SYWARE has updated its Pocket PC report writing tool, Report CE, to version 4.0. Report CE 4.0 runs on Pocket PC and Windows CE devices, including those that support the new Microsoft Windows Mobile 2003 software, and works with a variety of database tools, including SYWARE Visual CE, Microsoft Pocket Access, and SQL Server CE.

SYWARE claims the application is ideal for inventory management applications, supporting the printing of over 20 numeric and alphanumeric bar code formats, including Code 39, UPC A, Code 128, PostNet, and UK Royal Mail. So, for instance, new products can be entered into a mobile inventory database right on the loading dock and bar codes can be generated as they are received. In the field, products can be inspected at remote locations, then labeled with a bar code that contains current compliance information.

With Report CE 4.0, reports can also display and print pictures that are associated with a record. So, for instance, an invoice can contain images of each product or a real estate report can include pictures of the home and diagrams of property boundaries.

Reports generated by Report CE can be saved or emailed as Rich Text Format or text. So, for example, receipts can now be emailed to customers that provide a more complete corporate look-and-feel, including logos and lines for easier reading.

The new version of Report CE also includes functions to extract longitude, latitude, and altitude from previously captured GPS data. This allows reports to contain exact geographic information, such as the location of particular plant species when planning crop rotations.

New features have also been added to control what data gets reported at report generation time. Filters can be based on constants or embedded Visual CE variables. This allows filter values, such as a date or a name, to be specified dynamically at the time the report is run. Filters can also be applied to sub-tables to allow finer control of what data is reported, such as only listing orders for more than five units of an item.

In addition, Report CE provides developers with more control. An expanded set of command line switches can be applied when launching a report from eMbedded Visual Basic or eMbedded C++. This allows users to skip such features as "print preview" and jump right to the print function. Users can also jump directly into a report by presetting variables and skipping filter dialog boxes.

Report CE Personal ($79) is designed for single device applications, while Report CE Professional includes a royalty-free license to distribute standardized reports and the ability to print them. Report CE Professional is available as part of Visual CE Enterprise Edition for $599, or can be purchased separately for use with any eMbedded Visual Basic or eMbedded Visual C++ program for $299.