Help

Creating and managing layouts and reports
F
ILEMAKER PRO HELP 273
To change the width of columns:
The initial width of each column is calculated based on the paper size, orientation, and any margins
you have set. To change the width of columns, do one of the following:
Notes
• If you change the number of columns, FileMaker Pro adjusts the width of the columns to fit
within the width of the paper size you have defined, not including fixed margins. You may
need to readjust fields to fit within the sample column.
• When you select Down first, FileMaker Pro prints subsummary parts the width of the
column. If you've specified that a page break comes after the subsummary part,
FileMaker
Pro starts a new column (not a new page). With Across first, FileMaker Pro
prints subsummary parts the width of the page, and the specified page break starts a new
page. For more information, see
Defining page breaks and numbering.
Removing blank spaces in printouts
Often, the amount of information in the fields in your database varies. When you print, FileMaker Pro
can shrink
field boundaries and shift objects to the left or up on your layout to close up the blank
space caused when the information in a field doesn't fill the field boundary.
For example, in a catalog, a description for one item may be longer than for another. If you use the
sliding feature of FileMaker
Pro, you can close up the space between items and print more items per
page.
You can slide any object, including fields, portals, other objects, and even layout parts. Here is how
certain objects slide:
• Fields shrink to eliminate empty space within field boundaries. A field can also slide if there
is a sliding or shrinking field above or to the left of the field.
• Non-field objects, like a horizontal line or a text object, can slide if there is a sliding field
above or to the left of the objects. When a non-field object slides, it moves to another place
on the layout but it doesn't shrink.
• Portals slide like any other non-field object, but objects within a portal can't slide. If you
specify that a portal slides up and the enclosing part shrink, FileMaker
Pro omits empty
portal rows.
To Do this
Interactively adjust the width of the
columns
Drag the right column boundary (the vertical dashed line at the
right edge of the sample column).
Note Because the page width is fixed, dragging the column
boundary to the right does not increase the width of the
printable area within each column (unless you previously
narrowed the column width). Instead dragging the column
boundary to the right creates a “gutter” margin between each
column. This gutter margin is useful for creating space between
columns, but it reduces the printable area within each column.
Precisely measure and adjust the
width of the columns
Click Inspector in the layout bar. Click Position. Position
the pointer over the right column boundary, hold down the
mouse button (be careful not to drag the column width), and
read the column Width value in the Size area.