R:BASE 7.6 for Windows Report Designer Page Setup includes the option of "Layout" to design Columnar Reports with the properties like, Columns, Column Width, Column Positions, Column Transversal (Top to Bottom or Left to Right) and Row Spacing.


Columns:
When the columns property is set to any number greater than 1, R:BASE 7.6 Report Designer will print your records in columns. You can use the Column Width property the width of the columns. If you need to control the exact position on the page where each column will start, use the Column Positions property.

If you are creating a report to look like Phone Directory, Staff Directory or Year Book, use the Column Positions and Row Spacing properties to get your report aligned perfectly over the labels.

Once selected as columnar report, at design-time the Report Designer will automatically create column header and column footer bands when value of the columns property is set to a value greater than 1 and automatically remove the existing column header and column footer bands when the value the columns property is set to 1.


Column Width:
The horizontal space to be used for a single column of the report. Column Width is expressed in report units. When printed, columns are positioned from left to right across the page based on the value of Column Width. In order to position each column in a precise location use the Column Positions property.


Column Positions:
A set of horizontal positions used to place each column of a columnar report. Column Positions are expressed in report units. This property is optional. The Column Width property is used to determine the starting location for each column when no Column Positions are specified.

Note: Column Positions are absolute positions on the page. For example, if you specify a column position of 3.25", the column will start at exactly 3.25" from the left edge of the page. Given a paper size, most printers define a smaller area which can be used for printing. The area of the page which cannot be used for printing is sometimes referred to as the "gutter." You must take gutters into account when specifying Column Positions. If your printer has a left gutter of 0.25" and you specify a Column Position at 0.0, 0.25" of your column is going to be truncated, since it is located in a non-printable area of the page.

Column Positions is the only property treated as an absolute page position. All other size and position related properties are relative to the report margins.


Column Transversal:
When the Columns property of the report has been set to more than one, then Column Traversal determines how the detail band will print on the page. The possible value are:

Top to Bottom: This is the default. The detail band prints column one to the bottom of the page, then begins at the top of column two and prints to the bottom of the page, continuing until all columns have been printed or all records have been traversed.

Left to Right: The detail band prints the first record in column one, the second in column two, the third in column three and so on, until all columns have been printed. It then proceeds to the next 'row' in column one, continuing until the page is completed or all records have been traversed.

Note: When you use the Left to Right Setting, the Detail Band will automatically switch to a Print Height of Static. Dynamic Height detail bands cannot be used with this setting.


Row Spacing:
Use the Row Spacing property to define the vertical space which will appear after each row. The Row Spacing is expressed in report units.