We have compiled the most interesting improvements and fixes that came out with the release of FastReport VCL 2022.3.

We have decided to drop support for non-Unicode Delphi versions to ensure quality and constant updating. All further releases will use Delphi 2010.

FastReport VCL 2022.3 now supports the latest update of Embarcadero RAD Studio 11.2.

Report engine

The new ClearEmptyLines property of the Text object allows to delete empty lines in the object. Combined with the CanShrink and ShiftAlways properties, this property makes it possible to collapse objects with empty values. In this case, the entire tree of objects at the bottom will move up.

 

The new stretch mode of the text object (StretchMode) is smPartMaxHeight. Breaking objects in this mode use the height of each part after the break with correction. Unlike the smMaxHeight mode, which uses the band's height before the break.

 

 

Static table cell objects now have OnBeforePrint / OnAfterPrint / OnAfterData events.

We have added support for printing translucent images for non-AlphaBlend devices using Dithering. Note: Some devices may not be supported.

Report Objects

We have added support for TfrxPDFView object rotation.

We have added a basic rotation of some figures in the report.

 

We have added a new Code11 barcode.

 

You can now use the TfrxHtmlView object in Lazarus. We have also added the output format from left to right with the processing of the dir="rtl" parameter.

Exports and transports

Interactive PDF forms can now be enhanced with new Combobox and Listbox objects. This will make it easier for you to work with interactive PDF documents and create questionnaires and survey forms.

 

There are new transports for accessing MS Outlook and Gmail mailboxes via the Webmail API.

Transports can send and receive reports, as well as receive the result in the form of exported documents. See how to use MS Outlook end Gmail from FastReport VCL.

 

We have added the possibility to hash duplicate images in export filters. The new cache reduces the number of duplicate images and the resulting export size. You can enable this feature using the CalculatePictureHash property of the export filter.

 

Report Designer

New pop-up tips (hints) for text objects, which do not fit in the box.

 

Improved script code editor

Quick commenting of code blocks using the hotkeys “Ctrl + /”.

 

Quick addition of viewable variables (context menu and hotkeys).

 

New pop-up tips and step-by-step debugging modes “Step over” and “Run until return”.

 

Client-Server

We have added the option of using the mask ‘*’ in configuration files with a list of IP addresses.

An example of using a server via GCI was added in Lazarus.

 

 

Full list of changes in the 2022.3 version

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[Transports]

+ New Outlook webmail transport;

+ New Gmail webmail transport;

- Unicode names in GDrive transport have been fixed;

 

[Client-server]

+ GCI example for Lazarus has been added;

+ Support for '*' mask in IP server lists has been added;

 

[Designer]

+ New pop-up tips in the report designer that show the full text of the Memo object;

+ Quick comments in the Syntax Memo editor for selected text (default hotkey "Ctrl + /");

+ New tooltips in the Syntax Memo editor;

+ Step over and StepReturn debugging modes have been added;

+ Quick addition of selected text from Syntax Memo to the Watches list from the context menu;

- TfrxDesignerForm.GetCurrentForm has been fixed (TFrame support has been added);

- We have fixed the issue with the component editors of the report designer when editors have the same property names with different flags (paMultiSelect);

- Fixed paper size B4 has been adjusted (JIS);

- We have fixed the destruction of CodeCompletion thread when custom scripts are assigned by Report.Script.Parent;

- The generation of Unicode names for objects during Drag&Drop from DataTree has been fixed;

 

[Report engine]

+ We have added a new ShiftMode, smPartMaxHeight stretches each part of the split object to the maximum height of the Band and adjusts the height of each part;

+ We have added the hash calculation for images used in the report, for export filters (ExportFilter.CalculatePictureHash property), and the prepared report

(TfrxReport.PictureCacheOptions.CalculateHash);

+ We have added the emulation for printing a translucent mask using dithering for printers without alpha blending (may not be supported on all printers);

+ We have added TfrxTableCell.OnBeforePrint/OnAfterPrint/OnAfterData event handlers for static table object;

+ We have added a new property of the Memo object ClearEmptyLines, which removes all empty lines inside the Memo object after the GetData method;

- We have fixed a bug in using a combination of MemoView.AutoWidth=True and Align=baWidth to position objects on container;

- We have fixed a bug with the wrong value of basic object shift when the first object in the container moved to the next page;

- Proper removal of editors when unloading packages;

- We have fixed the mechanism for partitioning the Table static object;

 

[Exports]

+ We have added interactive PDF support for Listbox and Combobox objects;

- We have fixed a Unicode password when exporting to PDF;

- We have fixed the export of HTML tags to PDF for Embarcadero edition;

- We have fixed the export of translucent vector graphics (SVG) when AllowVector is set to False.

- We have fixed XLSX export for Delphi versions, which do not support Unicode;

- PDF export with European ligatures via EMF (ETO_GLYPH_INDEX) has now been fixed;

- PDF export now doesn't export clip text if the entire line doesn't fit;

 

[Other]

+ We have added new openssl libraries (static crt and x64 support);

- We have fixed the generation of CBuilder 2007 headers;

- We have fixed the issues with HiDPI PerMonitorV2;

 

[Preview]

- Setting units of the preview page have been fixed;

 

[Report objects]

+ New Code11 barcode;

+ Basic rotation has been added to the TfrxShapeView object;

+ Linux support for TfrxPDFView has been added in Lazarus;

+ TfrxPDFView rotation has been added;

+ Support for RTL attributes in the TfrxHtmlView object has been added;

+ Support for TfrxHtmlView object in Lazarus has been added;

- The bug in QR EPC barcode has been fixed;

- We have fixed the bug in Datamatrix C40 encoding when data size was equal to code size limits;

- We have fixed the bug in scaling of 2D barcodes during the export to PDF for applications that do not support dpi;

- The processing of TfrxHTMLView expressions for data fields has been fixed;

- The bug in GS1-128 code has been fixed;

- RichView splitting in double pass reports has been fixed;

* Laz Chart support has been updated to version 2.2.0;

 

[Resources]

* Swiss resources have been updated;

* German resources have been updated.