Lining things up

[Lou_Reed]

I am trying to build the document that you see below, It has not been easy.

The main problem is lining up all of the labels and text boxes. Yes, we have

tools like align : top, left, etc. and they help, but not as much as one had hoped.



By that I mean as soon as you align with respect to the top, then align left something is always

off with respect to the top - always.

I have seen some excellent jobs in the sample, but to duplicate that would take an eternity

of align and realigning.

There must be an easier way. As I said, I have seen some really good jobs in the examples.

Just how did they get them?

Any help appreciated. Thanks in advance.


Respectfully,


Lou Reed

[June7]

I don't know of any easier way. Set properties or grab and drag.

If controls are part of a layout group, might want to remove from layout.

Don't really know what you mean by "off with respect to the top" - top of what?

[Lou_Reed]

You cannot do simultaneous aligning on top and left. They must be done in sequence. So

if you align a bunch of textboxes and labels on the top then, on the next step you align

the first column on their left side. When you do that the top is now off. If some of these

could be done simultaneously, then things might be easier.


As it stands it is just constant futzing, until you are satisfied with the results. It is

never as a good as the examples, but you have limited time so you accept what you have.

How do they do such good work on the examples? It seems there must be an easier way.

Respectfully,

Lou Reed

[ItsMe]

Use the Ctrl Key on your keyboard to select multiple items when clicking with your mouse.

[June7]

Can select multiple controls and set their properties simultaneously, just can't do left and top at same time.

Not really sure why you are experiencing such difficulties. I don't have much trouble getting controls lined up.

[Lou_Reed]

As you can see in the image I posted above all of the labels and textboxes are the same size and are aligned perfectly..

How did they do that?

It would take a lot of fooling around with each box's length and height to do
then only to realize later that something is off (left side alignment or top alignment) and one must start again. It is a continuous process,

Now when I am happy with a label and textbox say what is shown for

PropertyID, I then just copy it and paste it for the next one. Then all of

sudden any slight movement causes the label or textbox to jump up to the top of the section. Why?

I am moving it down not up, but when I let go of the label or textbox image it jumps to the

top of the report section. I do not know why.

So it is just one tedious align after the other until you are satisfied with the look.

It is never as good as the examples. Of course, when I want to align a group of things, I

press the control button to select all of the images in the group. That makes things little

easier. So how does one square that with sequential not simultaneous alignment? I do not know.


I just use trial and error. It works - somewhat.


Respectfully,


Lou Reed

[June7]

"jumps to the top of the report section" - unless the controls are in a group layout, I can't figure out why you are experiencing such difficulties.

Are the controls in a group layout? How were the controls originally created? Wizards always group controls into a layout setup.

[Lou_Reed]

If I like the shape/design of box (either label or textbox) will usually copy it and paste
it where I want to go. The pasting part is tricky. After clicking paste on the drop down menu
the new image is almost always hard to find.


It is not where I left the mouse cursor and where by all accounts it should be. It is at the
very top of that section which means one must find it, pull it down, and then place it correctly.

That is complicated because one must remember to only handle the upper left corner of the box.

And if you should get it right you have almost certainly pulled the box so its original dimensions
(the ones that you were seeking to preserve) are now lost. The box it either too long, or too short or too
narrow or too wide. So the original purpose has now been defeated.

Now if I just take textbox and label from the ribbon then I must be very careful. I can move one or both at the same time.
Again to move one I use the upper left corner of the box. Then after clicking and dragging it into position and being happy
with it placement; I take my finger off the left mouse button and boom; it is gone - up to the top of the section. I move it back in lace
and well see above.

Placement lost.

I must try again and the same thing will most likely happen. So after a while I again start dragging by clicking on one of the
the four lines. Usually the line in the direction that I want it to go in. If I want I to move down, I click on the bottom line, if I want it to move left
I click on the left line and so forth.

This will work, but it is tedious and you lose all dimensions. So you must resize the box.


Anyway. That I show I work and it takes a long time to get the image shown above or even an approximation of it.


It never looks as good as the examples.


Respectfully,

Lou Reed

[June7]

Okay, try this:

1. select a control

2. Ctrl+c or Copy (from ribbon or right click menu)

3. don't click anywhere else so the original control remains selected

4. Ctrl+v or Paste - if you use right click Paste keep the cursor above the original control

5. the new control should appear just below the original

Otherwise, a pasted control will appear at the upper left of section.

That is complicated because one must remember to only handle the upper left corner of the box.

Sounds like controls are in a layout group.

[ItsMe]

...

Otherwise, a pasted control will appear at the upper left of section...

I will sometimes use Ctrl + V and then use the arrows to move the control(s) to an area where I can easily grab it.

And I feel it is important to reiterate the point that it seems like you are using "Layout".

[Lou_Reed]

Okay let's take these one at a time in the interest of sanity.

At the following link: I am trying to copy and paste the two windows that says;

http://www.functionx.com/access/Lesson25.htm

A Publication of Function Press

Practical Learning series


Now, I have found a completed report where I can just copy and paste it.

That should save some time.

So I copy it from the finished and nice looking report.


Then I take it over to mine move down to the report footer section where I hope to paste it.

I click paste and it seems like something happened, but the images are nowhere to be found. I look and the top area of report footer
and I see in the upper left hand corner. It all space properly in relation to each other, but of course it is way out of position.

I want to in the middle of the report footer section and of course lower down.

I select it and start dragging it and then disappears. It is now in the next section above report footer.

I select it again and start dragging. It simply vanishes.


I could start over - in fact I have - but the same thing happens each time.

This seems elementary, but I cannot copy and paste something.

I have been using Microsoft copy and paste in Word, Excel and Power, for decades.

This simply follows a different section if guidelines - not the ones that I am used to.


Any help appreciated.


Respectfully,

Lou Reed

[Lou_Reed]

I stand corrected it is a minor error, but I think important. The pair of labels moves (jumps) from the report footer
all the way up to the page header section, not the next section as I previously stated. From there I attempt to move it and it vanishes.

How to fix.


R,


Lou Reed

[Lou_Reed]

I have tried your instructions. They do not seem to work for me.

1. select a control

2. Ctrl+c or Copy (from ribbon or right click menu)

3. don't click anywhere else so the original control remains selected

4. Ctrl+v or Paste - if you use right click Paste keep the cursor above the original control

5. the new control should appear just below the original

Otherwise, a pasted control will appear at the upper left of section


Everything tends to jump to the top of the section. Sometimes it will be in top left, but it will always be in
the top.

This is very frustrating. There has got to be a better way.


R,

Lou Reed

[June7]

You copy/paste label from one db to another db?

I would expect the control to appear at upper left of section selected for pasting.

The other behavior you describe I cannot replicate.

[Lou_Reed]

Okay, I got it to paste someplace besides the upper right hand corner. I succeeded only once.

Now it is reverting back to the original incorrect way.

What am I doing wrong?

R,


Lou Reed