MTReport Components Suite 1.0
=============================

The set of native Delphi 5 components for creating complex reports in 
classical and distributed applications.


TABLE OF CONTENTS
-----------------

Overview
Components
Installation
Evaluation version
Registered version
Copyright notes
Contact

Overview
-------- 

MTReport is a set of components intended for creating reports in 
multi-tier database applications. It implements distributed technology 
in data processing: application server extracts data in required 
sequence and sends it to the client application, that is responsible 
only for data visualization in the appropriate format. Two aims can be 
achieved by this technology: thin client and low traffic between 
client and server. Only two server calls are involved in your report 
output.

MTReport has also some other unique features: 

1. Process of report development is divided between two operations -
creation of data extraction schema, and creation of visual presentaion 
template. This technique allows to create very complicated (master-
detail with unlimited nesting, cross-tabulated, charts, and all these 
in one) reports in a simple way.

2. It can generate output documents directly in the required format -
HTML, RTF, MS Excel. Special components (visualization drivers) are 
responsible for each format. You have only to place an appropriate 
component into the client application and create a template in a
required format. Furthermore you can create your own components-
drivers to generate reports in other formats (for example some 
spreadsheet, DBF or plain text).

3. Creation of reports is a fully run-time process. No recompiling of 
your program is needed. End-users can create reports, because they don't
need to know about Delphi, components, methods etc., they only need 
to know database structure and SQL.

These features demonstrate an expediency of MTReport usage  in classic
database applications too, not only in distributed ones. 

For additional information see mtreport.chm file or online manual at
our web site.


Components
----------

TmtrBDEServer is a server-side report component for work with BDE 
databases. It must be connected to the standard TDatabase component.

TmtrIBServer is a server-side report component for work with Interbase 
databases. It must be connected to the standard TIBDatabase and 
TIBTransaction components.

TmtrClient is a client-side report component. It sends a report schema 
to server-side components, receives data and manages drivers to 
output it.

TmtrExcelView is a visualization driver for data output in Microsoft
Excel 97-2000 format. 

TmtrHTMLView is a visualization driver for data output in HTML 
format.

TmtrRTFView is a visualization driver for data output in RTF format. 

TmtrDesigner is a client-side component for developing a report 
schema. It presents a report hierarchy, bands, fields and parameters
in one tree and allows to manipulate them.  


Installation
------------

Delphi 5.

  1. If you plan to use both BDE and Interbase databases, go to the 
  next step.
  If you plan to use only BDE databases, open file lib\mtr.inc and 
  disable directive {$DEFINE IBX}.
  If you plan to use only Interbase databases, open file lib\mtr.inc
  and disable directive {$DEFINE BDE}.

  2. Open package lib\mtr_d5.dpk, compile and install it. Components 
  will be installed in "MTReport" palette page.

  3. Don't save packages within IDE to prevent conditional defines 
  corruption.

Delphi 4.

  Current MTReport version for Delphi 4 works only with BDE databases
  and doesn't support Microsoft Excel format. If you are interested 
  in this capability please contact us.

  1. Open package lib\mtr_d4.dpk, compile and install it. Components 
  will be installed in "MTReport" palette page.

  2. Don't save packages within IDE to prevent conditional defines 
  corruption.


Evaluation version
------------------

This is not free software. You can use this software for evaluation 
purposes without charge for a period of 30 days. If you use this 
software after the 30 day evaluation period a registration is 
required. For registration information, please visit website 
http://mttools.hypermart.net.


Registered version
------------------

After registration you will obtain the following:

1. Full source code.

2. Support by e-mail during 24 months period since registration.

3. Free upgrades during 24 months period since registration.

4. Assistance in creation of specific visualization drivers for your 
needs.

5. Assistance in creation of server components for your specific 
database engines.


Copyright notes
---------------

The code in mtrXML.pas unit are copied (and slightly modified) from 
TjanXMLTree component by Jan Verhoeven.
 jan1.verhoeven@wxs.nl
 http://jansfreeware.com

Three string functions in module mtrGlobal.pas are copied from unit 
QStrings.pas by Andrew N. Driazgov.
 andrey@asp.tstu.ru
 

Contact
-------

This software is developed by MT Tools team.

WWW: http://mttools.hypermart.net

E-mail: support@mttools.hypermart.net


======================================================
MTReport, Copyright 2001 MT Tools.