## A

#### absolute formatting

Formatting that is always applied to an object. See also conditional formatting.

#### access

To access data means to retrieve data.

#### Acrobat Reader

An application used to review and print online manuals.

#### active database

An active database is a database that has been selected for use in a report. You activate databases with the New command on the File Menu and the Add Database to Report command on the Database Menu.

#### Active Server Page

Active Server Pages are web pages that run under Microsoft's Internet Information Server (IIS) version 3.0 and later. Active Server Pages combine HTML, VBScript or JScript, and ActiveX controls to create dynamic web pages that can be viewed from any of the most popular web browsers. The Quik Reports for Windows Engine Automation Server, the Crystal Design-Time ActiveX Control, and the Crystal Active Data Driver can be combined to create active web sites in Microsoft Visual InterDev that display reports from an Internet or intranet site.

#### ActiveX Control

A Custom Control for Visual Basic 4.0 and above that incorporates the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) technology. Formerly known as an OLE Control (OCX).

#### aggregate functions

An operation that summarizes data (sums, calculates an average, identifies a maximum value, etc.). The term "aggregate functions" is often associated with SQL data sources.

#### alias

An alias is an alternative name assigned to a database. If a database is called CUSTOMER.DB, for example, you can assign the alias customer, cust, company, DB1, or any other name that suits your needs. Aliases make it easier for you to use a report created with a database whose name and/or location has changed since the report was created.

#### area

An area is a group of related sections (i.e., Details A and Details B) that all share the same characteristics but can be formatted differently.

#### argument

An argument is an item, or one of a group of items, that receives the action of a function. It provides information that the function needs in order to operate. The Truncate function, for example, can not operate by itself. It needs an argument that identifies the item to be truncated. Thus, in the formula in Crystal syntax:

`Truncate ({orders.ORDER AMOUNT})`

«where Truncate is the function and {orders.ORDER AMOUNT} is the argument, the value of the {orders.ORDER AMOUNT} field is the item that needs to be truncated.»

#### array

An array is a group of values, separated by commas. Arrays are used with a variety of Seagate Crystal Reports functions: Average ([array]), Maximum ([array]), etc. In these functions, the array is the argument for the function. The function works on the items in the array. Items in an array can be constants, data fields, or formula results.

#### arrowhead

A symbol to show that a field is an indexed fields.

#### attribute

An attribute is a quality applied to an object (i.e., font size, color, etc.).

#### auto arrange

When you place a field on your report, the program allocates a space equal to the field width as specified in your database. Often that field width is far larger than the values that actually appear in each of the fields. To create neat-looking reports, it is often necessary to resize the fields so that the space allotted more closely matches the size of the field values. Once you have resized the fields you often need to reposition them for proper balance. Auto Arrange will do this for you. Simply choose the Auto-Arrange Report command from the Analyzer menu.

Seagate Software, Inc. http://www.seagatesoftware.com Please send comments to: techpubs@seagatesoftware.com