Suggestion about Report Generation Toolkit

I'm adding report generation capabilities to a labview product test application. The report will be 2-4 pages long with text and plots. For other applications, I've used Word Templates in the past using VBA and Visual Basis 6. I had been planning to use the Report Generation Toolkit, but when I tried to run the examples Labview doesn't find the installation of Office, (I'm using Windows Vista). I've already read other posts about this particular problem and other issues with the Report Generation Toolkit for Microsoft Office, including upgrading to Office 2007 and beyond and I'm beginning to wonder if there might be a better longterm solution than the Report Generation using Microsoft Office.
The two alternatives that I'm considering are HTML, and Simplicity AI's PDF toolkit (free),
http://www.simplicityai.co.uk/products_services/products/pdftoolkit/
which I still have to investigate. I figure I could always generate in HTML and then print to PDF using something like PDFcreator (free).
If anyone has any comments/reviews/suggestions about the report generation from Labview, I'd appreciate hearing them.

Hello PointOnePa,
What examples were you trying to run? Here's a good example on how to create report in Excel
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/cda/epd/p/id/1001
Which version of LabVIEW and Report Gen you do you have? For Reort Gen 2009, it offers support for MS Office 2007/2003/XP
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/45E349F79A55EAE6862575EF00614134
Andy Chang
National Instruments
LabVIEW Control Design and Simulation

Similar Messages

Error -2417417851 using Report generation toolkit

I try to use the Report Generation toolkit (Version 1.0.1) for MS Office und the example "Generate Report from Template (Excel).vi" return an Error -2417417851
I run Labview 6.02, on Win2000 German, and use Office 97 (Everything is installed (included MS Graph))
Did someone experienced such a problem and found a solution?
Thank you for your Help!

Is LabVIEW and Office both German? Under Control Panel >> Regional Options >> General, is the language set to German? How about under Regional Options >> Input Locale? Reboot if you make any changes.
I would suggest reregistering the nireports.dll. It is located in the National Instruments\Shared\NI Reports directory.
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/3efedde4322fef19862567740067f3cc/4f811a9b23f1d46e862566f700615b7a?OpenDocument
Next, mass compile (Tools >> Advanced >> Mass Compile...) the LLB's in the \vi.lib\addons\_office
Chris_Mitchell
Product Development Engineer
Certified LabVIEW Architect

Problem building application using Report Generation Toolkit, LV 2011

I'm using LabVIEW 2011 under Windows 7.
I tried to use Application Builder to create an executable from a large body of code. One thing the application does is load VIs into a subpanel and run them.
Application Builder created the executable and gave no error message. The built application ran except that it couldn't run any of the dynamic VIs.
I finally succeeded in doing a screen grab on a transient dialog (about 1/10 sec. appearance). The dialog showed an attempt to load <vilib>:\Utility\NIReport.llb\NI_report.lvclass.
In one dynamic VI I commented out the call to the only VI that uses the Report Generation Toolkit (called only from dynamic VIs, all of which call it). Sure enough, when I built the application with that change and ran it, the dynamic VI that didn't invoke the Report Generation Toolkit did successfully load into the subpanel and run.
So, trying to prove to myself that that was the only problem, I wrote a VI that does nothing but load a VI into a subpanel and run it. User can choose one of two VIs: one that doesn't call the Report Generation Toolkit (or do much of anything), and one that does. Both VIs run fine standalone.
The not-much-of-anything VI loaded and ran in the subpanel. The other VI didn't--the same dialog, mentioned above, popped up for 1/10 second or less. Screen grab is attached.
When I included LVClass and NIReport.llb folders in the project (from vi.lib\Utility: Snapshot folders), and "Always Included" those folders (per a suggestion on this forum from a few years ago), the result was the same. The result was also the same when I included either one of those folders but not the other. Likewise it doesn't matter whether I add the dynamic VIs as "Always Included" or not.
Another piece of information that may be pertinent: when adding the NIReport.llb folder, I got a message that it was impossible to add a certain VI that's part of some report-type class, because a VI of that name already existed in the project. Screenshot of that dialog is also attached.
VIs and project file are also attached along with the two screenshots. I hardcoded VI paths, so put everything into C:\Testing if you want to see what the code does--or hack as desired, etc.
I will be deeply grateful for any help! And I apologize in advance if there's already some exact or close-enough solution posted--but I doubt there is. I looked around.
Thanks very much,
mws
Attachments:
Test-App-Build.zip ‏336 KB

Hi again,
If you extract all files in the original zip attachment to a folder called C:\Testing on a Windows 7 machine running LV 2011, and then use the build script within the project file to build the application, you can run the application and see what happens. You can also play around with the build parameters, rebuild, run, and see what happens then. You can also open my VIs and see what I'm doing.
The application lets you pick one of two dynamic VIs to run in a subpanel. One VI contains calls both to Report Generation VIs and some functions from the Advanced File Functions palette. The other VI does not.
When you pick the first VI to load and run (the one with the Report Generation and Advanced File Functions calls), it loads into the subpanel but is not executable.
When you pick the second VI to load and run, it does load into the subpanel and execute. So there's nothing wrong with the way I load and run a VI in the subpanel.
In the development environment, the whole thing runs with no problems.
Evidently the built application has problems resolving paths of something called by Report Generation VIs and by the Advanced File Functions I use.
I've done a lot of experimenting and no luck. I've looked in forum archives, etc. etc., for possible solutions. I'm hoping there's some simple solution I've missed.
Thanks very much for any help!

Error 7 with Report Generation Toolkit

Hello Everyone,
I'm trying to generate an Excel sheet report for some readings using "Report Generation toolkit" But when trying to generate the report, the report generation part of code is executed and gives Error(7) and there is no report is generated.
The Code I use is atached in the following Link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9n4brimucsd0xts/Report%20Generation.rar
Can I get help please?
Thanks in advance
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I was able to download and open your compressed file. I unpacked it into a folder.
There are numerous peculiarities that lead me to ask "Are you trying to learn LabVIEW on your own, without a mentor and without training and guidance"? Here are some of the things that I noticed:
Although a Report Generation .lvproj, .aliases, and .lvlps file, the Project, when opened, was empty! Since Projects were added to LabVIEW, almost all development should take place in a Project, but you do not appear to be doing so.
You have an Event Loop (good) to handle pressing Start, Stop, and Report buttons. But instead of using Boolean controls with a Latch property and using a "Value Changed" event, you use Switch Until Released (which, so far, I've never used) and a Mouse Down Event. I suppose this could work, but I've never seen this pattern.
You are writing an Excel Report, but are not using the Excel-specific VIs (such as Excel Easy Table). Why (or Why Not)? The basic idea of an Excel Report is that you create the 2D text data you want to write into Excel, then with a few simple VIs, you open Excel, write the Table, and save the Report. In particular, you don't write out something that resembles the columns of the first few rows of a Spreadsheet (Date, Time, Test, etc.).
Now to your specific question, Error 7. Do you know what this error means? If you click on Help, choose Explain Error, and put in 7, you will see this means "File Not Found". Well, there is an obvious place where a File is used, right when your program starts. I recommend that you put a Probe (do you know about Probes?) or an Indicator on the path going into the main For loop and see what File you are trying to open (hint -- there's an error in the way you build the path, but you should be able to figure out how to fix it).
Good luck. Hope these suggestions get you on a Better Path.

Report Generation Toolkit failure with Win 7 and Labview 2013

I recently had my computer updated to Windows 7 and am now seeing a problem with the Report Generation toolkit (version 2013) when working with Excel files. If I try to run the New Report.vi with report type Excel selected I get error -2146777998. Doing the same thing with Word selected eventually opens Word, although this takes about ten seconds, but it does not generate an error. Selecting Standard Report or HTML also run without errors.
I've researched this error on line but I keep ending up .NET and C# forums where everything goes over my head. Has anybody got any suggestions?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

I found the solution to this particular source of error code -2146777998. There are two template files that reside in C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2013\templates\Report by the name of MSOffice_RGT_Template.dot and MSOffice_RGT_Template.xlt. The problem came down to that these templates got corrupted somehow during the fresh install. As soon as I replaced them with versions from another machine the problem disappeared.
Just as a side note, I discovered the problem by kicking off the MS Office Report Express vi and out came a much clearer message that aimed me at the templates. Not quite sure why that message isn't echoed into the individual subvi's on the pallette, but life is a mystery.

Report generation toolkit and column

Hello, i asked this question before, but this time i just needed some input..
I originally asked, if i am doing various experiment sets and say each sets takes in about 1000 data points, and i have to do 50 such experiments continously i wanted to know if there was a way of arranging the data so that for each experiment is written in a different column, so i have 50 different column. Instead of the current one column with 50000 data points.
I was kindly suggested various alternatives such as using arrays...now my querry is regarding something that i heard which involves Report Generation toolset.
If i was to get this toolset, with this make my life easier interms of sorting my data out into different columns? I ahve also been
told it will do all sorts of graphs and do pretty much everying thing falling short of making a cup of tea
Now has any one had any experience in this type of porblem? or do i have to stick with the array solution. Incidently the reason why i have a niggling problem with arrays is that my programme is stricly no limited to just 50000 data for some runs i can decide to take more data in one set then the orther so building an array becomes problematic.
Please let me know what you all think of this kind Regards
Mansoor

Hello Mansoor
If you want to write the data to an Excel spreadsheet there are several options available to you as well as the Report Generation Toolkit.
I have posted some links to help and advice on performing this action using the toolkit, but also using the file I/O vi's and using active X.
Have a look at these links and if you have any further questions please reply to this post.
Report Generation Toolkit User Manual
http://digital.ni.com/manuals.nsf/webAdvsearch/46334E8183C5360586256E3F00603DDB?OpenDocument&vid=niwc&node=132100_US
Report Generation Toolkit Tutorials
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/devzone.nsf/webcategories/A50386FBB21ECC1A86256AB7006C2E6C
File I/O information
http://zone.ni.com/devzone/devzone.nsf/webcategories/BC4E8ABB211CFE7F
86256A1F0062CEB2
Writing data to an Excel file example in the LabVIEW example finder at the following location: - �Communicating with External Applications -> ActiveX -> Excel -> Write Table to XL.vi�
Regards
Hannah
NI

Report Generation Toolkit Excel errors and Libraries, Classes

Hello All,
I'm using the Report Generation toolkit Excel functions to handle some data and create graphs. I'm running into problems with the Add Worksheet.vi. At the very start of the vi, it closes the reference to Shapes. Occasionally, the Close Ref will throw an error. I haven't pinned down the exact cause yet (probably an invalid reference). The error itself wouldn't be a problem. Under other circumstances I would choose to ignore it and continue on. The problem is, this is stored in a Class Library controlled by NI.
Solutions I've tried without success:
1.) Make changes, and save the new vi with another name - can't do it because it's encapsulated and the Library is password protected.
2.) Install toolkit in something other than the default folder, so I can make changes and put it under Source Control - installer doesn't allow a new path to be entered.
3.) Change the vi where it is. This works until I move the source to another computer or I update Labview. At that point I lose all my changes.
Maybe it's just my inexperience with Classes, but I just don't see an elegant solution to this. Ultimately I'd like to copy the library off to somewhere else and put it under Source Control so I can make changes and additions to it (NI folks - providing a password to unlock the lib would be helpful...). Does anyone have suggestions on how I can accomplish this?
Thanks in Advance,
Doug

Hi Ben,
Sorry about the first post. After re-reading it, it sounds more like a frustrated rant than a request for help.
I've attached a simplified vi to try to illustrate the problem I'm having. I'm running Excel 2007. Please open the vi, then open Excel Add Worksheet.vi. At the start of the vi, Close Ref for Excel.Shapes occasionally throws an error. So far, I have not been able to consistently reproduce the error, so I can't really troubleshoot it. As I recall, the error code is 1045. The error is carried through the rest of the vi, causing invalid references to be written to Excel._Worksheet and Excel.Shapes, going out to NI_report.ctl.
So, here are the issues I'm running into (other than the error itself):
1.)Short of closing and reopening the file, there is no way to recover from the error. After the error, there is an invalid reference in Excel._Worksheet. There is no vi available to regenerate references in NI_report.ctl. I could easily write a vi to start from Excel._Application and re-read them, but because NI_report.ctl is in a Class library (controlled and passworded by NI), I can't add the vi to the library.
2.) I found that I could ignore the error by wiring around it. If I disconnect Error Out from Excel.Shapes Close Ref and wire Error In from Excel.Sheets.Count to the Error In of the Close Ref, everything works fine. Under other circumstances, I'd save this with a new vi name (because functionality changed) and continue on. But, because the vi is part of a Class library (controlled and passworded by NI), I can't do this. I can save the vi with the modifications (because Excel Add Worksheet.vi is not passworded), but if I pass the source off to someone else, they will have to make the same changes on their installation of the NI Report Generation Toolkit.
Again, I can't reproduce the error with any regularity. I've run the example vi I provided a few times and everything seems to work fine. If I come up with something, I'll repost. If you (or anyone) has an idea of what could be failing or if they've seen the problem, I'd appreciate a comment.
Thanks again,
Doug
Attachments:
Excel Fail.vi ‏15 KB

How to set tabstops in MS Word using the LabVIEW Report Generation Toolkit

Using the Report Generation Toolkit of LabVIEW, I need to set multiple tabstops that very in distance in MS Word. I also have different sets of tabstops that I use and re-use at different times in the same report. Is there a way to set the tabstops under program control? I searched through the various VIs and found that there is a property ("Tabstops", "Word.Tabstops") in the _ParagraphFormat property node that refers to tabstops. I found it in the Word Format Paragraph (adv) VI. Unfortunately, I could not determine how to use it. Any suggestions? Is this an operational element?

Bluebell,
Sounds like you've already done some fantastic work to expose the various properties and methods of MS Word. It took me about 20 min before I could find the specific property that you were talking about! I found it under Word.Document>>Paragraphs>>Tabstops>>Add. There is a position, alignment and leader parameter that you can set from this property node. I've found that the best way to discover what these parameters do is to simply experiment. You could also try using the macro recorder in Word, perform the specific task, and then look at the code generated. I'm guessing that position sets the position of the tabstop itself. It sounds like your application is really specific. For such a specific task, I think I'd write a macro and call that macro from LabVIEW.
Chris Cilino
National Instruments
LabVIEW Product Marketing Manager
Certified LabVIEW Architect

Print number of pages with Report Generation toolkit

I use the report generation toolkit and the Print Report.vi to print a table and some text extracted from a MS Access database. The result of this is a print out that takes up several pages.
Now, on each page i want something like (Page x of y), and I do not want to buy more expensive NI packages for this simple thing. I know it should be possible since the Report Express vi can do it --- which for me is a useless vi.
I do not consider it a nice solution to try and keep track of the number of pages myself by dividing the table into more tables and use the new page vi between each "page table". This I would not like to do since depending on paper size, font size, and length of text strings in each cell this will be virtually impossible.
By moving into the Print Report.vi I've tried to see if I somehow can extract the info --- I've not found anything usefull but expect a workaround to possible.
Any suggestions?
Cheers,
Martin

Hi Skinny,
There are some tokens you can use in the headers and footers of Standard Reports generated by the Report Generation VIs. If you take a look at [LabVIEW]\examples\reports\TextReportExample.llb\Text Report Example.vi, you'll see that the right footer text of the report has the token <pagenofm>, which generates a footer of the form "1 of 10", to indicate page 1 out of 10 pages. There's also another tag you can use, <page>, that just lists the page number itself without a total number of pages. If you look at the help for the Set Report Header Text.vi or Set Report Footer Text.vi, you'll see a link in the help for all the different "tokens" you can use with the report header and footer. Actually, now that I think about it, you can use these tokens anywhere in the report, including the body text.
Good luck,
-D
Darren Nattinger, CLA
LabVIEW Artisan and Nugget Penman

Report Generation Toolkit producing error -2147417842, "The application called an interface that was marshalled for a different thread."

Hi everybody,
I've got an application that logs data to an Excel spreadsheet using the Report Generation Toolkit. My VI's have worked fine in the past using Excel XP, but since I've upgraded to Excel 2007, I am getting COM errors like this one:
"Error -2147417842 occurred at The application called an interface that was marshalled for a different thread. in Excel_Insert_Text.vi" That is the exact wording, even with the weird punctuation and capitalization.
The first occurrence of the error is not determinate. Sometimes, up to 10 logging sessions, involving a new .xls file, can occur before this error pops up. Once this error occurs, I must quit LabVIEW to resolve it. If I try to do anything with Excel, I always get this error, although sometimes it comes out of different source VIs. Excel_Open.vi is another.
These logging VIs have worked just fine until upgrading to Excel 2007. I checked, and I was using a really old version of the Report Generation Toolkit, v1.0.1. I read the documentation and had a big sigh of relief when I realized I needed to upgraded to v1.1.2 to get Excel 2007 support. However, even after upgrading, I'm still getting the same errors. I'm using LabVIEW 8.0.1, and I'm also building these VIs into an application. The error occurs both in the LabVIEW IDE and in the built application. Does anybody out there have any idea what I can do to fix this? I googled a little, and discovered this is a COM error, but I can't find any references to the Report Generation Toolkit specifically.
Thanks,
Phil
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hi Christian,
I do not see that exact option listed, do you mean "user interface"? I recognize the "Run in UI Thread" option, it's on the Call Library Function Node.
I checked, and my top-level VI has "same as caller" set, and I believe all my VIs are set to "same as caller". Are you suggesting I change my top-level VI preferred execution environment to "user interface", or just the logging sub-VIs that use the Report Generation Toolkit?
Thanks,
Phil
Attachments:
VI_properties.png ‏15 KB

Error involving Report Generation Toolkit and Labview Run Time Engine

Developed an application using LabVIEW 6.1 and LabVIEW Report Generation Toolkit for Microsoft Office 1.0.1. From there, tried to build a shared application for use with the LabVIEW Run Time Engine. The Run Time version functions properly until "New Report.vi" is called and then an error is generated, code 7, calling out "Open VI Reference in New Report.vi" could not be found. When building the application, I did include the "NI Reports Support" in the advanced installer options. The machine used for original development and application build is running Windows XP Pro and Office XP. Any suggestions??

I am having the exact same problem but with LV 6.1 and M/S WORD 2000. It appears that the "New Report.vi" is trying to open "C:\APP.DIR\Word_Open.vi" and "C:\APP.Dir\Word_Open_Document.vi" by reference. The "OFFICE 2000.TXT" says that "_exclsub.llb and _wordsub.llb must be added as support files when building an application or a dynamic link library with the application builder." I added them as Support Files and I copied them to the "C:\TESTER\" where the TESTER.EXE is and I still get ERROR 7 in "NEW REPORT.VI" at VI OPEN REFERENCE.
Do I need to make a "C:\TESTER\DATA\" sub-dir and put the support files there?
I am building on MY COMPUTER on F: Drive on a network and transporting files to the real Tester.
I displayed my App.Property of APP.DI
R at start up and it is C:\TESTER\ ! How would my application know that "Word_Open.vi" and "Word_Open_Document.vi" are actually inside the _wordsub.llb?
Any ideas ?
Greg Klocek

Report Generation Toolkit missing VI

LabVIEW version 8.6.1
Report Generation Toolkit 1.13
I have just started work on an ongoing project that others have been contributing to for some time. (Hence the project being in older versions of LabVIEW)
On my PC, I am apparently missing the VI "Word Get ActiveX References.vi"
I do have the version 1.13 of the toolkit installed, just as every other machine that runs this code does. But my word.llb does not contain that VI
I have tried simply copying that VI into the .llb The VI is then found by the application. But is not executable due to this error: This VI is connected with a library that does not include the VI. The VI might have been deleted from the library. Add the VI to the library again or select File»Disconnect from Library.
I have also tried replacing my entire C:\Program Files\National Instruments\LabVIEW 8.6\vi.lib\addons\_office\ directory with files from a PC that was working. Again, I get the same error as above.
I did attempt to do a repair on my installation of the toolkit. But as far as I can tell, this didn't do anything.
I also tried simply reinstalling the toolkit. But since it was already installed, it did nothing. I am hesitant to uninstall and reinstall the toolkit for fear of breaking all of my 8.6 projects, as well as possibly my 2009 projects. I wouldn't think it mess with my 2009 installation. But I do know that the order in which things are installed can be critical in system with multiple versions. I'm not sure if this applies to toolkits or not.
This PC also has an installation of LV 2009 SP1, and that version also has the Report Generation Toolkit installed. (although it is a different revision of the toolkit than 1.13)
I know that in the past, multiple versions of this toolkit were not compatible, meaning only one installed version of LabVIEW could have a working Report Generation Toolkit installed. But I was of the understanding that this was no longer a problem. Although it may not be a coincidence that neither of the other development boxes running this code do not have LV 2009 installed.
Has anyone else ever run into a similar problem and found a solution?
Thanks.
Patrick Allen
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Darren wrote:
Back before we unified the LabVIEW and toolkit version numbers (in 2009), there were cases where we didn't change the version number in the registry for one reason or another on a minor upgrade.
Ah. This makes sense then.
I just reinstalled said toolkit from said SSP DVD and although it did tell me that I was about to install 1.1.4, MAX still thinks it's 1.1.3
...except that now I do have the missing VI. This is a good thingTM
I still wonder how it ended up missing, because I'm really sure this is where I installed the toolkit from in the first place. I'll probably never know for sure. But that's a lot easier to take when the code is working.
Thanks!
Message Edited by pallen on 04-15-2010 04:52 PM
Patrick Allen

Report Generation Toolkit Error Quick Question

Hi,
I created the most awesome LabVIEW report ever at my desk using a trial version of the RGT and Office 2003. I took this to my production machine and ")@#(&%(*#^%()^!!!" The production machine has office 2007 and a fully licensed version of the RGT. Both machines have LabVIEW 8.6.0. I've read all the stuff about these errors and something about classes and dll's and whatnot's. So my quick question, is: Instead of matching the versions of Microsoft Office as recommended, can I just rewrite from scratch the VI that creates this world's most awesome LabVIEW report on the production machine to create the same effect?
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Hi
Quick Answer: Probably
Slower answer: Microsoft changed a lot of things behind the scenes in Office 2007, but the Report Generation toolkit version 1.1.3 supports Office 2007 so you should be good to go. Depends on what functions are included in your VI. Liek the read me says "Several default settings in Microsoft Office 2007 differ slightly from previous versions. Reports you generate using Office 2007 might look different than reports you generate from other versions of Office because font sizes, cell sizes, and so on, differ."
Best Regards
David
NISW

Report Generation Toolkit Error

I have an application that generates multiple excel spreadsheets each containing a table and four graphs. This has been working fine for three months but I am now getting error when generating the reports. The source of the error is in the Excel_create_workbook as indicated on the attached picture. I am passing in a template name for my excel reports. The error code (-2147352571) states a type mismatch. The file path to my template is a constant so I can't see how sometimes I get a type mismatch and other times I don't.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
AJL
Attachments:
create_Workbook error.JPG ‏269 KB

Thanks for the reply, however, this VI is part of the Report Generation Toolkit so I don't want to have to modified NI's code if possible. I did try your suggestion without saving the VI and I still got the same error.
Any other ideas?
BTW - I encountered this problem first in an executable but have since seen the error in the development code.
Does anyone know if there is a limit to how many times you can create an excel document from LabVIEW? I wouldn't think so but the error seems to happen if I try to create several (more then five usually) documents at a time.
Thanks in advance
AJL

Report Generation Toolkit with Excel 2003 and Excel 2000

Hello,
I'm using the Report Generation Toolkit to generate an Excel report from an Excel template.
The "NI_Excel.lvclass" is included in the "source" section of the application builder options.
I create an exe file on a PC where Excel 2003 is installed. On a Notebook, where only Excel 2000 is installed, the application crashes at the generation of the report:
I guess the problem is the different version of Excel but I don't know. On the developer PC with Excel 2003 it works fine.
In this document it's only talked about different Word versions.
How can I use the Report Generation Toolkit here?
I'm using it that way:
Regards

Oh, it seems that the Report Generation Toolkit "only" supports Excel XP/2003/2007.
I think, that's the problem.

Suggestion about Report Generation Toolkit

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