Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services 2005 - Professional SQL Server 2005 Reporting Services - page 34

You can use all three of these databases to create sample reports. Throughout this topic, we will primar-
ily use the AdventureWorksDW database. It will be helpful to install the sample from the SQL Server
2005 installation media.
Administrative Tools
Command-line utilities provide scripting and command-level access to server management, deployment,
and configuration features. These capabilities are thoroughly discussed in Chapter 11.
Command-Line and Unattended Installation
The setup may be run using command-line switch to automate the installation process. This capability is
provided by the standard Windows Installer 2.0. Although there is no command-line interface, the setup
process may be scripted and settings can be specified.
Log Files
Reporting Services records event information in the standard Windows Application Log and in specific
log files. Report execution logging is enabled by default and may be configured in the Report Manager.
Specific settings for the Report Server are stored in the RSReportServer.config file. More granular
tracing information may be captured in log files for a variety of application and server events and sys-
tem errors. These logs may be helpful in analyzing usage and debugging specific problems. The log files
are auto-generated using time-stamped names. Further configuration and logging information can be
found in Chapter 11.
Designing Reports
Starting in Chapter 4, we will deal with the essentials of report design and will take more specific design
elements to the next level. Reports fall into a few design categories, which will be covered next.
Form Reports
A report can display a single record on a page with data from a table, calculations, and just static text.
Form reports can be used to print or display a letter, invoice, contract, or informational sheet.
Tabular Reports
This is a fundamental style for reports that have repeated rows of data called data regions. Tabular data
is repeated in free-form bands or table rows with rows and columns. Either the list or table items may be
used to produce a tabular report in various layouts. Column headers can be displayed for each column
in a table, and subtotals and summary information may be displayed in table or group section footers.