SubReport with columns

rbuser

I'm writing a master-detail report (Delphi 5, ReportBuilder 6.03). For the
detail section, I would like the details to appear in 3 columns. I want the
traversal to be top-to-bottom. However, I would like to minimize the use of
space. For example, if the detail records, in order, were 1, 2, 3, .... 9,
I would like them to appear in 3 columns of 3:

1 4 7
2 5 8
3 6 9

It seems that the arrangment now is somewhat random. Sometimes I get 1-5 in
the first column, sometimes 1-9, etc.

Is there any way to make the report behave as I'm requesting?

Thanks,
Jennifer Graeler

digitalmetaphors

Columnar subreports use static height detail bands. What you can do is
calculate before each subreport prints how many records are in the detail
dataset. Then calculate how many rows you want to have. Does each subreport
start on a new page? Then set the column footer's height to account for the
page space that should be the buffer so that the columns print down 3 when
you have 9 records. Try hardcoding a report to see how setting the column
footer's height property affects the column wrapping.

I haven't tried this yet, but I if you want to accomplish this at runtime,
you will use the main report's DetailBand.BeforePrint event. Check
Report.Engine.PrintPosRect.Top. This is in microns. Then add the subreport
top property in the band to see where the first column cell is going to
print. Then find out how much further down the page the third cell will end
(its bottom). Then you can subtract this from the page height, which can be
found from Report.PrinterSetup.PageDef.mmPrintableHeight property. To
convert between microns and report units use ppUtils function
ppFromMMThousandths and ppToMMThousandths.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors