SeedCode Support Forum

Maybe it's just me, but this multiple page thing seems like a pretty important thing to improve. I'm looking at either making improvements to our doc generator or implementing FMSpark, and there are many things I like about Spark...perhaps most importantly the fact that users never need to leave Browse mode.

...or so I thought...

I really think it's important that the user not have to worry about changing or adding Layouts depending on how long the letter is. That's not something I want my user having to even consider.

I'm wondering if it is possible to do the following. Seems pretty simple to me... (been out of FM programming mode for over a year now, bear with me!...)

1. Create multiple letter layouts: 1 page, 2 page, 3 page, ... 11 page
2. Insert script step in the merge and preview scripts (don't know exactly what they're called, I'm playing with the Demo) that figures out how long the layout content field is...
3. Insert series of if/thens that, based on the math, would chose the appropriate layout that would have the required number of pages to accomodate the length of the layout content field, and the signature block

User never even knows it is switching layouts to accomodate length. All he is thinking about is creating the template (the way it should be, in my opinion)

If this would work, I think this would be a very simple change to the product that would make it much more user friendly, and eliminate an issue that will continue to come up for your users (and potential buyers)...

Whatchu think, John?

Hey there,

You only need one letter layout; we'd just made ours too short. Make the letter layout as long as you can, set the body part to break every [1] occurrences and you're set.

Oh, cool...so I'm overcomplicating again?

I thought I had remembered FM keeping the blank space when I made the layouts longer than they needed to be...

This must be the "break every 1 occurrences" box I've never checked before??

BTW John, nice to be by the site and see you're still going strong! It's been quite awhile.

For those who are new to the site or these products, I'll tell you that John's support here is second to none!!

**UPDATE - tried this on a layout, and checking this box didn't matter; FM still keeps the blank space...what am I missing?**

Hmmm. Do you have the ArrayText field (and everything below it) set to slide up?

(And thanks for the kind words!)

BINGO!!!

I've never discovered "Sliding". You made my day!

Just started fm Spark. Didn't know you had to change layouts for multi-page. Absolutely multi-page template is needed. Thanks for this info. It may have solved a number of my future problems that I would not have throught of.