Results 1 to 9 of 9
  1. #1
    cfljanet is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 64bit
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    58

    printing records into fixed area on a report

    I have a report that prints out a type of form for official purposes. It has been designed like a typical form with boxes for each type of information. So, rather than a report that prints onto pre-printed forms, I have designed the report in such a way that all the information a pre-printed form would have is integrated into the report design itself.

    I have used this for years and I have one quibble with it which I have never been able to solve. The item details of the report is where all the records appear. On one form there will always be at least one record, but no more than 8.

    To make the report look reasonably good, I have tried to fix the section where all the records are stored so that it doesn't shorten or lengthen depending on the number of records. I have done this by making a section footer and fixing it's height, so that even though the detail section expands and contracts depending on the number of records, it still looks okay provided there are 3 to 5 records, and bearable if there's less than 3. The problem is when I have 8: because of the fixed height of the footer, there isn't enough room and the report splits across two pages.



    The problem obviously is the fixed height of the footer. What I really want is for the print area where the records are to be printed, to be a fixed height irrespective of how many records there are.

    Is there any way to do this? I have searched and searched, and not seemed to have found the right solution. I've attached a scrappy picture below that might explain it all better:
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Certificate of Origin photo.JPG  

  2. #2
    aytee111 is offline Competent At Times
    Windows 10 Access 2013 64bit
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Nomad
    Posts
    3,936
    Make the detail section a subreport and set its size.

  3. #3
    cfljanet is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 64bit
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    58
    Ah! I will try that.

    It will be hard to line up the lines though I guess? I'll give it a go....

    Thank you!

  4. #4
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is online now VIP
    Windows 10 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Great Land
    Posts
    52,819
    What do you mean by 'line up the lines'? Isn't each line a single record from 1 datasource?

    Couldn't just make the section footer a bit smaller to allow for the eighth record?
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  5. #5
    cfljanet is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 64bit
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    58
    Quote Originally Posted by June7 View Post
    What do you mean by 'line up the lines'? Isn't each line a single record from 1 datasource?

    Couldn't just make the section footer a bit smaller to allow for the eighth record?
    Sorry, by lines I meant the actual drawn lines of the boxes....they are always a bit of a challenge in Access reports I find.

    I can make the section foot smaller, but it then looks fairly ridiculous if I have only one record in it: as the detail section is then so small, the form has a big blank space at the bottom. With 3 to 6 records it looks reasonably alright, and this is the most usual number of records. However, if I have 7 or 8 records it goes onto a new page. In those cases, I go into Design, cut the length of the vertical lines and move everything up. But it's not ideal! And potentially someone else will be taking over who won't have a clue about doing that, so I have to sort it out!

  6. #6
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is online now VIP
    Windows 10 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Great Land
    Posts
    52,819
    Sorry, I am not quite following the design. If you still need more help, provide images of the design view or post the db. Follow instructions at bottom of my post.
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  7. #7
    cfljanet is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 64bit
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    58
    I can't send the db....it's huge, so I'm providing image of the design view. It is the "Container Name" footer that helps the report fill the whole page as it should....BUT, only if there are, say 3-6 records in the detail section. Any less, and there's a lot of blank space at the bottom, any more and it goes onto a second page. Although you can't see them well in Design view, I have a number of vertical lines in the Cont Name footer and if there is a spill-over, I just shorten these lines, and shorten the whole Cont Name footer section. It works, but, well....hardly professional or user-friendly!

    I have been using this for about 8 years, but changing my job is prompting me to try and do something about these ridiculous things in my database

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Certificate of Origin design view.JPG 
Views:	6 
Size:	72.3 KB 
ID:	31384

  8. #8
    June7's Avatar
    June7 is online now VIP
    Windows 10 Access 2010 32bit
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    The Great Land
    Posts
    52,819
    Let us know if the subform approach works then come back if still need help.

    You could make copy of db that includes only the objects required to examine this issue. Elminate data if necessary.
    How to attach file: http://www.accessforums.net/showthread.php?t=70301 To provide db: copy, remove confidential data, run compact & repair, zip w/Windows Compression.

  9. #9
    cfljanet is offline Advanced Beginner
    Windows 7 64bit Access 2010 64bit
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Posts
    58
    Okay, thanks, I will try. I'm not sure all the lines for the boxes will line up but I will give it a go.

    The db is about 84mb, it would take me a month of Sundays just to eliminate the data, but take your point about only the elements that are required. There's a LOT of them for this form

Please reply to this thread with any new information or opinions.

Similar Threads

  1. Replies: 26
    Last Post: 12-22-2015, 09:52 PM
  2. Replies: 17
    Last Post: 07-15-2014, 06:17 AM
  3. Replies: 18
    Last Post: 06-03-2014, 10:17 AM
  4. Sums in Detail area of report
    By Rick West in forum Reports
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 12-01-2009, 07:15 PM
  5. Report like a fixed form
    By mikr in forum Reports
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 08-30-2009, 12:25 AM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Other Forums: Microsoft Office Forums