newsletter layout 1

[dterrie]

I am trying to create a 'newsletter' report with a two-column page layout. The report pulls data from 25-30 different tables, displayed in charts or tables, mixed with text. The report needs to be printed as hard copy, requiring an 8 or 12 page format. We'll also be generating PDF files, and displaying the report/pages on client web sites. I get stuck in a couple of ways:

1) If I place all the text fields and chart/table subreports in the same section, and enable them to grow, they do not move down to accomodate the field size. They just overright each other.

2) If I follow the standard advice and place each in its own section, the contents do not flow from column to column properly - each new section starts in a new column.

Basically, I need the columns to flow like they would in Word or in publishing SW like Adobe. Is there a way to do this?

Thanks.

 

[IdoMillet]

Try to turn on the
"Underlay Following Sections"
attribute on the Format section dialog.

hth,
- Ido

 

[dterrie]

Ido,

Your tip almost worked, but the section containing the sub-report the chart was overwritten. The two other sections flowed as desired. Could I trick CR into leaving room my placing a hidden field? Is there another way?

Thanks again.

 

[IdoMillet]

Tough to undestand the situation from your message.

Try to explain again the layout and what is still wrong.

Cheers,
- Ido

 

[dterrie]

I have three detail sections in my test report. The first is text. The second is a chart sub-report (charts can't go in detail sections, why I don't know). The third is text again. The chart starts immediately after section 1 as desired, but the third section writes over the chart. Is this because it's a sub-report and is treated differently?

BTW, I'm using the Visual Studio.net Beta.

 

[IdoMillet]

Sounds like you should turn OFF the UnderLay Following Sections
for the Chart section.

Your description doesn't explain where you have two columns though.

hth,
- Ido

 

[dterrie]

Regarding the report layout, all pages are two-columns of even width except for the first page, as is the case for many NLs. The first page has a horizontal header and possibly a vertical 1/4 pg width TOC on the left. There are variations on this layout, but the rest of the pages are all two-column with charts/tables accompanying associated text. As I mentioned there are 25-30 sections to the report, most of which are required, and for which data for each will come from a different table in the database. Each report pulls data for a single entity the ID for which could be used to link associated sub-report data. This, I can deal with. I'm just stumped on the layout issue. I have not found a combo of underlay and keep together that enables each section to both follow the previous one immediately and not write over it.

Thanks again for responding.

 

[IdoMillet]

It's still tough to imagine what the layout is like exactly.
For example, do you always know that the text side
is always longer/shorter than the Chart side?
Are there places where the Text & Chart sides must
be aligned (start together)? etc.

E-mail me directly (ixm7@psu.edu) and we'll connect over
the phone since describing these type of layout issues
is difficult in writing.

Cheers,
- Ido