Printing Reports Access 2002 Pleas Advise

[Dermot]

I have created a..
Table of contacts tblcontacts.
Surname query qrySurname.
A report base on rptQuerySurname.
A macro to print a Selection mcrSelection.
When I search for a surname say "Brown" the report returns say 3 records.
When I run the print macro the preview display 6 records, each of the 3
record has an additional blank page which shows in the preview. The blank
page does not show as blank records in my table.

What I would like to do is have the option to print all records or any
number of them that I want.
Questions
1. Why would I be getting the blank page?
2. Can I only do this using VBA?
3. Please give an example if possible

Thanks
Dermot

 

[tina]

in the report's design view, check the width and length of the report and
compare that with the margin settings under File | Page Setup. for instance,
if the width of your report in design view is 7 inches, and page setup shows
left and right margins of 1 inch each, you'll get one half inch slopping
over to a second page. if that half inch happens to be blank, you won't see
anything on the second page. the same issue may apply to the top/bottom
margins - but that can be harder to determine if you have several detail
records on one page, because design view only shows the width of one record.

also, if you're using a page break in a section, make sure there is no space
between the page break and the bottom of the section.

hth

 

[Dermot]

Hi tina,
Thanks for the reply.
I have looked at your suggestions but still haven't resolved my problem.
File | Page setup | Column Tab |W= 12.998cm H=13.497cm

In report design view under the report properties all tab, I can only find
a width property (12.998), there doesn't seem to ne a length property!

Margins are......Top= 25.41, Bottom= 25.41, Left = 25.43, Right= 25.41

I have dragged the report as small as I can height and width to accommodate
the controls I have on it, still no joy....3 record show as 6 every alternate
being blank.

Is ther a way to design the report specifically for A5 paper.
I am not too sure I actually understand the relationship of the report
displayed on the screen and that printed......I thought it didn't matter as
long as I selcted A% from the print setup screen.

Any further advise would be greatly appreciated.

 

[tina]

well, a report is pretty much about physical space. your paper is x inches
or cm wide and y inches or cm long. a single page in report design view
cannot be wider than "x minus the total of the left and right margins". and
it cannot be longer than "y minus the total of the top and bottom margins" -
though, as i said before, finding height issues can be harder because you
only see one records' worth of controls in the Detail section while in
design view.

you mentioned looking at the Columns tab of the Page Setup dialog. is the
Number of Columns set to 1, and Row Spacing set to 0 (zero)? or, if this is
actually a multi-column report, don't forget that you have to include the
"Column Spacing times (the number of columns minus 1)" in your calculation
of the report width.

as for the paper size, look at Page tab in the Page Setup dialog. you should
be able to set your Paper Size to A5, from the droplist. if you know the
dimensions of A5 paper, then make sure your height/width calculations (see
previous paragraph) do not add up to more space than the height/width of A5
paper.

hth

 

[Dermot]

Hi Tina,
Thanks again.
I have looked at everything you mentioned in your previous post now.
A5 Paper is W=14.9cm H=21.0cm (in the UK).
I found what you meant about the margins and set them all to 0, I now find I
have 4 reports showing 3 and a blank page when I go to print them.

The width property of my report in design view is 10.21cm, which I would
have thought was well withing the paper dimensions and the Height is within
it's limits looking at the report design view rulers.

I have the side edge and bottom edge up tight against the controls in the
report and have the header and footer up against the detail section as I am
not using them.....only using the detailsed section......could this be a
problem?

You mention page breaks before...can you explain in a little more detail the
relavance and how I check for them in a report?

Any other suggestions to help me resolve my problem would be appreciated.

 

[tina]

when you put a page break in a report section, and leave space "under" the
page break, you can wind up with a blank page inserted between the records
pages. AFAIK, you have to insert a page break manually; i don't think the
report wizard does it, but it's possible.

in your report design view, on the Formatting toolbar, take a look at the
Object droplist (should be on the extreme left side, showing as a combo
box). click the arrow to drop the list and scroll through, looking for a
control name that begins with "PageBreak".

hth

 

[Dermot]

Thanks again Tina,
I checked the "Object Combo Box" for a page break object but there is none
listed.
As you said , I would have had to insert it manually (thanks for the tip
didn't know this), so the page break isn't my problem now.

I have 4 reports showing, 3 + one blank......is there anything else I should
consider or has everything that could cause it been covered?

What puzzles me is that the report looks fine, it's dimensions seem to be
less than the paper (A5) dimensions, if I print one it looks the way I want
it.....

Should I start the report from scratch?
What procedure would you followwhen desighing a if you wanted a report to
print to A5?
Best wishes
Dermot

 

[tina]

well, i've never designed a report to print to A5 paper, but i wouldn't
think there'd be anything "special" about it. "x" size is "x" size, after
all; you have to work within the space available on whatever paper media
you're printing to, whether it be 8.5 x 11 paper, an envelope, a sheet of
stick-on labels, etc.

i can't think of anything else to suggest, Dermot. if your db is A97 or
newer, you can send me a copy (sans proprietary data) if you want, and i'll
see if i can figure out how to fix the report - and then tell you how i did
it. i'm not sure it will work, since you're outside the US - differences in
our Access software, maybe? but i'm willing to give it a shot. if you want
to go this route, post your email address, "disguised" to foil the spammers,
and tell me how to "de-code" it; and i'll email you.

hth

 

[Dermot]

Hi Tina,
Thanks for yet another reply.
It's good of you to offer to look at it for me, but it's very basic. I think
you have explained all well to me and that I have probably overlooked
something that you have already described. I will read over this topic from
beginning to end and think a while more before landing you the task of
sorting it out for me.
I will let you know my error when I find out.
Thanks
Dermot

 

[tina]

okay, i'll keep an eye on this thread for awhile. after sleeping on it,
here's something i've never tried - but it might help you out: in report
design view, click on each section of your report (including the ones that
you think are "closed up"), and change the BackColor, each section to a
different color. then look at the report in PrintPreview. hopefully the
"extra" page will show the color of the section that's "bleeding over". that
may at least give you a starting point of where to look for the problem.
another trick (i sometimes use this one) is to select all the controls on
the report (Ctrl+A) and change the BorderStyle from Transparent to Solid.
then look at the report in PrintPreview; again, you may see the outline of
the "problem" control on the extra page(s).

hth

 

[Dermot]

Hi Tina,
I have had a break (Whole Day!) and have resolved my problem only 10 mins
ago....well with your first advice about dimensions.
The follow is a summary of previous postings...
Initially 3 reports were showing as 6 in print preview every alternate being
blank. Your Correct Solution
By setting paper A5 properties of width = 14.9cm and height to 21.0cm and
ensuring the report dimensions were within these measurements using the
rulers resolved the problem.

What I Forgot I'd Done Earlier
A Search for Surname "Brown" should have produced only 3 reports because I
only had 3 Brown records.
The fact that I was now showing 4 reports ( 3 + one blank) in print preview
was because I had overlooked having set my printer to "Duplex" Printing
because I wanted to print on both sides of the A5 sheet, hence the blank.
Swithing off Duplex then gave me 3 reports in print preview.

Your tips about "Report Section Back Colours" and "Control Borders" are well
recieved and appreciated, good idea thanks, I'll note this down.

Best Wishes
Dermot

 

[tina]

hurray, you got it fixed!

The fact that I was now showing 4 reports ( 3 + one blank) in print preview
was because I had overlooked having set my printer to "Duplex" Printing
because I wanted to print on both sides of the A5 sheet, hence the blank.
Swithing off Duplex then gave me 3 reports in print preview.

well, i bet i'd have missed that, if i had reviewed your report design. so i
learned something today, too - thanks!

 

[Dermot]

Get you on another posting sometime maybe.
Cheers
Dermot