Multiple images in a TppImage

rbuser

Is it possible to load mutiple images into a single TppImage? I need to
print a variable number of images and I thought this might be simpler than
dynamically creating all the TppImages at runtime.

Bill

rbuser

I am trying the dynamic creation route, but my images no longer show up. I
was loading the images in the band BeforeGenerate, so that's where I put the
new code. Everything appears to work, but no images display or print. I'm
stumped as to why this would work differently than using a design-time
ppImage. All the properties appear correct, and I assign the image Band
correctly.

Thanks for any further advice.

Bill

digitalmetaphors

The band event timing is too late to add images to the band. If you don't
know how many images to print until each detailband prints, then you could
use a subreport in the detail band, place one image component in the
subreport detail abnd, and feed the subreport image data through a
JITPipeline.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Jim,

Thanks, I'm not sure I understand your answer. (Actually, I'm sure I
don't!) How does having a single image in a subreport help me in the
instances where I need to print multiple images? Can I create multiple
ppImages via the JITPipeline, or do I somehow put multiple images on the
single ppImage? Sorry, but I'm confused. I have looked through help and
the examples, but can't find anything that helps.

Also, just as a general question, is there ever any chance of having an
event that's early enough to handle th process as on a form? It would be
nice to use the same techniques.

Thanks again for your help.

Bill

rbuser

Jim,

I have managed to sort of stumble through some of this, but only when I have
a field defined in the subreport and attached to the JITPipeline. I can
create the fields dynamically, but I'm not sure how to reference them to set
their properties. (The field names I just base on the image array index.)

I have looked through the sample reports, but I don't see anything there
that helps.

Bill

rbuser

Ok, I'm getting slightly less confused. I am now creating all the
JITPipeline fields correctly, but having trouble creating and positioning
the corresponding ppDBImages on the subreport since the ppDBImage Parent is
read-only. So how do I get the ppDBImages on the subreport?

I can get this to work if I create the ppDBImages at design-time, but that
doesn't help since the number varies by record.

Thanks for any pointers!

Bill

digitalmetaphors

Perform a report object loop looking for a particular subreport and pull the
childreport object from it. Here, I created a subreport called sbrImages
and create two dbIMages in its detail band.

uses
ppJPEG;

procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
begin
AddImagesToReport(ppReport1);

ppDesigner1.ShowModal;
end;

procedure TForm1.AddImagesToReport(aReport: TppCustomReport);
var
liBand: Integer;
liObject: Integer;
lObject: TppComponent;
begin

for liBand := 0 to aReport.BandCount-1 do

for liObject := 0 to aReport.Bands[liBand].ObjectCount-1 do
begin
lObject := aReport.Bands[liBand].Objects[liObject];

if (lObject is TppSubreport) and (lObject.UserName = 'sbrImages')
then
CreateImages(TppSubreport(lObject));
end;

end;


procedure TForm1.CreateImages(aSubreport: TppSubreport);
var
lChildReport: TppChildReport;
lImage1: TppDBImage;
lImage2: TppDBImage;
begin

lImage1 := TppDBImage.Create(Self);
lImage1.Top := 0;
lImage1.Left := 0;
lImage1.Width := 2;
lImage1.Height := 2;
lImage1.MaintainAspectRatio := True;

lImage2 := TppDBImage.Create(Self);
lImage2.Top := 0;
lImage2.Left := 3;
lImage2.Width := 2;
lImage2.Height := 2;
lImage2.MaintainAspectRatio := True;

lChildReport := TppChildReport(aSubReport.Report);

lImage1.Band := lChildReport.Detailband;
lImage2.Band := lChildReport.Detailband;

{need to determine image of greater bottom here}
lChildReport.DetailBand.Height := lImage1.Top + lImage1.Height;

end;


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors