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BMP
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FileSenderRDOConnectMasterReportAidsShellerStringSetWEBUtilitiesModules
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BatcherHTMLGenKillTimeTimedMessage|
ReportAids: This class takes advantage of the fixed pitch Courier font to make creating printed
reports that always fit on the page almost effortless (even reports with
dynamic content). All that trouble with getting the right fit and alignment just goes away! The workhorse of the class is the SetupReport method which determines the appropriate font size, page orientation, and number rows on a page based on the width of the report you need in characters. So you can concentrate on your report's content instead of its fit on the page! Another useful method is TitleLine which creates PageWidth strings composed of left, center, and right parts. The primary use of TitleLine is in the construction of header/footer lines. Properties are provided to give you access to and override control over Columns, Orientation, PointSize, Rows, PageWidth, PageHeight, MaxPointSize, and MinPointSize. To see a sample use of ReportAids and its full interface definition, scroll down. |
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Using True Type fonts for presentations is sexy and needed to get the proper pzazz. But for reports, good old Courier provides for easy reading and EASY generation. Especially if you use Report Aids to help you set up the printer with a font size that makes optimum use of the page. We've tested it exhaustively for page widths of from 70 to 240 columns. This piece of code generates a report of WEB page statistics. The most important part is the third line where the SetupReport method is called to determine the font size, number of rows, and page orientation that will fit on a page where header1 indicates the length of the report lines. After that it's mostly a matter of keeping track of page end points. In the printing of the page header you see the use of the TitleLine method to easily construct print lines with left, center, and right parts. |
set aid = New ReportAids
header1 = " Document Name Accesses "+ _
"Robot_Accesses User_Accesses" + _
" Bytes Dwell"
MaxRows = aid.SetupReport(Len(header1)) 'set up page size
Page = 0 'initialize for first page
row = 999
While Not rs.EOF 'loop through data records
.
. 'get data to print
.
If row > MaxRows Then 'check for new page
Page = Page + 1 'advance page count
If Page <> 1 Then Printer.NewPage '1st page doesn't need eject
Printer.Print aid.TitleLine("", "Documents by Access Counts " + _
"for VERIFIEDSOFTWARE.COM", "")
Printer.Print aid.TitleLine("Week Ending " + ReportDate, "", _
"Page " + str(Page))
Printer.Print header1
row = 3 'account for header lines on page
End If
'print report line
s = Pad(PageName, 43) + LPad(Format(Accesses, BF), 10) + ...
'setup report line
Printer.Print s 'print report line
row = row + 1 'account for line on page
rs.MoveNext 'move to next data record
Wend
If Page <> 0 Then 'do totals if anything produced
Printer.Print ...
End If
Printer.EndDoc 'close up the document
End If
Set aid = Nothing
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| Below is the full interface definition for the ReportAids Class. |
Public Property Get Columns() As Integer
'Get/Set number of columns in page width
Public Property Get MaxPointSize() As Single
'Get/Set maximum point size to use; default=12
Public Property Let MaxPointSize(ByVal NewMaxPointSize As Single)
'Get/Set maximum point 'size to use; default=12
Public Property Get MinPointSize() As Single
'Get/Set minimum point size for portrait orientation; default=8
Public Property Let MinPointSize(ByVal NewMinPointSize As Single)
'Get/Set minimum point size for portrait orientation; default=8
Public Property Get Orientation() As Integer
'Get/Set number of columns in page width
Public Property Get PageHeight() As Single
'Get/Set page height in inches; default=11
Public Property Let PageHeight(ByVal NewPageHeight As Single)
'Get/Set page height in inches; default=11
Public Property Get PageWidth() As Single
'Get/Set page width in inches; default=8.5
Public Property Let PageWidth(ByVal NewPageWidth As Single)
'Get/Set page width in inches; default=8.5
Public Property Get PointSize() As Single
'Get/Set point size to be used
Public Property Get Rows() As Integer
'Get/Set point size to be used
Public Function SetupReport(RptColumns As Integer) As Integer
'Set Printer for requested RptColumns
Public Function TitleLine(LeftText, CenterText, RightText)
'Return Text line of Columns characters constructed from Left,
'Center, and Right segments
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