Thin Section Report User Guide and Technical Notes
Peter Blum, 7 July 2016

Table of Contents
maxLevel 3

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Each worksheet must have one column that will be flagged as the identity source column in the Builder (see below). For all practical purposes, this is the first column in each data source worksheet containing the sample names (see General concept and purpose section). The Writer then knows where to find the identifying sample name to assemble data from multiple worksheets.

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Each data source workbook needs to have one data source worksheet (tab) identified as the control tab. In this tab, each sample name (in the identity source column) must only occur once. The Writer then knows which samples to look for in the other data source worksheets (tabs), where sample names may be repeated in multiple rows (case of multiple description domains). A description interval, represented by the thin section sample in this case, can have multiple description domains, defined as areas or volumes within a sample or interval that cannot be strictly defined by clear boundaries but rather are characterized by a particular appearance such as color or texture.

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After you logged in, you initially see two of the four functional areas of the Front Panel (Fig. 4.3.1.).

• Top bar for user id and logout.
• Search area with multiple search options that combine to display a list of selected report versions.

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So what exactly are all those report and version status options?

Report status options

• Open only: Lists only reports that the Editor role can edit (or clone or export).
• Locked only: Lists only reports that only an Editor who also is an owner can edit (or clone or export).
• Canceled only: Lists only reports that are canceled and only Manager role can see and potentially activate or purge. Editor role alone cannot see any version of the report.
• All report status: All open, locked and canceled reports are listed, limited only by the authorized user role.

Version status options

• Released only: Lists only report versions that Guest role can see in the Writer and use to print reports.
• Active only: Lists only report versions that Editor role can edit (or clone or export).
• Canceled only: Lists only report versions that only Manager role can see and potentially activate or release.
• All version status: All released, active and canceled versions are listed.

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Editor menu

The Editor action menu is available if user is an authorized editor (Fig. 4.3.3., left-hand side).

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• Edit report
• Clone Report: This is the most commonly used way of renaming or becoming owner of an existing report version.
• Create New Report: If you really want to start a new report from scratch.
• Export Definition: Option if you want to save an existing definition for use outside your environment for some reason. Exporting report definitions typically prints the JSON type definition into a new browser page.
• Copy-paste the content into a text editor and save as text.
• If necessary, add a file name extension "txt".
• Known issue:
• Many programs or operating systems do not understand the extension "JSON". If you don't get a new browser page with export
• In Firefox Preferences, Content/Pop-Ups, uncheck "Block pop-up windows
• Import Definition: Option if you want to use an existing external definition in your environment for some reason. Browse report definition file.

Manager menu

The Editor action menu is available if user is an authorized manager (Fig. 4.3.3., right-hand side).

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• On the main screen, click the Create New Report button from the Editor menu.
• Note that you could also select an existing report from the list and click the Clone Report button,
• Enter a name for the report.
• Don't sweat it, you can always change the name by cloning the report later!
• Click the OK button and the new report is added to the report version list on the Front Panel.
• Find your new report on the list, select it by checking the box left to it, and click the Edit button. You are now in the Report Edit window and ready to go (Fig. 4.4.1).

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Before you can add layout elements, you need to make sure the source data worksheets (tabs) are declared:

• On the Report Edit window, click the Browse… Browse… button to Select file to upload (Fig. 4.4.1).
• When loaded, the file name will be displayed underneath the Browse… button. Watch out: The report export from Desclogik is a .xlsx-file. For Thin section report writer to accept the file, you have to open the .xlsx file, change the file format to 'Excel 97-2003 workbook/.xls', just renaming the workbook extension won't do the trick.
• On the Report Edit window, click the Declare worksheets button to open the Declare Worksheets window (Fig. 4.4.2).
• On the Declare Worksheets window, a Data source worksheet item with default name "new TAB #" will be displayed and marked in yellow because it needs to be edited. Click the Add button to add as many items as you have worksheets to declare.
• In this section you only need one (the first) worksheet in the training workbook. However, eventually you'll use three so you may as well declare them now.
• Double click the first list item(s), or select it and click the Edit button.
• Select the Source worksheet name from the drop-down list of available worksheets in the source workbook.
• Using the training workbook, select "worksheet1" from the drop down list of all worksheets in the training workbook.
• Set the Identity source column to the column in the data sheet that has the identifying "sample" information (typically the row headers in the data, i.e., the first column).
• Using the training workbook, select the first column "w1samples" from the drop down list of all columns in the worksheet.
• Is this the report control worksheet? Only one worksheet can be the control worksheet and the answer is typically "YES" for the first worksheet, and "NO" for all other worksheets.
• In our training workbook, worksheet1 is the control tab.
• Repeat for all worksheets to declare.
• Using the breadcrumbs, return to the Report Edit window.
• Save your report using the Save to Database button at the top right..

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The footer will appear on every report page, using a specified data column in the data source workbook (naturally the sample ID) and an automatic "Page # of #" extension.

• On the Report Edit window, click the Edit Footer Text button to open the Footer Edit window (Fig. 4.4.3).
• For the Data source worksheet, you want to select the report control worksheet.
• Using the training workbook, select "worksheet1".
• For the Data source column, select the identity source column.
• Using the training workbook, select "w1samples" the column containing the sample IDs.
• Save your report.

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Blocks are containers for the other layout elements (field, text, grid and table). A new block can be placed below, or nested within an existing block, but you cannot place two blocks next to each other on a report page. A block is always placed below the top of an enclosing block, or below the last written item on the page (any layout element), by a top offset (points). Nested blocks can also be positioned by a left offset (points) from their enclosing blocks.
Blocks can have a border box drawn or not. If a border box is specified, the top border is drawn where the top offset was defined, and the first item within the block is written by a fixed amount below the top border (3 points). The bottom border is drawn by a fixed amount (3 points) from the last written item. Left and right borders are drawn with left and right offsets from the enclosing block, by the amount that is set for the left offset.
Drawing borders helps the reader understand the layout and data organization in a larger report. However, printing all borders in the case of nested blocks may result in too many lines. Find the right balance.
Known issue: if you DON'T draw all the borders (boxes) around all blocks, the PDF printing routine currently gets confused and draws borders incorrectly (doesn't know where to start/stop). The program needs to be amended to cover such cases.
At the start of creating a report you must create the first top-level block, all other layout elements must be within a block. Once you have your first block defined, you can add within the block nested blocks, fields, text, grids and tables, which will all be described below. You can also add more top-level blocks below the first block.
A block can display information from one source worksheet only. However, an enclosing block can display information from multiple worksheets if that information is placed within nested blocks. This is very important to understand and will be elaborated later. In this section we only need one block element.

• On the Report Edit window, add a new block by clicking the Add button. A new block entry with default name "new BLOCK #" will be added to the block list and flagged yellow because some parameters must be configured.
• Double click the new list entry, or select it and click the Edit button, to open the Block Edit window (Fig. 4.4.5).
• Enter a Block name (not printed), which is useful in your layout construction but does not appear in the report.
• Using our training report, name it "block1 title".
• Select the Data source worksheet. Each block must have one and only one associated data source worksheet to draw data from.
• For our training report, leave the default "worksheet1".
• Set the Border to "BOX" so you can see what you are doing.
• You can change that if at the end the report appears aesthetically too busy.
• If needed, change the default Left&right offset (points) of 5 (not now).
• If needed, change the default Top offset (points) of 5 (not now).

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A. Print a simple single value from the data sheet (we use the sample name here)

• From the Report Edit window, double-click the "block1" item to enter Block Edit. (or select the item and click the Edit button).
• From the Select element to add list, select Field, then click the Add button.
• A field item with default name "new FIELD #" will be added to the Layout Elements list.
• Double-click the new Field item to open the Field Edit window (or select the item and click the Edit button).
• For the Data source column, select the attribute column from the source worksheet to be used.
• Remember, the attributes available in this list are from the worksheet associated with the enclosing block.
• Using the training workbook, select "w1samples" here.
• Set Left offset (points) to move the field content to the right relative to the enclosingBlock Left & Right offset needs to be zero or wrapped text will spill over block border block.
• For our training report, set it to 100 points so we can add a text label in front of it.
• Set the Top offset (points) to move the field content down page from top of block.
• For our training report, set it to 0 points.
• Set the Font size (points).
• Set it to 12 for our training report since this is our report title.
• Set the Font style.
• Set it to BOLD for our training report since this is out report title.
• Set the UseMe flag. This should typically be "YES" otherwise the content will not display and unless other content exists below, the entire block will not display.
• Set to "YES" for our training report.
• Set Border. For fields, this is typically set at NONE.
• In our training report, we don't want to draw a box around the title.
• Is this an ASMAN image column? This flag is critically important. If set to "YES", the image process is triggered (see part B).
• For our training report, the answer is "NO" here.
• Therefore, the Image width (40-500 points) is irrelevant here.

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Other than entering the ASMAN IDs into the data source worksheets, for which we don't have an efficient mechanism or tool other than manual entry at this time, the overall mechanism for printing the images is very effective, in particular when getting the ASAMN IDs on the ship from an ongoing expedition as these will also work in the shore production copies after the cruise. However, if you train in a more ephemeral project or database test instance, you have to be lucky to find some suitable images, and you may have to load some images using a utility program that provides you with the ASMAN ID. In Appendix 3 you find a description how this can be done using DESClogik.
In our training report, we'd like to display two whole thin section images taken with plane and cross-polarized light, respectively, below the title. Because of the positioning limitation of the field layout element described above, it is advisable that you place fields for images into their own block.

• Go back to the Report Edit window and add another top-level block as described in the Block element section.
• Double-click the new item to open the Block Edit window.
• For Block name (not printed), enter "block2 images", and leave the other block parameters the way they are.
• From Select element to add, choose Field and click the Add button.
• Double-click the "Field: new FIELD #" layout item to enter the Field Edit window and configure as follows:
• Data source column = w1image1"
• UseMe flag = "YES" (otherwise the image block will not show!)
• Is this an ASMAN image column = "YES"
• Image width (40-550 points) = 255 (this is an empirical number, about half the width of the total page width of ~510 points).
• Go back to the Block Edit window using the breadcrumbs and add another field for the second image. This time you need to make sure it is positioned optimally relative to the first image in Field Edit:
• Data source column = w1image2"
• Left offset (points) = 265 points to offset the second image to the right.
• UseMe flag = "YES"
• Is this an ASMAN image column = "YES"
• Image width (40-550 points) = 255 (same as first image).

Now it may be good practice to add another two fields underneath the two images, respectively, to print the ASMAN ID themselves as captions. To do that, follow above procedure with the following Field Edit configuration differences:

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The text element is used to print strings of text, such as titles. The important thing to understand about this layout element is that its location is fixed relative to the enclosing block with a top and left offset, i.e., it is not being dynamically stacked below other layout elements, as block, grid and table are. So if you are configuring multiple text elements and leave the same default offsets (from enclosing block), they will print on top of each other.
You can place multiple text elements horizontally next to each other (something you cannot do with block, grid and table elements). However, you have no control in setting the width of the text element; the content will simply wrap at the right page margin.
Another feature to be aware of with text element is that if you create nothing else in a block, the block will not print. Text doesn't have a UseMe flag. This is by design so we can include blocks in layouts with titles (e.g., "Sediment petrography") and if no sediment data exist for that block then the block and title alone will not display.
The text element should be used sparingly – it is often more convenient to use a grid element instead.
Lets use a text element for the title of the report, displaying to the left of the field element we configured for the sample name:

• From the Report Edit window, double-click the "block1 title" item to enter Block Edit (or select the item and click the Edit button).
• From the Select element to add choices, select Text, then click the Add button.
• An item with default name "Text: new TEXT #" will be added to the layout items list.
• Double-click the new Text item to open the Text Edit window and configure as follows for our training report (Fig. 4.4.8.):
• Text to display = "SAMPLE NAME:"
• Left offset (points) = 5 (default).
• Top offset (points) = 0 (same as sample ID field).
• Font size (points) = 12 (same as sample ID field).
• Font style = NORMAL

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• Add a new top-level block in Report Edit and double-click it to enter the Block Edit window. Configure the block for our training report as follows:
• Block name (not printed) = block3 data1
• Data source worksheet = worksheet1
• Border = BOX
• Then, from the Select element to add choices, select Grid and click the Add button. A new item named "Grid: new GRID #" will be added to the layout elements list.
• Double click the new grid layout item to open the Grid Edit window (Fig. 4.4.9). Configure the basic grid for our training report as follows:
• Grid name (not printed) = "grid1" (for display in layout element list).
• Left offset (points) =5 (default)
• Top offset (points) =5 (default)
• Justification {LEFT, CENTER, RIGHT} = LEFT (this will apply to all cells in the grid).
• Border {NONE, BOX, GRID} = GRID
• Set up the grid cells you want to use with the Add Column and the Add Row buttons.
• For our training report, create 4 columns and 3 rows.
• Set the width of each column approximately such that the total adds up to no more than ~500 points.
• Set all columns to 100 points. You can fine-tune the column width later.

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The table layout element is the most feature-rich element, used when a report table needs to summarize data from multiple sets of source columns. For example, a set of four descriptive attributes is repeated in sets of four columns for several mineral phases. The table will suppress printing of rows if no data exist in table columns designated to trigger printing of the row.
First, set some general parameters for the table:

• Go back to the Report Edit window and double click the "block 3 data1" element to enter the Block Edit window.
• In the Block Edit window, select Table from the Select element to add choice list and click the Add button. A new element "Table: new TABLE #" will be added.
• Double click the new layout element in the list to open the Table Edit window (Fig. 4.4.10). Configure the general table parameters for our training report as follows:
• Table name (not for display) = "table1" (used for the layout element listing in the Block Edit window).
• Border {GRID, NONE) = GRID.
• Left offset (points) = 5 (default), shifts left margin of table 5 points to the right of the enclosing block's left margin.
• Top offset (points) = 5 (default), shifts the table 5 points down relative to the top of the enclosing block or relative to the bottom of any layout element printed above the table.
• Internal font size (pts) = 10 (default); applies to all cells in the table except the column headers, which can have a different format (see below).
• Internal font style {NORMAL, BOLD, ITALIC"} = NORMAL; applies to all cells in the table except the column headers, which can have a different format (see below).

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• Click the Add button to add columns.
• Add four columns for our training report.
• Double-click each added column in the list to open the Column Edit window (Fig. 4.4.11). Configure columns for our training report as follows:
• Header text = "Column N header text", where N = {0, 1, 2, 3} for the four columns.
• Width (points) = 100 for each column (can be adjusted later as needed).
• UseMe flag = "YES"
• Must be "YES" if a source data value for that column and sample shall trigger printing of the report table row.
• MUST be "NO" if values for that column and sample shall not trigger printing of the row.
• UseMe flag has no effect for cells with fixed text, such as Column 0 in our training report.
• Justification {CENTER, LEFT, RIGHT}: use different settings as you please.
• Header font size (pts) = 10 (default).
• Header font style {NORMAL, BOLD, ITALIC"} = BOLD.
• Go back to Table Edit window using breadcrumbs, and repeat column edit for each column.
• Save regularly using Save to Database button given the tedious work involved in configuring tables.

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• Click the Work on Rows button to open the Table Row Edit window.
• Click the Add button to add new rows to the list, which initially have and temporary name.
• Add nine rows for our training report.
• Double-click one added row at a time to display the cell configuration options for each row in each column (Fig. 4.4.12). Configure as follows for our training report:
• Row Name (not printed): enter "row1" through "row9". This is only to tag the elements in the row list in the Table Row Edit window. You can do it quickly using copy-paste and double clicking a new row element as soon as you have entered the name.
• Double click the row again to configure each cell. For each cell, you can either enter a fixed text (typically used for row headers, such as the mineral name), or you can select a data source column, from which the value will printed if the row is triggered for printing (see column configuration above) (used for most cells). For our training report:
• For column 0 in each row, enter a text labels "Report row N text", where N is the row number {1,……,9}
• For columns 1, 2, 3 in row1, select data source columns:
• w1attr11, w1attr12, w1attr13
• For columns 1, 2, 3 in row2, select data source columns:
• w1attr21, w1attr22, w1attr23
• …..
• For columns 1, 2, 3 in row9, select data source columns:
• w1attr91, w1attr92, w1attr93
• Save regularly using Save to Database button given the tedious work involved in configuring tables.

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Once you get to this point, you should have built an initial report based on one data source sheet, and you may want to expand it rather than start from scratch. Although the Builder keeps versions of your report each time you save it, it is a good idea to clone your reports every now and then so you can give your expanded report a modified name and keep the last version of the current report as is, just in case….

• In the Front Panel, select the last version of the current report.
• In the Editor menu, click the Clone Report button and name your cloned report.
• In the main menu, select the cloned report and click the Edit Report button in the Editor menu.

Multiple blocks for multiple worksheets

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Before you can add new blocks, you need to make sure the data source worksheets to be used in the report are declared. We have done that already for the simple report, but check to be sure:

• On the Report Edit window, click the Declare Worksheets button to open the Declare Worksheets window.
• Proceed as described previously, except this time
• Source worksheet name = "worksheet2"
• Identity source column = "w2samples" (using the training workbook).
• Is this the report control worksheet? = "NO" (worksheet1 is the control worksheet).
• Using the breadcrumbs, return to the Report Edit window.

Add and configure new blocks with title for additional worksheets

First, establish two new blocks:

• On the Report Edit window, add two new blocks by clicking the Add button. Follow the procedure described above for blocks, except this time you set the parameters (using our training workbook) as follows for the first block:
• Block name (not printed) = "block4 data2".
• Data source worksheet = "worksheet2" (from choice list).
• And for the second block:
• Block name (not printed) = "block5 data3".
• Data source worksheet = "worksheet3" (from choice list).

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The single-most tricky part of creating an effective report with multi-domain samples is to use nested blocks correctly such that domain-specific information is repeated in domain blocks but the block title is not.

• In the Report Edit window (Fig. 4.6.1.), double click (or create, if it doesn't exist already) the "block5 data3" item to enter the Block Edit window and configure for our training workbook:
• Block name (not printed) = "block5 data3".
• Data source worksheet = "worksheet1" (change from worksheet 3!)).
• Border = "BOX"
• You should already have a Text element in that block that says something like "WORKSHEET 3 DATA". If not, add one.
• Now, add a nested domain block element under "block5 data3" that will contain all domain-specific elements and information, i.e., Grid and Table elements that repeat for each domain. Double click the "Block: new BLOCK #" element and don't be confused by the Block Edit window looking exactly the same as before – orient yourself relative to hierarchy with the breadcrumbs!). Configure as follows:
• Block name (not printed) = "domain_block_5_1"
• Data source worksheet = "worksheet3".
• Border = "BOX"
• Within this domain block, create all the other layout elements that you want to repeat for each domain.
• First add a grid that looks the same as the one created for the simple report (see above), except that the data source references selected from the drop down lists will be "w3attr1" through "w3attr6" for the six cells of columns 2 and 4.
• Then create a table that looks the same as the one created for the simple report (see above), except that in the cell configuration, the references to attribute columns (report columns 1, 2, 3) are for worksheet3, i.e.:
• w3attr11, w3attr12, w3attr13
• w3attr21, w3attr22, w3attr23
• …..
• w3attr91, w3attr92, w3attr93

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