Multi columns for a text

[Xavier DAMAY <fo...@netcourrier.com>]

Hello,

I want to generate dynamically a multicolumn area for a press-like Pdf.
Does a solution exist ?
I tried fo:block and i'm not confortable with tables.
I will appriciate any help,

Thank you

Xavier

Re: Multi columns for a text

["J.Pietschmann" <j3...@yahoo.de>]

Xavier DAMAY wrote:
> I understood and succeeded with multi-column body region, but it didn't 
> fit my needs. In fact I need multi column in block containers or tables, 
> because i need two columns on the left and a third one completly 
> independant in the right in a page and i need a two columns area and a 
> third columns area in the same page.

As far as i have understood the spec, you can't define an arbitrary
area and have multi-column flowing text in it in XSLFO. Study it
yourself, maybe i've overlooked something.

> Do you have simple examples or urls to manage multi columns in 
> block-containers or tables ?

If you mean text flowing automatically from column to column, there
aren't any.

Block containers can't have multiple columns for itself. The purpose
of block containers is mainly changing block progression direction,
for example having text flow from bottom to top in an otherwise
top-to bottom text, although they are also often used simply to group
blocks for positioning and similar tasks.

In tables, you can have multiple columns, but you have to distribute
the text across columns by yourself, it won't flow automatically, and
there are no mechanisms to make balanced columns easily. You can try
to produce balanced columns at the XSLT level.

J.Pietschmann

Re: Multi columns for a text

[Xavier DAMAY <fo...@netcourrier.com>]

Thank you very much for your response,

I understood and succeeded with multi-column body region, but it didn't 
fit my needs. In fact I need multi column in block containers or tables, 
because i need two columns on the left and a third one completly 
independant in the right in a page and i need a two columns area and a 
third columns area in the same page.

Do you have simple examples or urls to manage multi columns in 
block-containers or tables ?

Thank you for your help

Xavier



J.Pietschmann wrote:

> Xavier DAMAY wrote:
> 
>> I want to generate dynamically a multicolumn area for a press-like Pdf.
>> Does a solution exist ?
>> I tried fo:block and i'm not confortable with tables.
>> I will appriciate any help,
> 
> 
> You can create a multi-column body region by specifying
> the column-count property:
>  http://www.w3.org/TR/xsl/slice6.html#fo_region-body
> 
> You can have only one multi-column-area. There is a
> possibility to put a span="all" for blocks which you
> want to have to span all columns (mainly intended for
> headlines). This would give you a layout as in a
> multi-column book.
> If you want to have a complex newspaper-like layout,
> with a grid with various possibly multi-column articles,
> you have to do it manually, either by using a blind
> table for the grid, or by using block-containers on
> absolute positions.
> 
> J.Pietschmann
> 
> 
> 

Re: Multi columns for a text

["J.Pietschmann" <j3...@yahoo.de>]

Xavier DAMAY wrote:
> I want to generate dynamically a multicolumn area for a press-like Pdf.
> Does a solution exist ?
> I tried fo:block and i'm not confortable with tables.
> I will appriciate any help,

You can create a multi-column body region by specifying
the column-count property:
  http://www.w3.org/TR/xsl/slice6.html#fo_region-body

You can have only one multi-column-area. There is a
possibility to put a span="all" for blocks which you
want to have to span all columns (mainly intended for
headlines). This would give you a layout as in a
multi-column book.
If you want to have a complex newspaper-like layout,
with a grid with various possibly multi-column articles,
you have to do it manually, either by using a blind
table for the grid, or by using block-containers on
absolute positions.

J.Pietschmann