AL START start

We use this macro, amongst other things, to set up all the fields that we will be printing at the top of the report: internal report name, user name, from/thru dates and/or other selects.  The 'start' macro usually consists of the following code:

/R.NEW.PAGE.PGM^XX.REPORT,
"("_(XX.REPORT$(L(XX.REPORT)-3))_")"^XX.REPORT,
"("_%Z.name.inversion(@MIS.USER.name[@.user])_")"^XX.USER,
%Z.date.text(b.date,"N/D/Y")^XX.BDATE,
%Z.date.text(e.date,"N/D/Y")^XX.EDATE

On page three of Enter/Edit Report, add the following fields:

xx.report
DAT=FREE
LEN=60
VAL=XX.REPORT

xx.user
DAT=FREE
JFY=R
LEN=32
VAL=XX.USER

xx.bdate
DAT=FREE
LEN=10
VAL=XX.BDATE

xx.edate
DAT=FREE
LEN=10
VAL=XX.EDATE

The 'page' region of your report might look like this...

Region	Attributes	Picture
HP		xx.report_______________________xx.user
HP	BX=G PF=b
HP		From-Thru.DATEs: xx.bdate__ - xx.edate__
HP
HP		<detail line headers go here>
HP	BX=W

DATE FORMATTING

If there's one thing that the Year 2000 issue taught us, it's that it's a good idea to print dates with the full year represented!  The following will print dates as MM/DD/YYYY:

xx.date
DAT=FREE
LEN=10
VAL=%Z.date.text(@date.field,"N/D/Y")

LANDSCAPE OR PORTRAIT?

When printing to a LaserJet printer, MEDITECH will switch between printing your report in Landscape or Portrait depending on how many CHARS/LINE you choose.  In general:

Chars/Line	Landscape/Portrait	Font Size
up to 92	Portrait	large
93-132	Portrait	small
133-160	Landscape	large
161-200+	Landscape	small