Having trouble understanding "sliding"

[Regulatory Affairs]

I am used to working with MS Access and can put together a report with fields that grow as necessary easily. However, working with FileMaker 8's "sliding" has me stumped.

I want to make a report from a student database that includes the students name, status and comments. The comments field can have a lot of data or very little to none. I've tried numerous combinations of the sliding up options and nothing works. The only way I can see all the text in the comments field is to enlarge the field object.

Any help would be appreciated!!!

[Greg G]

"Sliding" with "reducing the size of the enclosed part" will only make the field get smaller if there is less text than it's size. Therefore you need to make the field as large as it would ever need to be and it will reduce its size to fit the text.

"Sliding" alone just moves the field up or to the left if the above or left field is empty.

[mr_vodka]

You can try merge fields as an option as well.

[Regulatory Affairs]

I've enlarged the field object to display three lines of text (the most it would ever hold) and set the Sliding/Printing to Sliding up based on All above and also checked the Also reduce the size of the enclosing part. Each record still displays the field with space for three lines of text, whether there's any data or not. What am I missing?:

[Inky Phil]

Have you tried setting the object below the portal to slide as well. If I remember correctly this will allow the lower object to slide up into your 'blank' data lines.

Also have you checked the sliding settings that you already have, either by printing the layout or using preview mode? Browse mode does not demonstrate any sliding options that are applied

HTH

Phil

[Regulatory Affairs]

I'm trying to create a report and am not using a portal. Should I be?

I'm familiar with how queries and reports are done in MS Access and am learning the script writing of FM, but I can't determine how to link a script to a layout/report. The only way I know is in the create a report wizard.

I've attached a zip file of my database as is. Once again, any help is appreciated.

Reg-Affs.zip

[Inky Phil]

Sorry, the ref to a portal was a mistake on my behalf.

I will look at your file asap and get back to you soon

Phil

[Inky Phil]

Can I have the password for the file please?

phil

[Regulatory Affairs]

Sorry, it's cicero

[Inky Phil]

OK I am in now. Can you point me to the specific element that you are trying to slide and the layout that it is on please?

Phil

[Regulatory Affairs]

Go to Reports and click the Application Status button. The field "Missing Documents" should grow and shrink based on the data per student's record.

[mr_vodka]

Sliding will NOT work in Browse Mode.

It will work in Preview Mode or when printing.

Sliding Objects

[Regulatory Affairs]

The layout as is has the "Missing Documents" field large enough for more than one line of text. This leaves blank space below the data in the other fields. If I decrease the size of the "Missing Documents" field, the blank spaces are gone, but the "Missing Documents" field doesn't display all the data.

Is there anyway to only expand the line of data if the "Missing Documents" field needs the space?

[Inky Phil]

Your printing and sliding settings are indeed working but as John has just pointed out in his last post and I pointed out in my first post sliding does not work in browse mode.

Try changing to preview mode and flick through the pages of your report and you will see the missing documents field sliding up and down as required

Phil

[Regulatory Affairs]

I see it now. Thanks one and all. You've been a great help.