about general report function

[linbl352]

hi,

Does anybody have an idea about how to write a general report generator module?

Right now, I can create a report file by coding the specific position on a page. codes like following:
print_textbox(F ile, Page, 100, 100, 200, 300, "Hello");
It means It prints the string "Hello" at the location starts from (100, 100) to(200,300 ).
So, If I want to print the text at another location, I have to change the numberic data one by one. That is repeated work.
Does it have any solution for it to reduce the times of modifying numberic data?

Thanks

[Banfa]

Not without more information. I think you description of what you already have is too limited, you presumably don't just print "hello" each time. Post a larger section of pseudo code.

In general if you have to change a output you are always going to have to provide a different input (unless you code is envoking undefine behaviour in which case just changing you hat might well do the trick).

If, as I suspect you are printing a report with multiple times and you want to be able to shift all the items down 1 line (say) but only have to make 1 change then you should create a function that prints all items relative to a supplied orign, then to alter the position of everything all you need to do is alter the origin supplied to the function.

Instead of

print_textbox(File, Page, 100, 100, 200, 300, "Hello");
print_textbox(File, Page, 100, 100, 300, 400, "World");
print_textbox(File, Page, 100, 100, 400, 500, "Wibble Banana Jellyfish");

try

print_report( origin_x, origin_y )
    print_textbox(File, Page, origin_x+0, origin_x+0, origin_y+0, origin_y+100, "Hello");
    print_textbox(File, Page, origin_x+0, origin_x+0, origin_y+0, origin_y+100, "World");
    print_textbox(File, Page, origin_x+0, origin_x+0, origin_y+0, origin_y+100, "Wibble Banana Jellyfish");
}

print_report( 100, 200 )

[linbl352]

yes. this is a solution of that problem.
But, if I change the orientation style from portrait to landscape when I print the report, I have to change the parameters in function print_report(10 0,200). If there are many print_report(10 0,200) calls, It will cost much time on doing that multiple job.
So, What I am looking for is automatically adjusting the postion according to the paper's size( width and height )