Report layout page limit

[rodcassie]

I have the latest version of FM Pro 11 Adv, and running on a Macbook Pro with Snow Leopard.

I am trying to create a report layout but I need more than the 11 page limit. It is a report that is populated from many fields from a number of different linked tables. It certainly would suite a mail merge into word as there is an enormous amount of text around the populated fields. However I seem to be having difficulty in word allowing more than one table to be referenced, also. The report layout in FM is limited to about 11 pages so this presents a problem. Do I have to do the report in 3 different layouts and then merge somehow?

Why is it so long? It is for Building and Pest Inspections for houses, so there are a huge number of fields to describe the condition of windows, walls, eaves, floors, roof, etc etc.

Thanks for the help.

[Rick Whitelaw]

I have the latest version of FM Pro 11 Adv, and running on a Macbook Pro with Snow Leopard.

I am trying to create a report layout but I need more than the 11 page limit. It is a report that is populated from many fields from a number of different linked tables. It certainly would suite a mail merge into word as there is an enormous amount of text around the populated fields. However I seem to be having difficulty in word allowing more than one table to be referenced, also. The report layout in FM is limited to about 11 pages so this presents a problem. Do I have to do the report in 3 different layouts and then merge somehow?

Why is it so long? It is for Building and Pest Inspections for houses, so there are a huge number of fields to describe the condition of windows, walls, eaves, floors, roof, etc etc.

Thanks for the help.

Are you saying one record is more than 11 pages? Because there's no limit to what you can print etc. If you're trying to create a report that occupies more than 11 pages per record due to huge text fields I'm not sure how to advise you.

RW

[Vaughan]

there are a huge number of fields to describe the condition of windows, walls, eaves, floors, roof, etc etc.

If these "Conditions" were in a related table, each as a separate related record, then the printing limit would be 11 pages FOR EACH CONDITION. The completed report could be (within experimental error) infinite.

Another reason to get the data structure right.

If there are a large number of conditions and the change frequently then look into the Attribute-Value model.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attribute-value_system

[rodcassie]

Are you saying one record is more than 11 pages? Because there's no limit to what you can print etc. If you're trying to create a report that occupies more than 11 pages per record due to huge text fields I'm not sure how to advise you.

RW

Thanks,

Yes is the simple answer to your question. I'm not sure how many fields make up a record (I haven't counted them) but it would be at the minimum 100. It's really quite huge as each item on a house involves at least 3 items on the report: A description, a comment on its condition (and this can be repeated 3 or 4 times), and then a general comment. If you then think about a report on your house it would then involve floors (in each room), walls (in each room), windows, outside walls, the roof, etc etc.

thanks

rod

[rodcassie]

I thought maybe adding the original report might help explain things. So I'll try to attach it here. You will notice it is about 30 pages long and that it has been made up of a whole bunch of drop down lists to complete the report. I am just trying to populate the report from a database so that the inspector can enter all the information on a few screens.

I am pretty sure this has nothing to do with database structure. I know a fair amount about normalisation having been an IT professional and having taught the stuff at university level so I think my structure is ok. I think it just the nature of the report required.

rod

[rodcassie]

doesn't look like my first attempt at attaching the report worked... so here goes...

Building Only Template 300909.doc

[Vaughan]

I cannot see why each major section couldn't be on a separate layout, which will also have the benefit of making each begin on a new page. Then join the report into a single pdf.

I know a fair amount about normalisation having been an IT professional and having taught the stuff at university level so I think my structure is ok.

Ah, so you'd know all about the Attribute-Value model. Can you explain why you didn't implement it for this database?