Software manufacturer combit has released a new version of its report generator List & Label. The sixteenth generation contains numerous new features and according to the manufacturer it is far more intuitive and productive. “It is the best List & Label version we’ve ever had,” says List & Label project manager Jochen Bartlau of the new version and adds with a smile. “I know that I say it every time but this time it is true as never before.”
combit has expanded on a grand scale the component for formatting reports. Developers can now equip reports or dashboards with various types of gauges. “It is now clear at first glance for every user how a current value stands in relation to the ideal, minimum or maximum,” says List & Label project manager Jochen Bartlau. The new object offers circular and semi-circular gauges similar to speedometers as well as vertical and horizontal scales. Thanks to various design elements such as the dial or needle style, color, signal area, frames and gauge glass, it is possible to assemble different gauges relatively quickly and simply.
The Designer in the List & Label reporting tool is much more intuitive in the new version. The mini toolbars, new input assistants by the end improved selection and alignment will make life easier for end users. Jochen Bartlau says of the new top feature,
“It will require one million fewer clicks over the long term and allow routine tasks to be completed in seconds!” It is possible because texts and tabs can be directly formatted with no additional dialog windows needed. The pivot function for crosstabs and continuous zoom additionally improve the Designer quality.
Developers working in the .NET programming language will also profit from simplified database access. “Previously, we always said that we needed very few lines to enhance an application; today we can say that we don’t need any lines at all,” says Jochen Bartlau, “we call it full speed mode for a productive deployment.”
List & Label 16 Standard Edition is available from 610 Euros / 854 US-$; the Subscription Edition Professional starts at 1160 Euros / 1624 US-$ and Enterprise from 1760 Euros / 2464 US-$ each excluding VAT (Exchange rate standing 11/03/2010). The subscriptions include Service-Packs, feature updates, support and upgrades to the main version during the subscription term. A free trial of the reporting tool for 30 days is available online: www.combit.net/en/trial
List & Label 16: The New Features
Gauges
The new “Gauge” Designer object offers various gauge types to display a value (e.g. current turnover) and various signal ranges such as “minimum – ideal – maximum”. They have circular and semi-circular displays as well as horizontal and vertical scales.
Designer in general
The Designer is more intuitive and thus easier to use. Users get a result with far fewer clicks. The mini toolbars, input assistants and improved selection and alignment are all new. The formula wizard offers improved Intellisense support.
New .NET component: DataSource
The handling of database access has been made much easier and true Plug & Play is available for the first time – no line of code is necessary anymore to design, print or export a report.
Preview
Preview files are now searchable. This also works for texts spanning multiple pages. If a text/table field, for example, is disrupted between the words South and Africa on the next page, the search for “South Africa” will still find the object, even if footers, page numbers etc. come in between.
Project localization
In addition to field, variable, and table names in Designer, the new API functions allow static text to be localized with various languages supporting by the application. Previous localization methods have been expanded so that translations can be transferred for any number of languages.
Pivot function for crosstabs
Lines and columns in a crosstab can be exchanged at the press of a button so that crosstabs that are “too wide” in the portrait format can be formatted without having to reconfigure everything.
New XHTML/CSS export format
List & Label 16 exports reports in the HTML format but now also in the XHTML/CSS format. Reports conform to the XHTML 1.0 standard and are compatible with CSS level 2.1 specifications. In addition, the options menu allows for browser-specific CSS characteristics and CSS version 3 characteristics.
Improved documentation
The Designer manual and the Programmer’s References have been completely overhauled and par-tially newly written. Several examples make the start with List & Label easier. A tutorial has been added to the .NET help file.PRESS RELEASE
List & Label: Product Description
With the combit List & Label component, developers can equip their own applications easily and quick-ly with efficient functions to create reports, statistics, forms, lists, and labels. Only a few lines of code are required to integrate the report generator into existing applications. List & Label is available in three editions, depending on requirements as Standard or in the Subscription Editions Professional or Enter-prise editions. The Designer, which can be passed on to end users without having to pay additional license fees, is available in many languages. The development tool for extensive reporting functions as well as web reporting is available in German or English and can process almost all character sets. All three editions of List & Label can be integrated into a large number of programming languages.
