odd and even numbers

[[email protected]]

I am printing reports that have various page lenghts.
I want to insert a page brak after each report that
had odd number of pages, i.e. after 1,3,5,7,9... pages I insert a blank page after 2,4,6,8... I don't.

While I know how to insert a page break, and how to count page numbers, I don't know how to write a function that will insert the page break only if the page number is odd.

Any suggestions?

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

Take a look at the mod() function.

[[email protected]]

RE: odd and even numbers

Mod() Returns the Remainder of the Numerator divided by the Denominator.

That is not at all appropriate. Any other suggestions?

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: odd and even numbers

Jack, if you divide the current page number by 2, the MOD() of the result will either be zero or 1. Perhaps this is what Stan had in mind, since this is a way to determine whether a particular page number is odd or even.

-- tom

[Tom Cone Jr]

RE: odd and even numbers

Perhaps something like this:

if(mod(pageno() / 2) = 1,,)

[whanigsberg]

RE: odd and even numbers

Hi all,

I have used the mod syntax to control various text elements but I would like to know if anyone has successfully created a conditional page break regardless of how the condition is generated.

The closest I have come to controlling pagination is via grouping levels and subreports.

Thanks,
Bill

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

Can you explain a little more about what you want to accomplish. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by inserting a page break "after" a report.

Do you want to eject the next page after a report finishes which had an odd number of pages? Do you want to insert a page break "in" the report based on the number of pages printed for the current group (if it was odd number)?

I'm just not seeing the situation clearly.

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

Just verified that a calculated field, placed in the page footer, defined as:

if(mod(pageno(),2)=1,str(pageno()),"")

will print the page number only on odd numbered pages. This isn't what was asked for but is a marker toward what we want. Does any one understand the part about inserting a page break after the report?

[[email protected]]

RE: odd and even numbers

Basically I am printing a double sided report (I am printing on both sides of the page) and I want each new report to start on a new page instead on the back of a page that belongs to another report.

If the report has even number of pages, e.g. 2,4,6 it's no problem. The 2 paged report fits on the front& back of 1 page, the 4 paged report fits on 2 pages, etc...

At the end of each report I issue a page feed (a5 page break) and each new report starts on the front of a new page.

If however, the report is 3 pages long, the next report might start on the back of page 2 since the printer is configured for doublesided printing and it will interpret the page break command as starting to print on another side of the page instead of doing a real page feed.

To avoid this, I want to issue a conditional command to have 2 page feeds after an odd numbered report. The regula page feed and an additional one to eject the page and start on a new page.

Thanks for everybodys help in this matter.

Jack.


to both sides of the page

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

Until some one weighs in on this, I just experimented with creating a "blank page" report, actually contained a "period" in the report header, no detail section, etc.....

You should be able to "print" such a report from the onprintexit event based on the formula given earlier to decide if the pageno() is even or odd.

That make any sense? Does seem quite a kludge.

[whanigsberg]

RE: odd and even numbers

Hi Gents,

This issue interests me as well. It arises in the case of a single report such as an address list where you want to print double sided and separate groups with tabbed dividers. In this case as well, you want new groups to begin on the right hand (recto) page.

As I see it, the problem breaks into two parts.
-create the condition
-make a conditional page break.

The first turns out to be easy; just use the system variable which holds the page number; very convenient. If the page on which a group finishes has an odd page number, you need to insert a blank page to have the next group begin on the recto side.

However, so far I have been unable to produce a conditional page break.

I hope someone has a moment of inspiration. So far, I haven't.

Bill

[Selig Starr]

RE: odd and even numbers

If I understand your problem, you are trying to print a series of reports
starting each report on the front page so to speak.
Why not define a "blank" report. I am not very adept in Xbasic, but
from following this board I would be surprised if someone can translate
the following very crude pseudocode to Xbasic.:

print the first report
if the last page is odd, print the blank report
print the second report
if the last page is odd, print the blank page
etc,

The mod function would be needed to test if the last page is odd
numbered.

This Xbasic script would need to be written once if the reports
are always the same. That is the same reports need to be printed
every time.

I assume that when a new report is to be printed, its page numbers
would start with or reset to 1.

This is just a thought and perhaps might generate a solution by one of
the experts.

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

Investigation reveals that, at the time the onprintexit event fires, the pageno() has been reset to zero. Therefore the previous suggestion will not work.

Other avenues explored include:

placing a large conditional object in the report footer with a "period" at the bottom and the mod condition. - No help

placing a conditional object in the footer, a rich text field in the conditional object, and a page break in the rich text object. - No help

Sorry

[whanigsberg]

RE: odd and even numbers

Hi all,

Well folks, it *can* be done. Recto-verso pagination can be controlled--within limits.

Why should we care? When we print to one side only it doesn't matter. However, printing duplex, if we have a report with multiple sections (grouping levels) and we want to separate the sections with tabbed dividers then when a new section (group) begins on the reverse side of the page, then it will come before rather than after the tab.

A simple example would be an address book. Lots of the time these books have tabs which combine letters: AB; CD; EF; GH.... You don't want "A", "C", "E", "G" etc. to start on the reverse (verso) side of the page. I won't detail the process by which I was able to force a new group every second letter. The group is called "Tab".

Luckily the verso sides have even page numbers and the report generator has a system variable which holds the page number. In other words, generating the condition is no problem. (We all knew this already.) Use the mod function with a denominator of 2. Recto gives a mod of 1. Verso yields 0.

Previous contributions have established what *doesn't* work and I won't reiterate all that except to recall that the obvious method--a page break on a condional object is a no go.

It would be great if a page break object accepted a conditional expression but it doesn't. However, the break's property sheet has a "break optionally" checkbox. Look in the manual and you'll find that it is intended to keep memo fields from being split by a page break. If the field is too big to fit it is shifted to the next page. This sparse documentation meant I had to do a bit of experimentation.

Here is what to do:
-In group properties, on the region tab, make sure "start group on a new page" is checked.
-Create a group footer. In its properties, check "allow shrink" and "keep together on a page."
-Insert a page break object at the very top of the footer. Open its properties and check "optionally break."
-Insert a conditional object right after the break. In its properties be sure to check "allow shrink."
-Using the mod function create two conditions, even and odd. Leave the layer for the odd condition blank.
-Put a couple of text objects on the "even" layer of the conditional object. Place one at the top and one at the bottom to prevent the conditional object from contracting at print time. The contents of the text doesn't matter; it will never print.
-The required size of the conditional object depends on your page length. It must be big enough to not fit on a page with anything else but must not take more that a page by itself.

Here is what happens:
-If a group finishes on the reverse side, the page condition is "odd" so the group footer is empty, and it shrinks, so there is nothing to print. The next group starts on the next page which is recto so you're fine.
-If a group finishes on the recto page, the "even" condition is true, the footer is too big to fit, the conditional page break kicks in and the conditional object moves to the next page. But now the page number is odd so what "prints" on that page is the "odd" or empty layer of the conditional object. (This was a happy surprise!) My report has the page number in the page footer section and this confirms what is happening.

I hope this is useful to someone else because it took a hell of a long time to discover.

All the best,
Bill

[Stan Mathews]

RE: odd and even numbers

I don't care what everyone else says, you're pretty smart. Persistence pays off again.

Have a good weekend.