Expanding fields
Posted: Sun Jul 18, 2010 7:51 pm
Expanding fields
Posted by Pete Whittet on April 11, 2010 at 4:39pm
I am trying to set up a report with 4 expanding fields per record. (It's a report of health requirements for "away" trips for a club; the fields are "Medical conditions", "Allergies", "Medication" and "Special instructions".)
If only one field is set to stretch vertically, all is well. With more than one stretching field, though, the fields overwrite each other, making the report unreadable.
Any pointers or workarounds would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Pete
=====
Reply by Jan Schenkel on April 12, 2010 at 8:02am
Hi Pete,
The current algorithm for stretching and relative positioning only allows for two 'clusters' of stretching fields: one where the tops are fixed from the top of the band, and one where the tops are fixed from the bottom of the band. There isn't (in this version) a way to 'float' parts of your band layout.
The first workaround is to lay out your 4 fields in a virtual 2x2 grid, where the first group of 2 fields has its position fixed to the top of the band, and the second group of fields has its position fixed to the bottom of the band. So you would have:
- field 'Medical conditions' as topleft in the grid with fixed position from the top of the band
- field 'Allergies' as topright in the grid with fixed position from the top of the band
- field 'Medication' as bottomleft in the grid with fixed position from the bottom of the band
- field 'Special instructions' as bottomright in the grid with fixed position from the bottom of the band
Make sure there's no overlap and it should work.
If your data fields cannot be placed in such a grid, as they have to be printed one below the other, then the second workaround is to wrap your 'Detail' band with a data group with an expression that is the same as the primary key of your detail records - at which point you can use the data group header and footer to place additional stretching fields.
HTH,
Jan Schenkel
--
Quartam Reports & PDF Library for Revolution
www.quartam.com
=====
Reply by Pete Whittet on April 12, 2010 at 10:45am
Thanks Jan - I'll give it a try.
Pete
Posted by Pete Whittet on April 11, 2010 at 4:39pm
I am trying to set up a report with 4 expanding fields per record. (It's a report of health requirements for "away" trips for a club; the fields are "Medical conditions", "Allergies", "Medication" and "Special instructions".)
If only one field is set to stretch vertically, all is well. With more than one stretching field, though, the fields overwrite each other, making the report unreadable.
Any pointers or workarounds would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
Pete
=====
Reply by Jan Schenkel on April 12, 2010 at 8:02am
Hi Pete,
The current algorithm for stretching and relative positioning only allows for two 'clusters' of stretching fields: one where the tops are fixed from the top of the band, and one where the tops are fixed from the bottom of the band. There isn't (in this version) a way to 'float' parts of your band layout.
The first workaround is to lay out your 4 fields in a virtual 2x2 grid, where the first group of 2 fields has its position fixed to the top of the band, and the second group of fields has its position fixed to the bottom of the band. So you would have:
- field 'Medical conditions' as topleft in the grid with fixed position from the top of the band
- field 'Allergies' as topright in the grid with fixed position from the top of the band
- field 'Medication' as bottomleft in the grid with fixed position from the bottom of the band
- field 'Special instructions' as bottomright in the grid with fixed position from the bottom of the band
Make sure there's no overlap and it should work.
If your data fields cannot be placed in such a grid, as they have to be printed one below the other, then the second workaround is to wrap your 'Detail' band with a data group with an expression that is the same as the primary key of your detail records - at which point you can use the data group header and footer to place additional stretching fields.
HTH,
Jan Schenkel
--
Quartam Reports & PDF Library for Revolution
www.quartam.com
=====
Reply by Pete Whittet on April 12, 2010 at 10:45am
Thanks Jan - I'll give it a try.
Pete