Variable-length text box in list-format printout

[elipsett]

Got a minor (I hope) problem with formatting for printing.

Make a DB with a variable-length text box (slider on right). Make about 6 records, and type in varying text strings. Say record 1 has one line of text, record 6 has 500 lines of text.

Now, when I print them out I have to specify the size of the box for the text string. If I need to print out all the text, I have to make the box big enough to hold 500 lines of text, which means that the printout for record 1 will have 499 blank lines.

Is there any way to adjust the printout so that it uses the space needed to print out the data automatically? So if all six records are printed out at once with no page breaks after each record, they will take up the minimum space.

Any assistance - or URLs etc - will br geatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Edward Lipsett

Fukuoka, Japan

[LiveOak]

In layout mode, look at the "sliding/printing..." feature in the Format menu. The FM manual should have a description.

-bd

[elipsett]

Thanks, I'll have a look ASAP.

I appreciate your time.

[ibiubu]

I have run into the same problem. I have tried to adjust the sliding printing for the text box with the scroll bar, but with no luck. It only prints the amount of text that can be seen in the box during browse mode. Any additional text beyond the scroll does not print. I have not yet resolved this.

LR

[Vaughan]

You have to make the field big enough to display the *most* that will ever be entered into it. Then use the Sliding/Printing options to shrink-fit the field (and layout part) to fit the actual amount of thest in that particular record.

On some layouts where fields can contain extremely variable amounts of text, I've been known to allow several full *pages* of room for a field to expand into. Making them way too big doesn't matter since they get shrunk down when printed (or previewed). Making the field even a tiny bit too small can be a real disaster.

So err on the generous side.