I am trying to make up a script to print records containing one field with a very large text. The length of this text varies per record from one line to a few hundred lines.

The problem is that if I design a layout that would for instance be three pages long (for about 180 lines), the printer would print three pages per record, whether the text in the field is only a few lines, or very many lines. I the first case I am left with empty pages.

Is there a way to instruct the printer to only print the first pages with text in it?

Check 'Sliding/Printing' on the Format menu...it allows the bottom of the field to slide up if empty.

Thanks for you reply. I tried that, with all the different options. But it doesn't work.

In my layout I have made room for three pages. The text field is also three pages long in the layout. But if the text is very short, and does not exceed the first page, still all the three pages, of which two are empty, will be printed.

Ton

Keep trying, because Sliding/Printing is the feature that does what you need.

If you want to stop extra pages being printed you have to select the "also reduce the size of the enclosing part" option as well.

The best method is to use a single text block with merge fields inside it for each field. Expand the block to fill the body part, then select it and apply the Sliding/Printing option (slide up) and the "also reduce the size of the enclosing part" option.

When you've done this you'll crete a new problems for yourself: if the records are short you'll get two or more printing on the same page. To solve this, double-click on thelayout's "Body" label and select the "page break before each occurence" option.

Important: Sliding/Printing does not work in Browse mode, only in Preview mode or when printing.

Thanks for you help. It works perfectly now!

Ton

When you use the shrink/sliding up feature, what purpose does the "Also reduce the size of the enclosing part" serve? Is this what shrinks the text field up to fit on one page if there is not enough text to warrant a second page?

No, the field still shrinks without this, but the size of the body doesn't. So if you don't check the "reduce size of enclosing part" the body stays the same size and you still get all the pages printing even though there's nothing on them. It may seem silly for this to be optional in your case, but there are situations where you want the fields to shrink and slide but still maintain a fixed body size.