Snap to guideline? (ruler ?)

[2006 IR Open Discussion]

By: David Arvidsson - banderbander

Snap to guideline? (ruler ?)

2006-07-11 07:46

Hello,

 

I wonder if it is possible to enable "snap to guidelines / ruler-line"?

 

Example: I want to move both "column header" AND "detail element" in one mouse-drag-operation.

 

 

In Crystal Reports this is called "Guidelines" and fields snap to them automaticly. I find that the guidelines greatly improve productivity in layout work. They make everything so much easier.

 

 

ps. I've been using crystal for 4 years. Now I'm set to evaluate Jasper. Any hints/tips regarding design differances are welcome.

 

Regards, David.

 

 

By: Giulio Toffoli - gt78

RE: Snap to guideline? (ruler ?)

2006-07-13 07:00

Hi David, iReport provides guide lines (click on the rule to create one). All the guide lines have a magnetic effect.

 

From options you can set show/hide the grid and the snap to grid, if you need it. In the iReport preferences you can set the grid size.

 

Giulio

 

 

By: David Arvidsson - banderbander

RE: Snap to guideline? (ruler ?)

2006-07-13 07:41

Hi, thanks for answer.

I've tried the guidelines in iReport. They seem to act as simple guidelines with "some magnetic effect".

 

When I save a report, quit, restart and open the report again - guidelines are lost.

 

What I miss most is that guidelines are part of the design. When I move a guidline, I want all fields that are snapped to that guideline, to also move/resize.

 

That is how crystal works and I love that feature. So easy to drag a guideline and all snapped fields follow that move.

 

I'm new to Jasper. My guess is that "guidelines" are not part of the underlying jasper specification. And that iReport-guidelines merely are a "temporary magnetic design help"?

 

Also, the iReport-guidelines do not work well when "zooming in" and/or scrolling. The tabs on the ruler loose their connection to the lines.

 

 

regards, David.

Running 1.2.4, Windows.

 

 

By: Giulio Toffoli - gt78

RE: Snap to guideline? (ruler ?)

2006-07-13 13:28

Thanks for your great suggestions David.

I'll consider them for a future enhancement.

 

Giulio