Nested Tables and Multiple Pages

[Former Member]

Hi,

I have a problem with nested tables that span multiple pages.

Lets assume I want to create a list of orders. Each order contains several order items. As long as an order contains less order items than fit to one page the list is rendered correctly. But if an order contain more items all items that can´t be displayed at the first page are cut off.

I´ve tried so many combinations of subforms with flow content and position content, subform sets and "Allow Page Breaks within Content" as well as Layout Property "Expand to fit" but nothing helped.

Can someone tell me if and how I can achieve this. In the meantime I do work in Designer directly with a XML datasource. So I could send you the form and example data.

I´m working with NW04 SP11 and Adobe Designer 6.0

Best regards

Helmut

[Former Member]

Hi Helmut,

There are some bugs regarding Nested tables diaplay and accessibility in designer 6.0.

For example, If the items exceeds the first page, in the next page the order number should dislay and then the remaining items should disply.Which is not possible in designer 6.0 / 7.1.

Is it possible to send the screen shot of the requirement.

Based on that i can suggest the alternative.

Thanks and regards,

Pavan Meda

[htammen]

Hi Pavan,

thanks for your answer so far.

It´s a bit difficult to send you a screenshot. Therefore I created a little text view of the requirement:

Order no.     text                 customer
    Order item no.     short text          quantity        price
=================================================================
1             Computer             Mr. Smith
    10                 PC Tower            1               400.00
    20                 LCD Display         1               200.00
    30                 Keyboard            1                15.00
    40                 Mouse               1                10.00
2             Notebook             Mrs. Parker
    10                 HP Notebook         1               600.00
    20                 Ext. hard drive     1                80.00

If the order item list gets so big that it can´t be displayed at one page the list is simply cut off in spite of repeating display at the next page.

Does that clarify the problem?

Thanks in advance

Helmut

[Former Member]

Hello Helmut,

There are some limitations and bugs in your requirement.

Please see the output after copying into notepad.

1.Eventhough if you give overflow leader , the headers for item table will not repeat.it is a bug.this is not solved in designer 7.1 also.

2.There are some accessibilty bugs in case of nested table.

Please follow the below design in the hierachy tab.

-

---

MainTable (subform)

|---- Header (subform)

| |- Header texts for Main table +

| |- Text for nested table

|---- DATA_main (subform)

|-Main table fields

|-ITEMDATA ( Table SUBFORM)

|-Header (Subform)

| |-ItemHeader texts

|-DATA_item (subform)

|-Item data fields

for DATA_main and DATA_item subforms, set repeat count MIN in binding tab.Set all flow content and allow page break with in the content.

The output will appear in the following manner.

<b>( Copy the below text into the notepad. )</b>

<b>Order no. text customer

Order items</b>

=================================================================

1 Computer Mr. Smith

<b>Order item no. short text quantity price</b>

-

---

10 PC Tower 1 400.00

20 LCD Display 1 200.00

30 Keyboard 1 15.00

40 Mouse 1 10.00

2 Notebook Mrs. Parker

<b>Order item no. short text quantity price</b>

-

---

10 HP Notebook 1 600.00

20 Ext. hard drive 1 80.00

let me know if u didnt get the solution.

Thanks and Regards,

Pavan Meda

[Former Member]

Hello Pavan,

A quite good design you have shown for nested tables.

I have a question, what kind of link you have set up between main and item tables. We have two table (header and item details) when we try to show them dynamically, it shows all header details followed by all item details.

Following is the required output example--

-

---

Header_ID KTU-1

<u>Material.... Price</u>

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

dfe.... 6

-

---

<u>Sub Totals for KTU-1 12</u>

Header_ID KTU-2

Material.... Price

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

dfe.... 6

-

---

<u>Sub Totals for KTU-2 18</u>

Header_ID KTU-5

Material.... Price

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

abc.... 2

hy.... 4

dfe.... 6

-

---

<u>Sub Totals for KTU-5 24</u>

<u>Grand Total 54</u>

Let me know how we can proceed on this,

Thanks in advance for yr kind help..

regards,

Dharam

[Former Member]

Hello Dharam,

I am not clear your requirement.

If you getting output like as you said. you might done some mistake in the context.You have to design the context, in the same way as I said in the earlier message.

item table should be dragged in the main table and you have to define where clause on item table ( item material

= heaer material).

for totals, dont calculate in the print program. you have to use table calc ( java + formcalc scripting) in the layout.

[Former Member]

Hi Pavan,

Thanks for your prompt reply, My requirement is to generate dynamic PDF print output, where we have to put some conditional break.

for example, if we have to generate a phone bill where we want to give line gaps in the dynamic table based on the Date and show how many calls made on that particular day.

As per your suggestion to define where clause on item table. How we make these conditional break in adobe designer.

Thx.

[Former Member]

Hello Dharam,

Could you please let me know the designer version that you are using.the solution varies between designer 6.0 and designer 7.1 beacause of advaned options in 7.1.

In the 7.1, in the pagination tab there is edit button, which we can use for conditional page break.

like previous recorda date <> current record date ====> go to next page or do some process.

In the 6.0, i will let u know.May be we have to write lot of logic for this in the form calc

[Former Member]

Hi Pavan,

Can you please give me a clear idea how to put a condition on item table.

And how to put heade and item in the same place.if possible with a small screen shot showing how u have nested those tables.

Please give me some material if u have.

Thanks,

sasi