FastReport VCL Professional Review: Features, Benefits, Pros and Cons, and Comparison with Other Reporting Tools
FastReport VCL Professional V6.3.8 Full Source Retail: A Comprehensive Review
If you are looking for a powerful and flexible reporting and document creation tool for Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus, you might want to check out FastReport VCL Professional. This is a VCL library that allows you to create complex reports with rich design options, data analysis, charts, barcodes, export to various formats, and more. In this article, we will review FastReport VCL Professional in detail, covering its features, benefits, system requirements, installation, usage, pros and cons, comparison with other reporting tools, and FAQs. By the end of this article, you will have a clear idea of whether FastReport VCL Professional is the right tool for your needs.
FastReport VCL Professional V6.3.8 Full Source Retail
What is FastReport VCL Professional?
FastReport VCL Professional is a reporting and document creation tool that is designed for Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus developers. It is a component-based library that allows you to create reports programmatically or visually using a report designer. You can use FastReport VCL Professional to create reports of any complexity, from simple invoices and receipts to multi-page reports with charts, tables, images, barcodes, cross-tabs, subreports, etc. You can also use FastReport VCL Professional to create documents such as forms, labels, envelopes, certificates, tickets, etc.
Features and benefits of FastReport VCL Professional
Some of the main features and benefits of FastReport VCL Professional are:
Rich design options: You can use various objects to design your reports, such as text, shapes, pictures, charts, barcodes, rich text, cross-tabs, subreports, etc. You can also use styles, fonts, colors, borders, backgrounds, alignment, rotation, transparency, etc. to customize the appearance of your reports.
Data analysis: You can use various functions and expressions to manipulate and calculate data in your reports. You can also use aggregates, groups, sorts, filters, totals, etc. to organize and summarize data in your reports.
Charts: You can use various types of charts to visualize data in your reports. You can choose from line charts, bar charts, pie charts, area charts, scatter charts, bubble charts, radar charts, etc. You can also customize the chart properties such as titles, legends, axes labels values colors markers etc.
Barcodes: You can use various types of barcodes to encode data in your reports. You can choose from linear barcodes such as Code 39 Code 128 EAN UPC etc or 2D barcodes such as QR Code Data Matrix PDF417 etc. You can also customize the barcode properties such as size orientation checksum human-readable text etc.
Export: You can export your reports to various formats such as PDF HTML RTF TXT CSV XLS XML BMP JPG TIFF GIF PNG SVG etc. You can also export your reports to cloud storage such as Google Drive Dropbox OneDrive etc.
Preview: You Preview: You can preview your reports before printing or exporting them. You can also use the preview options to zoom, navigate, search, print, export, email, etc. your reports.
How to install and use FastReport VCL Professional?
To install and use FastReport VCL Professional, you need to follow these steps:
Installation steps and screenshots
Download the FastReport VCL Professional installer from the official website or from the link provided by your vendor.
Run the installer and follow the instructions on the screen. You can choose the components you want to install, such as report designer, report generator, export filters, demos, etc.
After the installation is complete, you can find the FastReport VCL Professional components in your IDE's component palette. You can also find the report designer executable in the installation folder.
Here are some screenshots of the installation process:
How to create a simple report with FastReport VCL Professional
To create a simple report with FastReport VCL Professional, you need to follow these steps:
Create a new project in your IDE and add a TfrxReport component to your form. This is the main component that represents a report.
Double-click on the TfrxReport component to launch the report designer. This is where you can design your report visually or programmatically.
In the report designer, you can use the toolbar, menu, object inspector, data tree, report tree, etc. to create and edit your report. You can also use the code editor to write scripts for your report.
To add data to your report, you can use the data tree to connect to various data sources, such as databases, files, web services, etc. You can also use variables and expressions to define data in your report.
To add objects to your report, you can use the object inspector to select and configure various objects, such as text, shapes, pictures, charts, barcodes, etc. You can also drag and drop objects from the toolbar or the object library to your report.
To organize your report layout, you can use the report tree to add and edit various bands, such as title band, page header band, data band, group header band, group footer band, page footer band, summary band, etc. You can also use margins and guides to align and arrange objects in your report.
To preview your report, you can use the preview button on the toolbar or press F9. This will open a preview window where you can see how your report looks like. You can also use the preview options to zoom, navigate, search, print, export, email, etc. your report.
To save your report, you can use the save button on the toolbar or press Ctrl+S. This will save your report as a .fr3 file in your project folder. You can also use the save as button to save your report in other formats such as .xml or .pdf.
Here are some screenshots of the report designer and the preview window:
How to customize and enhance your reports with FastReport VCL Professional
FastReport VCL Professional offers many options and features to customize and enhance your reports. Here are some examples of how you can do that:
Use scripts: You can use scripts to add logic and interactivity to your reports. You can use PascalScript, C++Script, JScript, or BasicScript as the scripting language. You can write scripts in the code editor or use the script wizard to generate scripts automatically. You can use scripts to perform calculations, validations, conditions, events, dialogs, etc.
Use functions and expressions: You can use functions and expressions to manipulate and calculate data in your reports. You can use built-in functions or create your own custom functions. You can use expressions to define variables, parameters, filters, sorts, groups, etc.
Use styles: You can use styles to apply consistent formatting to your report objects. You can use predefined styles or create your own custom styles. You can apply styles to text, shapes, pictures, charts, barcodes, etc.
Use templates: You can use templates to save and reuse report designs. You can use predefined templates or create your own custom templates. You can apply templates to new or existing reports.
Use add-ons: You can use add-ons to extend the functionality of FastReport VCL Professional. You can use add-ons such as FastCube VCL (for OLAP analysis), FastReport FMX (for cross-platform reporting), FastReport Cloud (for cloud-based reporting), etc.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of FastReport VCL Professional?
FastReport VCL Professional has many advantages and disadvantages that you should consider before using it. Here are some of them:
Pros of FastReport VCL Professional
Powerful and flexible: FastReport VCL Professional allows you to create complex reports with rich design options, data analysis, charts, barcodes, export, etc. You can also customize and enhance your reports with scripts, functions, expressions, styles, templates, add-ons, etc.
Easy and intuitive: FastReport VCL Professional is easy and intuitive to use. You can create reports programmatically or visually using a report designer. You can also preview, print, export, email, etc. your reports with a few clicks.
Compatible and integrated: FastReport VCL Professional is compatible and integrated with Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus. You can use it as a component in your projects and access various data sources such as databases, files, web services, etc.
Reliable and supported: FastReport VCL Professional is reliable and supported by a reputable company. It has been in the market for over 20 years and has thousands of satisfied customers worldwide. It also offers regular updates, bug fixes, documentation, tutorials, forums, etc.
Cons of FastReport VCL Professional
Expensive and limited: FastReport VCL Professional is expensive and limited compared to some other reporting tools. It costs $499 for a single developer license and $1499 for a site license. It also has some limitations such as no support for Linux or MacOS platforms no support for FireMonkey framework no support for web-based reporting etc.
Complex and overwhelming: FastReport VCL Professional can be complex and overwhelming for some users especially beginners or non-programmers. It has many options and features that can be confusing or unnecessary for some scenarios. It also requires some coding skills to use scripts functions expressions etc.
Buggy and outdated: FastReport VCL Professional can be buggy and outdated in some cases. It may have some compatibility issues with newer versions of Delphi C++Builder RAD Studio or Lazarus. It may also have some bugs or errors that affect the performance or quality of the reports.
How does FastReport VCL Professional compare to other reporting tools?
To help you decide whether FastReport VCL Professional is the best reporting tool for you we have compared it with some other popular reporting tools in the market such as ReportBuilder QuickReport Rave Reports Crystal Reports etc. Here is a comparison table that shows the main features and differences of these tools:Here is a comparison table of FastReport VCL Professional and other reporting tools:
Reporting Tool
Features
Differences
FastReport VCL Professional
- Rich design options- Data analysis- Charts- Barcodes- Export- Preview- Scripts- Functions and expressions- Styles- Templates- Add-ons
- Compatible and integrated with Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus- Component-based library- Report designer and code editor- Powerful and flexible- Easy and intuitive
ReportBuilder
- Rich design options- Data analysis- Charts- Barcodes- Export- Preview- Scripts- Functions and expressions- Styles- Templates
- Compatible and integrated with Delphi and C++Builder- Component-based library- Report designer and code editor- Powerful and flexible- End-user report design capability
QuickReport
- Basic design options- Data analysis- Charts- Barcodes- Export- Preview
- Compatible and integrated with Delphi and C++Builder- Component-based library- Report designer only- Simple and fast- No scripting or customization
Rave Reports
- Basic design options- Data analysis- Charts- Barcodes- Export- Preview
- Compatible and integrated with Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus - Component-based library - Report designer only - Simple and fast - Project style report management
Crystal Reports
- Rich design options - Data analysis - Charts - Barcodes - Export - Preview - Scripts - Functions and expressions - Styles - Templates
- Compatible with various platforms and languages - Standalone application or embedded in other applications - Report designer only - Powerful and flexible - Complex and overwhelming
Why choose FastReport VCL Professional over other reporting tools?
If you are looking for a reporting tool that offers the following benefits, you should choose FastReport VCL Professional over other reporting tools:
Compatibility and integration: FastReport VCL Professional is compatible and integrated with Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus, which are popular development environments for Windows applications. You can use FastReport VCL Professional as a component in your projects and access various data sources such as databases, files, web services, etc.
Power and flexibility: FastReport VCL Professional allows you to create complex reports with rich design options, data analysis, charts, barcodes, export, etc. You can also customize and enhance your reports with scripts, functions, expressions, styles, templates, add-ons, etc.
Ease and intuition: FastReport VCL Professional is easy and intuitive to use. You can create reports programmatically or visually using a report designer. You can also preview, print, export, email, etc. your reports with a few clicks.
Reliability and support: FastReport VCL Professional is reliable and supported by a reputable company. It has been in the market for over 20 years and has thousands of satisfied customers worldwide. It also offers regular updates, bug fixes, documentation, tutorials, forums, etc.
Conclusion and recommendations
In conclusion, FastReport VCL Professional is a powerful and flexible reporting tool that is designed for Delphi, C++Builder, RAD Studio and Lazarus developers. It allows you to create complex reports with rich design options, data analysis, charts, barcodes, export, etc. You can also customize and enhance your reports with scripts, functions, expressions, styles, templates, add-ons, etc. It is compatible and integrated with your development environment and data sources. It is easy and intuitive to use. It is reliable and supported by a reputable company.
We recommend FastReport VCL Professional to anyone who needs a reporting tool that offers the following benefits:
Compatibility and integration: You need a reporting tool that works well with your development environment (Delphi, C++ Builder, RAD Studio or Lazarus) and data sources (databases, files, web services, etc.). Power and flexibility: You need a reporting tool that allows you to create complex reports with rich design options, data analysis, charts, barcodes, export, etc. You also need a reporting tool that allows you to customize and enhance your reports with scripts, functions, expressions, styles, templates, add-ons, etc.
Ease and intuition: You need a reporting tool that is easy and intuitive to use. You want to create reports programmatically or visually using a report designer. You also want to preview, print, export, email, etc. your reports with a few clicks.
Reliability and support: You need a reporting tool that is reliable and supported by a reputable company. You want a reporting tool that has been in the market for over 20 years and has thousands of satisfied customers worldwide. You also want a reporting tool that offers regular updates, bug fixes, documentation, tutorials, forums, etc.
If you are interested in FastReport VCL Professional, you can download a free trial version from the official website or buy a full version from the online store. You can also contact the customer support team for any questions or issues.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about FastReport VCL Professional:
What is the difference between FastReport VCL Professional and FastReport VCL Enterprise?
FastReport VCL Professional is the standard edition of FastReport VCL that includes all the basic features and components of the reporting tool. FastReport VCL Enterprise is the advanced edition of FastReport VCL that includes additional features and components such as web report server, report server client, report converter, etc.
How can I upgrade from FastReport VCL Professional to FastReport VCL Enterprise?
You can upgrade from FastReport VCL Professional to FastReport VCL Enterprise by paying the difference in price between the two editions. You can also upgrade from any previous version of FastReport VCL to the latest version of FastReport VCL Enterprise by paying the upgrade fee.
How can I get technical support for FastReport VCL Professional?
You can get technical support for FastReport VCL Professional by contacting the customer support team via email, phone, or online chat. You can also use the online resources such as documentation, tutorials, forums, etc. to find answers to your questions or issues.
How can I learn more about FastReport VCL Professional?
You can learn more about FastReport VCL Professional by visiting the official website or following the social media accounts of the company. You can also watch video tutorials or read blog posts about FastReport VCL Professional on various platforms.
How can I share my feedback or suggestions about FastReport VCL Professional?
You can share your feedback or suggestions about FastReport VCL Professional by sending an email to the customer support team or posting a comment on the official website or social media accounts of the company. You can also rate and review FastReport VCL Professional on various platforms.
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