You can use a batch file to create custom documents. You can run the batch file with the Batch Documentation Facility to automatically create documents and print them either to a printer, or to a series of files to print later. For example, if you repeatedly generate reports you can create a batch file to automate that task.
You can mix of any number of diagrams and reports in a document. Each diagram and report can have different desktop publishing characteristics and type specifications. For example, you can create a batch file that generates a document with all the diagrams in an encyclopedia, in addition to several tabular and matrix reports. Or, you can choose diagrams and reports from different encyclopedias and include them in the same document.
A batch file is a file that contains commands. You can put commands in a batch file to run the commands as a group. After you create the batch file you can run the commands automatically by running the batch file. The system executes the commands in the order they appear.
You can create a batch file by using an ASCII text editor such as Windows Notepad or DOS EDIT. The Batch Documentation Facility (DCF) understands batch files with a .dcf file name extension. You can create DCF files using Windows Notepad or other word processing applications. When you create the batch file, you must save it as text-only file with the file name extension .dcf.
The batch file can start with one of these commands:
DOS { subcommand statements}
SETTING { subcommand statements }
DEFINE identifiertext
REPORT "report-name" { subcommand statements }
DIAGRAM "diagram-name" { subcommand statements }
REMARK "text"
The batch file must include either the DIAGRAM or the REPORT command, and it can include both. The DOS, SETTING, and DEFINE commands are optional. The commands are not case sensitive, but for clarity the keywords are capitalized in this help system and in the sample files.
The subcommand statements can exist either within the braces { } or within the BEGIN and END structure, as in the following example:
SETTING { subcommand statements }
SETTING BEGIN subcommand statements END
You can use the subcommand statements in braces { } (or BEGIN and END structure) to set specifications for the diagram or report such as reduction, font names, and sizes. These options are similar to the options that are available in the Print Setup dialog box before printing. The keyword END (or a closing brace }) is like clicking OK to start the printing process. After a diagram or report prints, the system runs the next BEGIN...END until all the diagrams and reports are printed.
You can create comprehensive documents with short sequences of commands. For example, this command prints all the diagrams in the current encyclopedia because no diagram name is provided:
DIAGRAM "" { }
If you do not set the options in the BEGIN....END structure, the system uses the defaults of the current encyclopedia and print everything that fits the current command.
The available commands enable you to create comprehensive documents with short sequences of commands.
Printing sample reports
The product ships with a sample batch file (*.dcf) and a sample reports definition file (reports.rpt). You can use the DCF batch file to print a one-page sample of each of the pre‑written reports in the RPT file. You can also print custom reports that you add to the RPT file.