sliding in the columnarlist/report layout

[oilman]

Hi all

I am trying to get fields to slide up in a columnar list layout.

I have a field called comment that is a single text field that i have enlarge to accomodate five rows. Sometimes all five rows are filled with data and other times there is only one line.

I have check the right side of the sliding box "Only directly above" and "also reduce the size of the enclosing part" and i have also tried sliding with "Only

directly above" checked but it does not slide up. It is possible to slide this configuration up The field is formatted as a text field.

Thanks in advance

Lionel

[-Queue-]

Sliding only occurs when previewing or printing. If you're in Browse mode, then it will display as large as you set it. If it's not sliding while previewing or printing, try setting the alignment on the field to Top and Left.

[oilman]

Hi Queue

The Field is formatted top and left. Sliding does not occur in either the Preview mode or the printing mode. When printing the spaces are even- no sliding is done.

Thanks

Lionel

[oilman]

I known what the problem is, it is because i drew a line to separate the fields. Is there a way to make it slide with the line.

Thanks

Lionel

[-Queue-]

You can use a container field that holds a line, and set it to slide.

[ESpringer]

You can also get any ordinary line or graphic shape (etc.) to slide with elements above it. The sliding/printing settings apply equally to things other than fields. (So why would you want to do it that way, Queue?)

[-Queue-]

They never slide evenly (on Windows, at least) unless they're overlapping another sliding field, such as a text label overlaying the edge of a text field. I've done way too much experimentation in this area, and the best results involve using fields instead of graphics. Plus there's the added advantage of making the field a calculation if you only want to use it as a delimiter in certain instances, which comes in very handy when setting up calculations to take the place of subsummary data.

I think part of the problem is the very un-WYSIWYG response when printing both graphics and fields on layouts. It's all about trial and error, unfortunately.

[ESpringer]

Indeed, it may be a platform thing (I'm on a mac)... but I like your point about the flexibility available with calculated container fields. Even in a simpler case like oilman's, you're suggesting we might be better off with a global container or something like that, I take it... good to know before I port stuff cross-platform!

[oilman]

Hi Queue and ESpringer

Thanks for the information. I am using windows and the line dose not slide for printing. The line is under ellements that are formatted to slide.

Thanks

Lionel

[ESpringer]

What do you mean by saying "the line does not slide for printing"? Do you mean that you've *have* set it to slide, but it refuses to? (The line itself needs to be set to slide; it's not enough that the things above it are willing to shrink.) One way to check the status of the line (and everything else) is to get into layout mode and look at things with View>Show>Sliding Objects turned on. You should see a little up-arrow at the center of the line if it's set to slide up. If you're still having trouble you could try posting a screen shot of what you see in layout mode, with Select-All and Show-Sliding-Objects active...

It's crucial to to make sure that the line is *fully* below the bottom of your text fields. If the line is simply *at* the bottom of the text fields, then it will not slide up. If you're on Windows, I'd recommend trying Queue's suggestion of making a global container field to hold a line graphic, and telling *that* field to slide up based on things directly above...

[oilman]

hi Espringer

Gooten it to work, but the line in a container field and formatted it to slide

Thanks

Lionel