restrictive layout length

[kurt mitenbuler]

I have developed a building/home inspection report form in FMPro 5. When outputting to a printer, various scripts jump from layout to layout and print the final report. The average report is 15-18 pages. The problem is printing to Adobe/PDF format; w/ this method, you end up w/ 15 or more different documents. I want to put all the necessary info on one layout so that the document prints as a single document. The problem is that FMPro layouts are limited to approx. 10-12 pages depending on headers, footers, etc. I am well aware of sliding objects for removing wasted space, but run into problems w/ fields breaking across pages, etc. I need a longer layout, but it doesn't appear possible. What is a reasonably simple process for emailing a 15-20 page report?

[DykstrL]

FileMaker layouts are restricted to 111 inches in length - period. This includes all parts - headers, footers, sub-summary, etc. One way to get more real estate out of a layout is to change to Landscape orientation. This will give you about 15 pages. If you need more, you would need to split the layout into 2 parts (layouts). Outputting to a PDF file would not be possible as an automated script as the printed output file would have the same name and the second output file would overwrite the first one. On a Mac, I think you could create a Applescript to create the 2 parts and scipt Acrobat to combine them.

[kurt mitenbuler]

Thanx. Although it is not stated anywhere in the Users manual (at least nowhere that I can find), I realize that I am stuck w/ a 10 page document. Oh well.................. You are the first person who has been able to confirm that the length is limited.

kurt

[Fuper]

Consider whether the report can be printed from a summary of a number of records instead of just one.

If the structure of the report is at all repetitive (i.e. Preliminary matter; Section 1, item 1, item 2, ..., Summary; Section 2, item 1, item 2, ..., Summary,...) then the parts that are repetitive can come from separate records. A phone book would be an example, without the summaries. I've used FM to print a region-by-region membership directory of over 80 pages, with summaries providing the region and sub-region headings.

You may say "No, the sections of my report are more like 'Animal, Vegetable, Politician,' and the visual structure of each is different, so they can't come from repetitions of any one single body layout."

But don't forget that each record can have different fields filled in and left empty, and that Sliding can be used to get rid of empty spaces. Or that the body part can incorporate a large text field, with the records you then print from each containing a chunk of uniquely formatted text. You could output an ENCYCLOPEDIA in this fashion (with pictures, even).

I should point out that this very neatly solves the problem of text breaking over page boundaries.

Don't confuse getting a report to print out all at once with printing all the data from a single record ar even a single file. Relationships, global fields, and the fact that fields on a header, footer, or summary part can display data from the records immediately above or below, can all help you with this, too.

See the question "Looking for a sample script..." under the ScriptMaker topic for a little more on this.

Good luck.

--Fuper