Using FM Pro 5.0v3, on a Mac.

Trying to build a report that should be printing about 11 pages wide - about 10 fields per page, with a set of repeating titles on each page.

I can't seem to create a report wider that one page. Is this impossible in FM? What am I doing wrong?

Many thanks.

Ack! I'm killin myself here. Isn't there anyone who can help?

Is there no way to create a report in FM that is wider than one page?

Please.

1 layout, 11 pages long. Line them up side by each and the client gets exactly what they are looking for.

OK, but how?

I create a new list layout, select all the fields I need, and then in preview mode it only shows the first page. Where do I put the fields to tell FM I want them to go to a new page?

Creating a LIST layout and a printable report are two different things.

By making the Body part of the report longer it can span multiple pages in depth.

If you are needing a report that is BOTH many pages wide and many pages deep, then you are pretty much scewed, since it will be very difficult to pull off.

I have run into this kind of mentality before and in general you just have to produce a report that is as close as possible. Databases are very poor spreadsheets and spreadsheets are very poor databases. Both have thier uses and thier own set of advantages/disadvantages that need to be taken into account.

Matrix style outputs and interfaces is one of the strengths of a spreadsheet and the weakness of a database.

I would start by ignoring the directive that they need a wide report, simply because that is what they get from Excel. Find out what they really need and develop a report to satisfy that need.

Two layouts!

One viewable layout in the wide format, and one "print" layout in vertical format -- hidden, of course, with a "Print" script (& button) that goes to the other layout, prints, and returns to the original layout.

Why do you think that the report needs to be WIDE?

Just do the same thing but with the pages in a vertical orientation, then line the output up next to each other.

Well, the report needs to be wide because my client says it needs to be wide.

I'm trying to replicate an Excel spreadsheet that my database is in fact replacing - they want to be able to print out a report that "looks & feels just like what they used to have." So, I'm creating 11 separate layouts that look like each of the 11 pages of their Excel file. And a script that will print them all out. Seems like a silly amount of work, for a reasonable request.

Ah well, now I know.

Thanks Kurt - I really do need to go both ways, so to speak. Once I had it confirmed that it wasn't possible, I quit my whining and setup all 11 layouts, and with the scipt they print just fine...and in the end this is only a hand-holding measure for a nervous executive. Once he's comfortable with the new setup, I think he'll be happy with the other reports I've created, but for now I want him to feel like he still has access to the same data in the same format.

Thanks again for your help!