Introduction

qPrinter² Documents are constructed by adding different objects (text and images) to the document.  When qPrinter² prints or previews the document, it calculates the position and size of each object, taking into account styles, indenting and border properties.  It allows the coder to change text or images in the document without having to recreate the document.

Each Page of a Document is split into 3 areas: Header, Footer and Body.

Vertical Alignment

The vertical alignment of TextFlow items can be set so that following items start at the same position.  This allows columns and tables to be constructed.

In the diagram, the first example shows three items that have the VAlignNextItem set to False.  Block 2 is positioned vertically below Block 1 and Block 3 is positioned below Block 2.

In the second example Block 1 and Block 2 have their VAlignNextItem property set to True.  Block 3 has the same property set to False, otherwise the next item would also be presented at the same vertical position.

Where Document items are vertically aligned, qPrinter² will calculate the tallest item and position the next non-aligned item below the tallest item.

Keeping Items together on a Page

It is possible to ensure that items are kept together using the 'KeepWithNext' property.  When this property is set to True, qPrinter² will start a new page if it cannot fit all the 'KeepWithNext' items on the current page.  Where the height of the grouped items is taller than the page, qPrinter² will present them as if the value had not been set.  This is to ensure that blank pages are not included.  By combining the VAlignNextItem and KeepWithNext properties you can create a table and ensure it is printed entirely on a page.