# Print Options

Model data can be exported to Excel and PDF (provided the relevant software packages are installed.) To export your model, select: File | Export and choose your required export option. Reports can be customized to include the specific data you need in your final report file. The following section of the Help file outlines how to export models and how to customize the content of the reports. Excel Reports The quickest way to export your model to excel is to use either of the following two options: 1. Select: File | Export | Excel. 2. Select the "Export to Excel" button located near the top of the flowsheet. Excel will automatically start/open on your computer (providing you have an Excel software license) and the model data will be exported to a new Excel file based on the Excel export settings assigned in FluidFlow (the customization of these settings is discussed below). The section below discusses how to customize the content of your Excel report. Select: File | Export | Excel Content. This opens the "Export Options" form as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1: Excel Export Options. Figure 1 shows that we can export the following data associated with the model file we have open. Title Page: The project filename, file location and calculation status and settings will be exported to a dedicated sheet in Excel titled "Project Info". Flowsheet: The flowsheet will be exported to a dedicated sheet in Excel which can be accessed from the tab in Excel titled "Flowsheet". Table of Results: The table of results will be exported to a dedicated sheet in Excel which can be accessed from the tab in Excel titled "Table of Results". This file contains both Input and Results data for the components in the model file. The Input information appears listed under the green banner and the calculated results appear under the lilac/gray/purple banner. Figure 2: Example of Excel Report layout for steel pipes. The table of results can be customized to include/exclude specific input and results information from your file. To customize this sheet, select: File | Export | Excel Content & select the "Excel Columns" button (Figure 1). This opens a new form titled "Set Visible Excel Properties" as shown in Figure 3. Figure 3: Set Visible Excel Properties. The "Set Visible Excel Properties" form allows you to choose any component/node from the menu on the left hand side and then, from the right hand side, you can place a check-mark in the various property fields you wish to have exported to your final report. For instance, in Figure 3, the only Input property for steel pipe which the user wishes to export is "Inside Diameter". If you scroll down the list using the scroll bar, you can then place a check-mark in the various results fields you wish to export to the final report. Select OK when you are satisfied you have completed the customization of your Excel report. Bill of Materials: A Bill of Materials will be exported to a dedicated sheet in Excel. Warnings: All warnings enunciated for the model (as shown in the messages tab of the Data Palette) will be exported to a dedicated sheet in Excel. Export Selected Elements Only: This option allows you to export the report data for only the specific elements/nodes you have highlighted or selected on the Flowsheet. You can select specific items by either holding the SHIFT key and left mouse-clicking on the nodes or, select a set of nodes using either the "Mark Any Area" or "Mark Rectangular Area" functions which are available from the Flowsheet Toolbar (located to the left of the flowsheet). Select OK on the "Set Visible Excel Properties" form to return to the "Export Options" form. You can now export your model to Excel by using any of the following approaches. 1. Select the EXCEL button on the "Export Options" form. 2. Close the "Export Options" form and select: File | Export | Excel. 3. Close "Export Options" form and select the "Export to Excel" button located near the top of the flowsheet. Notes: It is good practice to zoom to a level in the range of between 80 & 100% on the Flowsheet before exporting the model to Excel. This will help ensure the model (including any text) appears clearly on the final Excel report. It is also worth noting that the model should be positioned top-left on the flowsheet before developing your report settings. If you have developed the model and had to adjust the model position as it evolved, you can choose: Edit | Select | Select All and re-position the entire model on your flowsheet by left mouse-clicking on a boundary or fitting and dragging the entire model into the new location (top-left of the flowsheet). PDF Reports Select: File | Export | PDF. This function automatically starts your installed PDF software and exports your model in PDF format. Note, you can customize the content of your PDF report by selecting: File | Print Content. This opens the form "Print and Export Options" as shown in Figure 4. The "Print and Export Options" form contains two tabs, Content & Settings. Figure 4: Print and Export Options (Content Tab). Figure 4 shows that we can export the following data associated with the model file we have open. Header: The project Header will be exported as part of the PDF file. Title Page: The project filename, file location and calculation status and settings will be exported as part of the PDF file. Flowsheet: The flowsheet will be exported as part of the PDF file. Table of Results: The table of results will be exported to as part of the PDF file. This file contains both Input and Results data for the components in the model file. The contents of the table of results can be customized as outlined below. Select: File | Print Content and on the "Print and Export Options" form select the "Print Columns" button (see Figure 4). This opens the "Set Visible Print and Export Properties" form as shown in Figure 5. Figure 5: Set Visible Print and Export Properties. The "Set Visible Print and Export Properties" form allows you to choose any component/node from the menu on the left hand side and then, from the right hand side, you can place a check-mark in the various property fields you wish to have exported to your final report. For instance, in Figure 5, the only Input property for steel pipe which the user wishes to export is "Length". If you scroll down the list using the scroll bar, you can then place a check-mark in the various results fields you wish to export to the final report. Select OK when you are satisfied you have completed the customization of your PDF report. Bill of Materials: A Bill of Materials will be exported to the PDF file. Warnings: All warnings enunciated for the model (as shown in the messages tab of the Data Palette) will be exported to the PDF file. Footer: The project Footer will be exported as part of the PDF file. The second tab of the "Print and Export Options" form titled "Settings" (Figure 6), allows you to edit the page dimensions of the final PDF report. This is useful a function as, if we have created a relatively small model on the flowsheet, we can reduce the page width and height to ensure the model appears neatly on a single PDF page. Likewise, if we have a large model on the flowsheet, we can edit the page width and height to ensure once again that the model appears neatly on a single PDF page as opposed to being exported to a number of pages. Note, it is good practice to zoom to a level in the range of between 80 & 100% on the Flowsheet before editing the page width and height settings and exporting the model to PDF. This will help ensure the model (including any text) appears clearly on the final PDF report. You may need to make a number of adjustments to the page width and height in the Settings tab and view the preview (see "Preview" button in Figure 4) before deciding on a final report setting and exporting the model data to PDF. It is also worth noting that the model should be positioned top-left on the flowsheet before developing your report settings. If you have developed the model and had to adjust the model position as it evolved, you can choose: Edit | Select | Select All and re-position the entire model on your flowsheet by left mouse-clicking on a boundary or fitting and dragging the entire model into the new location (top-left of the flowsheet). Figure 6: Print and Export Options (Settings Tab). Note, the print settings available to you are dependent on the printer drivers you have installed on your computer. You may find that if you are printing/exporting your model file on a computer which has several printer/plotter drivers, that you have more/additional print options including page sizes such as A0, A1, etc. Otherwise, you may be restricted to using A3, A4, etc. If you wish, you can therefore install additional printer/plotter drivers on your computer to enable additional print/page setting options.