![]() The advantage of a report writer is that you can retrieve data without having to learn a query language. ![]() Behind the scenes, these report writers build a 4GL query that enables you to access the data. A report writer or report generator is software that enables a developer to design or lay out a report on the screen extract data into the report layout and then display or print the report. Some database management systems provide a report writer. One query, for example, might request a list of al customers receiving a discount. Recall that SQL is a query language enabling users and programmers to retrieve data from database tables. Chapter 10 discussed SQL (Structured Query Language), which is a popular ANSI- standard 4GL used with relational database management systems. These powerful languages allow database administrator to define the database and its structure, help programmers maintain the data in the database, and allow users to query the database. Many 4GLs work in combination with a database and its project dictionary. In fact, 4GLs are so easy to use that users with very little programming background can develop programs using a fourth-generation language. Consequently, coding programs in a 4GL requires much les time and effort on the part of the programmer. A 4GL, however, is a nonprocedural language, which means the programmer only specifies what the program should accomplish without explaining how. Like a 3GL, a fourth-generation language (4GL) uses English-like statements.
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