Styling a printable 'form'

Oops! Wrong group - reposted in c.i.w.a.s!

"CJM" <cjmnew04@REMOVEMEyahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:3ad1fnF698dt7U1@individual.net...[color=blue]
> ...When I say 'form' I'm talking about a conventional paper version, as
> opposed to a <form>.
>
> I'm building a web-based application which needs to be able to create
> Invoices/Advice Notes/Order Acknowledgements etc... The application itself
> has a largely fluid layout, but for these printed documents I need to make
> them fixed, such that the printed layout is consistent. That is, they need
> to look consistent on an A4 page.
>
> Its worth noting that the printable version will be displayed in a page,[/color]
but[color=blue]
> only to be immediately printed. That is, there doesnt specifically need to
> be a screen stylesheet, since the user will only print the page, rather[/color]
that[color=blue]
> look at it on-screen.
>
> Before I start bodging my own solution, I thought I'd better do some
> homework on what the best approach to take - hence I'm asking you guys!
>
> I've googled for help, and there is plenty out there, but I'm still[/color]
sorting[color=blue]
> the wheat from the chaff. I'm also finding a few annoying things like that
> there is a great @Page directive in CSS, which is all but unsupported!
>
> Most of these forms/documents are tabular by nature, but I'm trying to
> resist resorting to a tables-within-tables layout as yet.
>
> How best do I control this layout? Do I specify a bounding block of a[/color]
fixed[color=blue]
> width? Do I use px/pt/cm/em/etc widths? How do I make sure that the[/color]
content[color=blue]
> wraps rather than stretches it's container?
>
> It's hard to ask more specific questions because I don't know what I don't
> know!
>
> Anyway, thanks in advance...
>
> Chris
>
>
> --
> Join Bytes!
> [remove the obvious bits][/color]

Looking deep into my crystal ball I see a bad experience in your future (not
from me mind you). I predict that you will soon be flamed into oblivion.
Turn back from the evil side of the force Chris before it's too late!!!
Signed,
me

PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s because
of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid layout, JS and
because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something out folks?) etc etc etc.

me wrote:
[color=blue]
> Looking deep into my crystal ball I see a bad experience in your
> future (not from me mind you). I predict that you will soon be
> flamed into oblivion. Turn back from the evil side of the force
> Chris before it's too late!!! Signed, me
>
> PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s
> because of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid
> layout, JS and because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something
> out folks?) etc etc etc.[/color]

Well, sometimes you have a sense of humor... <g>

--
-bts
-This space intentionally left blank.

"Beauregard T. Shagnasty" <a.nony.mous@example.invalid> wrote in message
news:3ad9lmF69j9nhU2@individual.net...[color=blue]
> me wrote:
>[color=green]
> > Looking deep into my crystal ball I see a bad experience in your
> > future (not from me mind you). I predict that you will soon be
> > flamed into oblivion. Turn back from the evil side of the force
> > Chris before it's too late!!! Signed, me
> >
> > PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s
> > because of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid
> > layout, JS and because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something
> > out folks?) etc etc etc.[/color]
>
> Well, sometimes you have a sense of humor... <g>[/color]

Humor is usually (always?) based on reality.
Signed,
me

In article <1142q4j28dsine2@corp.supernews.com>, Join Bytes! enlightened
us with...[color=blue]
>
> PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s because
> of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid layout, JS and
> because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something out folks?)[/color]

Your charming personality and wit.

--
--
~kaeli~
What, me, normal?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

"kaeli" <tiny_one@NOSPAM.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:MPG.1cab41b345db3ad598a3ba@nntp.lucent.com... [color=blue]
> In article <1142q4j28dsine2@corp.supernews.com>, Join Bytes![/color]
enlightened[color=blue]
> us with...[color=green]
> >
> > PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s[/color][/color]
because[color=blue][color=green]
> > of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid layout, JS and
> > because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something out folks?)[/color]
>
> Your charming personality and wit.[/color]

No hard feelings then? I won't get tirades when I give advice, at least not
from you? :-)
Signed,
me

CJM wrote:
[color=blue]
> I'm building a web-based application which needs to be able to create
> Invoices/Advice Notes/Order Acknowledgements etc... The application itself
> has a largely fluid layout, but for these printed documents I need to make
> them fixed, such that the printed layout is consistent. That is, they need
> to look consistent on an A4 page.[/color]

As you've discovered, HTML - with or without CSS - isn't very well suited to
what you need to do. Instead of trying to force a square peg into a round
hole, why not simply deliver a document format that's purpose-designed for
what you want to do? PDF, for example. There are, I believe, various
server-side solutions for generating PDF documents on the fly.

sherm--

--
Cocoa programming in Perl: http://camelbones.sourceforge.net
Hire me! My resume: http://www.dot-app.org

me wrote:
[color=blue]
> Looking deep into my crystal ball I see a bad experience in your future (not
> from me mind you). I predict that you will soon be flamed into oblivion.
> Turn back from the evil side of the force Chris before it's too late!!!
> Signed,
> me
>
> PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s because
> of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid layout, JS and
> because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something out folks?) etc etc etc.[/color]

I share yr preference for fixed-size fonts... (pls see
http://www.francesdelrio.com/fonts.html, which I posted in response to a
long thread re verdana in c.i.w.a.s....) have been reviled and cursed
at plenty for it (here and in c.i.w.a.s...)
also like to use JS, not excessively so, but I do like pop-ups..;) (I
think pop-ups opened by users are fine, and I think you can do good UI
w/them if you script them right..)

my two cents........ :)........ Frances

In article <114321883uc8ef0@corp.supernews.com>, Join Bytes! enlightened
us with...[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> > Your charming personality and wit.[/color]
>
> No hard feelings then? I won't get tirades when I give advice, at least not
> from you? :-)[/color]

Not from me.
I gave up on you.
It's like talking to a brick wall. Or, more accurately, banging my head real
hard against one. It gives me a headache and doesn't change a thing to make
the web more friendly for disabled users.

--
--
~kaeli~
Why did kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/wildAtHeart
http://www.ipwebdesign.net/kaelisSpace

"Frances Del Rio" <fdr58@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:3adtfcF62fba6U1@individual.net...[color=blue]
> me wrote:
>[color=green]
> > Looking deep into my crystal ball I see a bad experience in your future[/color][/color]
(not[color=blue][color=green]
> > from me mind you). I predict that you will soon be flamed into oblivion.
> > Turn back from the evil side of the force Chris before it's too late!!!
> > Signed,
> > me
> >
> > PS: I too am a heretic and generally reviled here and in c.i.w.a.s[/color][/color]
because[color=blue][color=green]
> > of my preference for tables, fixed font sizes, non-fluid layout, JS and
> > because I use IE on Windows (did I leave something out folks?) etc etc[/color][/color]
etc.[color=blue]
>
> I share yr preference for fixed-size fonts... (pls see
> http://www.francesdelrio.com/fonts.html, which I posted in response to a
> long thread re verdana in c.i.w.a.s....) have been reviled and cursed
> at plenty for it (here and in c.i.w.a.s...)
> also like to use JS, not excessively so, but I do like pop-ups..;) (I
> think pop-ups opened by users are fine, and I think you can do good UI
> w/them if you script them right..)
>
> my two cents........ :)........ Frances[/color]

My good friend (may I call you friend?) and ally, I feel we are kindred
spirits. You're obviously a man of exceptional taste and intellect. Keep up
the good work and fight the good fight to express yourself any way you damn
well please. I like your site too!
Your Friend,
me