

View a presentation about the new edition of Harnessing SQR.

Background

Section 1 – Review of Essential Syntax, Coding Constructs & Commands

Chapter 1 – Input, Output, & Program File Types

• Input Files
• Output Files
• Program Files
• Other Files
• Default Output File Naming Conventions

Chapter 2 - The SQR Command Line

• Command Line Structure
• Example SQR Command Line Accessing an Oracle RDBMS
• SQR Command Line Flags
• File Naming & Relocating
• SQRP

Chapter 3 – Variables

• Programmer Defined Variables
• Declaring Variables Explicitly
• Avoiding Ambiguous Variable Assignments
• Out of the Box Functions (String)
• Out of the Box Functions (Numeric Functions)
• Out of the Box Functions (Date)
• Establishing Parameters as Variables
• Reserved Variables
• Variable Scope

Chapter 4 – Procedures

• DML Procedures – BEGIN-SELECT
• DML & DDL Procedures – BEGIN-SQL
• Other Procedures
• Expansion of the BEGIN-SELECT Paragraph
• Early Exiting
• Expansion of the BEGIN-SQL Paragraph
• Procedures & Variable Scope
• Altering Variable Scope

Chapter 5 – Printing

• Report Grid
• Report Cursor & Print Positions
• Logical Print Areas
• Explicit Printing
• Implicit Printing
• NEXT-LISTING Command
• Group Breaks
• The POSITION Command
• Print Attributes
• Edit Masks
• The GRAPHIC Command
• The ALTER-PRINTER Command
• Changing Colors
• Newspaper Style Printing
• Printing Non-textual Images

Chapter 6 – Miscellaneous Areas of Interest

• Memory Data Structures
• ASCII File Access and Manipulation
• File Functions
• Interacting with the OS
• Table of Contents (TOC)
• Event Driven Programming
• Miscellaneous Functions
• Pausing SQR Execution
• Miscellaneous Programming Tips Related To Arrays

Section 2 – A Practical & Proven Methodology for Developing An Enterprise-wide Report Suite

Chapter 7 – SQR Report Suite Development

• Overview of the SDLC
• A Practical & Proven SQR SDLC
• Typical Results of Any Project's SDLC
• Staff, Scope, and Schedule – the Three Project Drivers
• Darrin Miller's Laws of Software Engineering
• The Psychology of the SDLC
• Avoiding the Pitfalls
• Putting It All in Perspective

Chapter 8 – SQR Enterprise Report Suite Requirements

• Parameterized Reporting that Provides Control over Report Content
• Flexible Querying Capabilities
• Crisp and Clean Output
• Multiple Types of Output (HTML, PDF, etc.)
• Ability to Export Data Queried to Other Applications (MS Excel, Brio.Intelligence, SAS, etc.)
• The Ability to Implement and Provide Robust Auditing and Error Handling
• Ease of Maintenance

Chapter 9 – SQR Report Suite Design

• Output – At a Glance
• Output – A More Detailed View
• Input – At A Glance
• Input – A Closer Look
• Layers and Interdependencies of the SQR Report Suite
• Process
• Design Aides

Chapter 10 – SQR Report Suite Development

• Putting the "Cookie Cutter" Approach in Action
• Development Standards
• Configuration Management
• Staff Members & Their Roles
• Environmental Assumptions & Deployment
• Recommended Process Flow

Section 3 – Advanced Topics

Chapter 11 – Bursted Reports

• HTML Bursting
• Typical Bursting Requirements
• Secure Bursting
• Physical Bursting
• BP Access to Physically Bursted Report Output
• Physical Bursting Efficiency

Chapter 12 – Spreadsheet Style Reports

• Typical Accounting Database Schema
• Typical Reporting Requirements
• Code Review
• Sample Report Output
• Time to Market Vs Time to Execute

Chapter 13 – Designing SQR Programs for Multiple Languages

• Supporting Illustration and Clarification
• Universal Translator
• The ALTER-LOCALE Command
• Required Database Schema
• Code Review

Chapter 14 – Accessing Data From Multiple Databases

• DML
• DDL/DML
• Alternative Methods to Change Database Connectivity
• Multi-database Connectivity Via the Database Vendor
• Multi-database Connectivity Via SQR
• Performance Issues
• Arrays
• Load-Lookup Data Structures
• Creation & Population of Temporary Database Tables

Chapter 15 – Using SQR for ETL

• Extraction
• Transformation
• Loading
• Additional SQR ETL (Efficiency Through Language) Topics

Chapter 16 – Designing SQR Programs that are Portable

• DML
• Designing an SQR Program to be Portable Across Multiple RDBMSs
• Designing an SQR Program to be Portable Across Multiple Platforms

Chapter 17 – Calling Stored Procedures

• Calling Procedures Stored within an Ingres RDBMS
• Calling Procedures Stored within a MS SQL Server or Sybase Database
• Calling Procedures Stored within an Oracle Database
• Integrating with an Oracle Stored Procedure – Code Relocation
• SQR Program Encapsulation
• SQR Program as the Wrapper

Chapter 18 – Tuning SQR Programs

• Database Tuning
• Developer Responsibilities
• SQR & Database Specific Tuning Approaches
• SQR & SQL Tuning
• SQR Tuning Through Design

Section 4 – Integration Between SQR & Brio.Portal

Chapter 19 – Publishing an SQR Program into Brio.Portal

Step 1 – Isolate All Files Needed

Step 2 – Create BP Categories

Step 3 – Publishing Dependent Files

Step 4 – Print Report Cover Sheet

Step 5 – Publish SQR Report

Step 6 – Execute the SQR Program

The "Run" Button & the JF

Chapter 20 – Enhancing HTML Parameter Collection Forms

• Text Fields
• Static Choice
• Dynamic Choice
• Making "Static Choices" More Manageable
• Constraining Dynamic Choices By User
• The Multi-Language Twist
• Providing "User Friendly" Dynamic Choices

Chapter 21 – Achieving Single Sign On

• Job Factories (JF)
• Three Sign On Possibilities for SQR Programs
• Single Sign On – Level I
• Single Sign On – Level II
• Things to Consider

Chapter 22 – Interactive Master-Detail Reporting

• Review of Functionality & Process Flow
• Benefits of Master-Detail Reports
• Steps to Implement Master-Detail Reports

Chapter 23 – Exception Reporting

• Application Driven Exception Reporting
• User Driven Exception Reporting
• End Results & User Experience
• SQR Modifications
• Modifications to the SQR Program Attributes within Brio.Portal
• User Options

Chapter 24 – Dynamic Image Files

• Overview of Printing Image Files within SQR
• Image File Assignment
• All Image Files Loaded within Brio.Portal

Appendices

1. Example of Sorting Arrays within an SQR Program
2. Application Modification Impact Analysis Document
3. Recording Report Execution Statistics
4. Sample Programs & Database
5. SDLC Planning Guide & Requirements Definition Questionnaire