==============================
Server-side report programming
==============================

When a server gets a request from a client to generate report, it first of all 
creates a copy of the report and then this copy calls the 
:doc:`generate </refs/server/report/m_generate>` 
method. 

This method triggers the
:doc:`on_before_generate </refs/server/report/on_before_generate>` 
event. In this event handler developer should write a code that generates the 
content of the report.

For example for the **invoice** report of the Demo application this event is as 
follows:

.. code-block:: py

    def on_generate(report):
        invoices = report.task.invoices.copy()
        invoices.set_where(id=report.id.value)
        invoices.open()
    
        customer = invoices.firstname.display_text + ' ' + invoices.customer.display_text
        address = invoices.billing_address.display_text
        city = invoices.billing_city.display_text + ' ' + invoices.billing_state.display_text + ' ' + \
            invoices.billing_country.display_text
        date = invoices.invoicedate.display_text
        shipped = invoices.billing_address.display_text + ' ' + invoices.billing_city.display_text + ' ' + \
            invoices.billing_state.display_text + ' ' + invoices.billing_country.display_text
        taxrate = invoices.taxrate.display_text
        report.print_band('title', locals())
    
        tracks = invoices.invoice_table
        tracks.open()
        for t in tracks:
            quantity = t.quantity.display_text
            track = t.track.display_text
            unitprice = t.unitprice.display_text
            sum = t.amount.display_text
            report.print_band('detail', locals())
    
        subtotal = invoices.subtotal.display_text
        tax = invoices.tax.display_text
        total = invoices.total.display_text
        report.print_band('summary', locals())
    
First, we use the
:doc:`copy </refs/server/item/m_copy>`
method to create a copy of the invoices journal.

.. code-block:: py

    invoices = report.task.invoices.copy()

We create the copiy because multiple users can simultaneously generate the same 
report in parallel threads.

Then we call the set_where method of the copy:

.. code-block:: py

    invoices.set_where(id=report.id.value)

where report.id.value is report id parameter, the value of which we set in the 
:doc:`on_before_print_report </refs/client/report/on_before_print_report>`
event handler on the client and which is equal to the current **id** field 
value of the **invoice** journal.

Then, using the 
:doc:`open </refs/server/item/m_open>`
method, we obtain the records on the server. After that the 
:doc:`print_band </refs/server/report/m_print_band>`
method is used to print title band:

.. code-block:: py

    report.print_band('title', locals())

But before that we assign values to four local variables: customer, address, 
city and date that correspond to programmable cells in the title band in the 
report template.

Then the same way we generate detail and summary bands.

When the report is generated and the value of report 
:doc:`extension </refs/client/report/at_extension>`
attribute, set on the client, is not equals 'pdf' the server converts the ods 
file using **LibreOffice**.

Once the report is generated it is stored in a report folder of the static 
directory and the server sends the client the report file url.