Memory grid to Report

rbuser

I want to create an object that will take a custom designed memory grid
(non-visual) and print the grid in a report. The report needs to be able to
fit the grid width wise on one sheet of paper regardless of what is in the
grid. The column widths and the row heights will need to adjust so they are
the same ratio. Thus if the report needs to reduce the column widths by 70%
to fit the grid on the paper, then it will have to reduce the row widths by
70%. In addition, graphics will be a part of the custom grid so they will
also have to be reduced in like manner. In order to make the grid look right
the fonts will have to have there point size reduced as necessary. The
custom grid also has a place for cell font so that will also be unknown
until it gets to the report.
I am in a brute force manner creating labels while ignoring the graphics
dilemma and am having some success, but the thing is just not looking right.
Something in the column width, row height, and font point size mix always
seems to be wrong. I have just started, but I have a feeling this is going
to be a lot of trouble. Any help would be appreciated!

digitalmetaphors

To test your code, send it to the printer, and don't rely on the screen
preview for exact placements. The screen preview is rendered based upon
calculations from the printer's canvas, not the screen canvas.

We have two choices when we create a preview - compose for the screen, or
compose for the printer. Most programs such as MS Word compose to the screen
when they create a preview. This makes for attractive previews but they tend
to be inaccurate. And it means that they then compose again for the printer
when you print the document. Most of the time things will print effectively
similar to the preview, but we have seen many times when the printed output
was different - a word wrapped to the next line, or some such problem. If
you use a program meant for accurate page layout, such as PageMaker, you
will notice that the Page Setup dialog asks you for which printer you wish
to compose. When PageMaker displays a page, it may not look exactly how you
think it should, but you do get a preview where the element placement is
guaranteed to match the printed output's element placement. We have chosen
to follow this second model.

Note that when we say element placement, we are referring to X and Y
placement and not height and width. While the X and Y placement of our
previews will be accurate, the height and width of text elements may vary
based on zoom percentage. This is a normal artifact of composing for the
printer and not for the screen.

Your preview can not match your printed output. It will differ in one of two
ways:

1- It can look good on the screen, but items on the page may not display in
the same location they will when printed.
or
2- It can be less attractive, but items will display on the preview exactly
where they will when printed.

We give you the second because it is more accurate and more reliable. Not to
mention more in keeping with professional page layout products.



Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors