Galadorn
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How can I force a new page within a RTF Text Box in Access
Hello Experts,
In an Access application, I try to force a page break within a Rich Text Text Box.
In VisualBasic, when I fill a memo field with <div>Text</div>, I can control the line return. Is there an equivalent for page break ?
I know how to force a page break between two field in an Access Report but I really need to force a page break in the middle of a large memo field.
Thank you for your answers.
In an Access application, I try to force a page break within a Rich Text Text Box.
In VisualBasic, when I fill a memo field with <div>Text</div>, I can control the line return. Is there an equivalent for page break ?
I know how to force a page break between two field in an Access Report but I really need to force a page break in the middle of a large memo field.
Thank you for your answers.
peter57r
I doubt whether you can do this at all, but can you just explain how you would work out where the page break was to fall, if it were possible.
A Textbox is just that, a "Text"Box, it is not a "Document"Box..
Even if you used an OLE field, the document gets opened in the native application.
So the Page break would still be displayed there.
Perhaps this would be a better option for you...
Besides, even if this were possible in a Textbox, I have no knowledge of any interface tool that could "navigate" through the "Pages" of a document in this textbox.
So perhaps you could *first* explain your ultimate goal here....
JeffCoachman
Even if you used an OLE field, the document gets opened in the native application.
So the Page break would still be displayed there.
Perhaps this would be a better option for you...
Besides, even if this were possible in a Textbox, I have no knowledge of any interface tool that could "navigate" through the "Pages" of a document in this textbox.
So perhaps you could *first* explain your ultimate goal here....
JeffCoachman
ASKER
It's an application for a very demanding customer.
A big database of options is used to create a contract for building or modifying a house.
The secretary choose/pick the different options in the DB thru a form according to the need/demand of the client. And a PDF is then generated thru a report.
Each options are made of an ID, a price and a long description made of bold and underline text, paragraph etc.. And each option is editable by the user. So I choose memo type field for the description of the options. Everything works well except that, depending on the length (number of lines) of one option, page break creates white spaces at the bottom of the page.
So now, my customer ask me to be able to page break one option at the line he chooses to achieve a better presentation and avoid too wide blank at the bottom of pages.
Another solution would be to split the memo field in two in VB, depending on where the secretary has placed a special tag in the memo field but I just wanted to ask you for a quicker/simpler/better solution.
A big database of options is used to create a contract for building or modifying a house.
The secretary choose/pick the different options in the DB thru a form according to the need/demand of the client. And a PDF is then generated thru a report.
Each options are made of an ID, a price and a long description made of bold and underline text, paragraph etc.. And each option is editable by the user. So I choose memo type field for the description of the options. Everything works well except that, depending on the length (number of lines) of one option, page break creates white spaces at the bottom of the page.
So now, my customer ask me to be able to page break one option at the line he chooses to achieve a better presentation and avoid too wide blank at the bottom of pages.
Another solution would be to split the memo field in two in VB, depending on where the secretary has placed a special tag in the memo field but I just wanted to ask you for a quicker/simpler/better solution.
...But again, as I stated, ...a textbox/rich textbox cannot really display "Page breaks".
So can you state what your reference for this functionality is?
AFAIK, a textbox/richtextbox has no way of dealing with a "Page break".
In other words, what are you expecting to see as a "Page Break"
(why not just use a line break or CRLF, ...etc, ... or even <Div>?)
Finally, lets be clear on the terminology.
RTF stands for "Rich Text Format"
This is similar to, ...but not the same as HTML.
In Access 2003 and older, this was true RTF.
In Access 2007 and newer format databases "Rich Text" is really HTML
So we need to also clarify:
What *version* of Access you are using
What Access "Format" the DB is in (This is not the same as the "Version")
If you are generating HTML or true Rich Text
So can you state what your reference for this functionality is?
AFAIK, a textbox/richtextbox has no way of dealing with a "Page break".
In other words, what are you expecting to see as a "Page Break"
(why not just use a line break or CRLF, ...etc, ... or even <Div>?)
Finally, lets be clear on the terminology.
RTF stands for "Rich Text Format"
This is similar to, ...but not the same as HTML.
In Access 2003 and older, this was true RTF.
In Access 2007 and newer format databases "Rich Text" is really HTML
So we need to also clarify:
What *version* of Access you are using
What Access "Format" the DB is in (This is not the same as the "Version")
If you are generating HTML or true Rich Text
ASKER
This is full Access 2007 and I simply use built in memo type field.
By the way, I'm confused with what it uses : HTML or RTF ? It seems to be more HTML than RTF even if it names it RTF.
I already use <div></div>, <em><strong>... And when you edit a memo text box and you press CTRL-ENTER, it generates <div></div> automaticaly. Same thing with bold (gives <strong>) ...
Not sure how to answer to your "Format" question, sorry. I edit memo field thru a form and when I browse it thru table view, I see tags like <div>, <em>, <strong>...
But if it is HTML, I should be able to force new page with a single tag, am I right ?
By the way, I'm confused with what it uses : HTML or RTF ? It seems to be more HTML than RTF even if it names it RTF.
I already use <div></div>, <em><strong>... And when you edit a memo text box and you press CTRL-ENTER, it generates <div></div> automaticaly. Same thing with bold (gives <strong>) ...
Not sure how to answer to your "Format" question, sorry. I edit memo field thru a form and when I browse it thru table view, I see tags like <div>, <em>, <strong>...
But if it is HTML, I should be able to force new page with a single tag, am I right ?
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ASKER
I'm not surprised by your answer, I was beginning to think the same way.
In fact, the user want that page breaks occurs exactly where he wants according to the meaning of the text. Which is programmatically impossible. I'm almost sure that I won't be able to find rules for this kind of problem because each case will be particuliar.
And if the user can't insert a tag within the memo field that force a page break neither, I think I have no other choice to output the report in a Word document (have seen that before in Access). From Word, the user can do everything to arrange the page and dynamically (now he has to go in the form and generate a pdf to see the result of his changes).
I don't know if there's PDF modifiers that can insert page break or add lines and not costing 500$, I'm not very familiar with this kind of programs.
Because converting my reports to Word documents is not my favorite solution neither because it will cost lot of times. It's a complex report and using the automatic export process to Word gives awful results.
In fact, the user want that page breaks occurs exactly where he wants according to the meaning of the text. Which is programmatically impossible. I'm almost sure that I won't be able to find rules for this kind of problem because each case will be particuliar.
And if the user can't insert a tag within the memo field that force a page break neither, I think I have no other choice to output the report in a Word document (have seen that before in Access). From Word, the user can do everything to arrange the page and dynamically (now he has to go in the form and generate a pdf to see the result of his changes).
I don't know if there's PDF modifiers that can insert page break or add lines and not costing 500$, I'm not very familiar with this kind of programs.
Because converting my reports to Word documents is not my favorite solution neither because it will cost lot of times. It's a complex report and using the automatic export process to Word gives awful results.
ASKER
Thanks for your explanations.