ACC: Page Header That Spans Full Width of Multi-Column Report (90870)

SUMMARY

Requires knowledge of the user interface on single-user computers.

You can design a report in Microsoft Access that has a page header which spans the entire width of the page, a group section header that is the width of a column, and a multiple-column detail section.

To do this, you define the columns in the Page Setup dialog box (Print Setup box in Microsoft Access 2.0) as either Vertical (or snaking) or Horizontal. This article describes the steps to create a report with three, 2-inch wide snaking columns.

NOTE: Instructions for this technique in Microsoft Access for Windows 95 are in the Microsoft Access for Windows 95 Help menu. See the "References" section at the end of this article.

NOTE: This article explains a technique demonstrated in the sample files, RptSampl.exe (for Microsoft Access for Windows 95 version 7.0) and RptSmp97.exe (for Microsoft Access 97). For information about how to obtain these sample files, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

145777 ACC95: Microsoft Access Sample Reports Available in Download Center

175072 ACC97: Microsoft Access 97 Sample Reports Available in Download Center

MORE INFORMATION

In Microsoft Access 1.x and 2.0, to create a grouped, multiple-column report where the page header spans the width of the page, follow these steps:

In report Design view, drag the right edge of any report section to the desired width of the report. For this example, drag the edge over to the 7 inch mark on the ruler.
Choose Sorting and Grouping from the View menu and enter a field or expression in the Field/Expression box to group your data by.
In the Group Properties section of the Sorting and Grouping dialog box, enter Yes for Group Header.
Using the Toolbox, create a Label and place it in the page header. Enter the text for the label in the Caption property. Size the text box so that it is the same width as the page header.
Using the Toolbox, add a text box bound to the group field. Position the text box in the group header. Size this control 2 inches wide or less, and place the left edge of the box along the left edge of the group section.
In the detail section place your bound control(s) within the first 2 inches.
From the File menu, choose Print Setup.
In the Print Setup dialog box, choose the More button.
In the Items Across box, type the number of columns you want in the detail section. For this example, enter 3. Leave row and column spacing as they are.
In the Item Size section, clear the Same As Detail check box.
In the Width box, type the number of inches you want to allow for each column of data. For this example, enter 2.
Under Item Layout, select Vertical. This creates a snaking column report. Choose OK.
Click the group header section to display the property sheet. For the NewRowOrCol property, choose Before Section. This causes the group header to be printed at the top of the column one time for each new group. Print or Preview the report.

REFERENCES

For more information about creating a multiple-column report in Microsoft Access for Windows 95, search for "multiple-column reports" using the Microsoft Access for Windows 95 Help Index.

For additional information about columnar reports, search for "Multiple- column reports," and then "NewRowOrCol" using the Microsoft Access Help menu.

You can find information, instructions, and examples in the Solution sample application (Solution.mdb) included with Microsoft Access for Windows 95. For more information about "multiple-column reports," open the Solution.mdb database usually located in the Access\Samples directory. Select "Create Advanced Reports" in the Select A Category Of Examples box, and then "Create a multiple-column report" in the Select An Example box.

Microsoft Access "User's Guide," version 1.0, chapter 18, "Designing Reports," and chapter 19, "Sorting and Grouping Data"