Problem: Missing Data from Actinic Database

[Jarvis]

I am have produced a price list in Crystal Reports and that is okay.
However, there is an inconsistency with the way it displays the 'ReportDescription' variable.
Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

At first I thought that it was Crystal Reports.
However, I have tracked it down to the Actinic database.

The situation appears to be that when I add components, say, "Waxed", "Unwaxed", "Distressed" etc. sometimes Actinic stores it with the 'ReportDescription' field propagated whilst sometimes it is blank.
What I expect to see is something like: 'Finish: Waxed'
I have tried every single permutation of ways of creating the choices and permutations.
It displays correctly in Actinic whichever way it is stored.
It just stores it differently for some products.

Whatever I do, some products refuse to propagate the field consistently.
I really have checked, double-checked and double-checked again, compared, duplicated, added and removed until I am blue in the face.

Can anybody please throw any light?

[Duncan Rounding]

I've used this field in custom reports many times and never seen a problem.

I don't fully understand what you mean. Are you saying that sometimes the ReportDescription field value for a particular product dosn't show in the report yet at other times it does? Is this at random or related to particular products?

Also - Without checking, I don't think that the ReportDescription field will show by default on components - at least not with the standard invoice or packing list.

[Jan]

Report description is an entered field, not a generated field, you have to enable it in business settings and then you can type it into the product details (I think it gets it's own tab).

Regards,

[Jarvis]

The only way to describe this is with these screen grabs.
The first is from the Actinic Table "ProductProperties"
(Please note that I have moved the fields about purely for the screenGrab)
The field is 'automatically' propogated when you enter 'options' using the 'Product Options' tab.
(Or indeed, when you create them by hand).

The second image from the "PriceList" Report showing the missing data.

[dave_finlayson]

I think Jan was referring to the sReportDescription in the product table.

I notice a lot of them blank on my database as well, I wonder if this was not populated automatically in V8 but now is in V9 (or the other way round). Maybe you could try re-creating one of the products and seeing if that populates the field?

[Duncan Rounding]

From memory in v8 (at least and I don't imagine it will be different in v9) the Report Description field is not automatically populated (in the product table) and needs to be completed independantly for each product. It also, as Jan mentioned, needs to be initially enabled in the Business Settings.

The Report Description field in the Product Propreties table - In fact I'm not sure why that is even there at all - maybe Jan knows why?...

Have you tried getting the Report Description data from the Product Table instead of the Product Properties table?
Also how are you populating the Report Description field initially, and if by Query in what table are you adding the data?

[Duncan Rounding]

I just tried to add Options using the Product Options tab and then looked in the database and nothing is populated into the Report Description field in the Product Properties table.

Why do you think that this Report Description field should be populated in this way?

[Jarvis]

Thanks for your responses gents.

I am pleased to tell you that it is now working correctly.
The 'ReportDescription' field, (a.k.a. 'sReportDescription') in the 'ProductProperties' table is now propogating itself again.
(Honest guv, it does it all by itself).

The problem is that I am not clear as to how it happened.
All I did was to compare visually, the settings for the Components etc on various Sections and Products.
They were all the same.
I toggled on, then back off one product 'Component is a Seperate Order Line' (for no particular reason).
That is, I turned it on, no difference, I turned it off, no difference.

I then opened the standard 'Catalog Detail' report in Crystal Reports to see if I could get a clue as too what was happening.
I was amazed to see that ALL the missing data was showing.
I changed back to the 'problem' report and ALL previously missing data was now showing.
I opened the database and ALL the previously missing data was now there.
That is weird!
Again, thanks, and I wish I could explain it but....

[Jarvis]

Flamin' marvelous
Just added another product and changed a price on an existing one.
Database not showing the changes in that ReportDescription field.

Just for the record.
This is the same field in the standard 'Catalog - Detail' report.
This also does not show the mods.

It is definately an Actinic issue not CR.

I'll keep plodding on.

[Jan]

Looking at the picture you posted, it's only for permutations (they have ids in the sString1 field) but from what you have said, it sounds as if maybe they are only generated when a particular report is printed as part of the data preprocessing for report printing. Actually I've just checked and those fields are populated when you print a catalog report.

Regards,

[Jarvis]

Yes Jan, it is only the permutations that are of concern.

Something I did caused the generation of the data.
However, I can't replicate that again.

Like you I thought that this may occur when a particular report was printed, but I can't get that to work.

It appears that for new or modified permutations, a partial ID is generated with the second element in 'sString 3' missing. (See above).
The sReportDescription field also failing to be written.

Something triggers it but I can't see what.

[Jan]

The string is regenerated everytime the catalog detail report is printed or previewed, so if you create a product with a permutation, the preview the report, it will all be fine, however if you then add or change the details then the sReportDescription field will be incorrect until the catalog detail report is printed or previewed again. It's an internal use only field and so probably shouldn't be used.

Regards,

[Jarvis]

I understand that you are trying hard to help me and I promise I'm not deliberately being contradictory but...

The string is regenerated everytime the catalog detail report is printed or previewed...

This is not working for me.

...It's an internal use only field and so probably shouldn't be used.

It is used in the standard 'Catalog - Detail' report.
Indeed, my report is a stripped down version of that report.
However, because the 'Catalog - Detail' report also does not regenerate nor show the missing fields, it has to be something to do with the database.

Interestingly, whilst trying to resolve this I gave identified an even more serious issue with permutations not using the correct VAT settings.
(http://community.actinic.com/showthread.php?t=38764)
This is something that Support can replicate.
I reckon there's something fundamentally wrong with this area of the database.

[Jan]

How are you printing the catalog detail report - from Actinic or from within Crystal reports?

Regards,

[Jarvis]

Okay, I have redone some tests and whilst I'm not yet totally happy with it, I am getting somewhere thanks to your suggestions.
If I update a product, the database does not change, (as you predicted).
If I then preview the new report, it does not report the change.
However, if I then preview the 'Catalog Detail' report, the product permutations are correct.
If I then go back to the new report, it too is correct.
The database also is now correct.
It appears that I have somewhere missed a vital bit of coding from the original Catalog Detail report when stripping it down to my new report.
In essence then, you are totally correct.
However, I shall continue to dig deeper with this until I understand what it is that I did.
I shall then post the solution here.
Thanks again Jan