ACC: Tips to Design Reports for Output to RTF File

• Microsoft Access versions 2.0, 7.0, 97

SUMMARY

Novice: Requires knowledge of the user interface on single- user computers.

This articles describes tips you can use to design a report whose output you plan to save to a Rich Text Format (RTF) file using the Output To command. If you use these tips, the data in the RTF file will appear similar to the data in the report.

MORE INFORMATION

To design a report for output to an RTF file, use these tips:

• Create the report as a single-column report.



• Use the same font for all the controls to ensure consistent spacing between rows.



• Choose Size from the Format menu, and then choose To Fit from the menu that appears. This adjusts the size of each control, depending on the font set for the data that appears in the control.
  
  NOTE: The Print Preview and Output To commands use different algorithms for calculating text width; therefore, the text may occupy more or less space in the RTF file.



• Reduce the amount of blank space above and below the report controls. Any vertical space between the controls is converted to whole lines in the RTF file. For example, a space of .02 inches can increase to .1667 inches in the RTF file.



• Make sure controls on the same output row are not too close to each other or overlapping. This can cause the Output To command to omit the controls or to align the columns incorrectly in the RTF file.



• Use the Align command from the Format menu to ensure that a row of controls is aligned properly on the report. If a row of controls is not aligned properly, the Output To command may place the controls in different rows, causing extra blank space in the RTF file.



• Do not set a report section's CanShrink property to Yes because the Output To command does not process the CanShrink property. Setting the property may, however, cause extra blank lines in the RTF file.



• Avoid setting a report section's CanGrow property to Yes; it causes two extra blank lines per section in the RTF file.
  
  NOTE: If you must set the CanGrow property to Yes, you can delete the extra blank lines by opening the RTF file in a word processor and deleting the extra paragraph marks.
  
  NOTE: The problems concerning the use of the CanGrow and CanShrink Properties no longer occur when using Microsoft Access version 7.0 or later.

REFERENCES

For more information about the Output To command, search for "Output To," and then "Output To Command (File Menu)" using the Microsoft Access Help menu.

Keywords          : kbusage OtpRtf 
Version           : 2.0
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: April 20, 1999