SubReports with multiple columns

rbuser

I am using Delphi 7.01 and RB 7.04.

Is it possible to have a dynamic detail band in a sub report that spans 3
columns? The value I have per column can be large and requires wrapping in
some cases. I want the wrapping to push the entire next row down.

Example:

A B C
Value 1 Value 2 Long Value that
Wraps
Value 3 Value 4 Value 5
thats
long
Value 6 Value 7 Value 8

Any comments would be great.

nicocizik

Hi Isaac,

Set the Report.Columns property to the number of columns you want and set
the DetailBand.PrintHeight to phDynamic. Then you can place a DBMemo inside
the detail band which will wrap if needed.

--
Regards,

Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

I tried dynamic before using the top to bottom format, but all six rows
appear in the first column and nothing in the second. The text does wrap
correctly.

So I changed the format to left to right which properly prints the values in
both columns, but it forces the band to static which stops the wrapping.

I am stuck.

nicocizik

Hi Issac,

Sorry, after re-reading your post, I see that you want to use LeftToRight
columns. This feature is very limited in ReportBuilder and does not allow
the use of a dynamically sized detail band. You will either need to
manually size the detail band according to the amount of space needed or use
TopToBottom columns.

--
Regards,

Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Ok.

Can you think of any reason when using top to bottom that all information
shows up in the first column only?

rbuser

Isaac,

Any chance that with the band set to dynamic, all the data fits in the first
column before it needs to wrap into the second column? If this is the case,
you can constrain the page range that the band uses and this will force the
data to wrap into the next column.

--

Bob

rbuser

Bob,

My report prints as follows:

Column 1 Column 2
Row 1 Data Row 1
Data Row 1 Data Row
1 Data Row 1 Data
Row 2 Data
Row 3 Data
Row 4 Data
Row 5 Data

It should print
Column 1 Column 2
Row 1 Data Row 1 Row 3 Data
Data Row 1 Data Row Row 4 Data
1 Data Row 1 Data Row 5 Data
Row 2 Data


There can be hundreds of rows that could span several pages. That's why I
was hoping that LeftToRight would work with wrapping.

You mention contraining the page range. Would this solve my problem? If so,
how to I change it?

rbuser

Isaac,

The example you give shows that you want 4 rows of text per column.
Assuming that each row is 0.25" in height, the total height of all detail
bands printed is 2". If the page size allows for more detail bands then
nothing will ever print in the second column as it all fits in the first.

With a letter size page of height 11.5" with 0.25" top and bottom, setting
the header and footer band to be 4.5" gives you a 2" section in the middle
of the page for you detail bands. This forces the additional rows to print
in the second column.

You can change where on the page the detail bands print and take into
account any group headers/footers that are displayed.

--

Bob

nardmoseley

If know how the max number of detail bands you want to print for each
column, you can use the DetailBand.PrintCount.

For example, if you want to print 4 records per column, set
DetailBand.PrintCount to 4 and that will force a new column to start every
four records.

rbuser

Nard,

Because Isaac has a memo in his detail band, confining the number of bands
does not ensure that his columns are equal lengths. My suggestion is based
on the assumption that he wants to control the number or rows of text
printed per column rather than the number of records.

--

Bob

nardmoseley

Ok, thanks for pointing that out...