Tutorial for Making a PDF Print Template in 2BizBox

The PDF print template is customized through XML. Following shows a PDF pringting template:

 

According to the XML standard, the template starts with <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>, The template’s main body comes next.

Introduction to the template structure

1. The customized standard requires the template to start with <root> and end with <root>, or it will lead to analyzing failure. 2. Details for elements between <root>…<root> will be introduced later. Not all of these elements are obligatory except <pageConfig> since it defines vital values of the printed PDF, such as page size, margins, etc.

Introduction to important elements

<PageConfig>

In PageConfig we can define the size of the PDF. The following table shows detailed explanation of relevant properties:

Property	Explanation
width	Width of the PDF page
height	Height of the PDF page
top	Top margin of the PDF page
left	Left margin of the PDF page
right	Right margin of the PDF page
bottom	Bottom margin of the PDF page
totalPageNumber	Number of pages. It is a dynamic value, details will be explained later.

<Text>

Each one <text> defines one character string to be printed in the PDF. The following table shows detailed explanation of relevant properties:

Property	Explanation
name	To define the name of <Text>, no practical use
key	To define values of the character string. The value can be either a character string or an analyzable label.
x	To define x-coordinate in printing
y	To define y-coordinate in printing
FontSize	To define font size in printing

Table and <Column>

Table defines a table to be printed on the PDF page. The column of the table is defined in <column>. The following table shows detailed explanation of relevant properties:

Property	Explanation
name	To define the name of <Table>, no practical use
key	To define collection objects to be printed in the table
x	To define x-coordinate in printing
y	To define y-coordinate in printing
rowHeight	To define the row height of the table
every _page	To define number of rows in every page
total_on	To add up subtotal for numerical values in the table column. total on= “every” means to add up on every page. Otherwise not add up.

<colloumn> defines the column properties of the table. Each one <column> defines one column. The following table shows detailed explanation of relevant properties:

(<Column name=”Project Name” key=”{#ReceiverVO.projectName}” width=”1.7” FontSize=”8” total=”every” />)

Property	Explanation
name	To define the name of <Column>, no practical use
key	To define character strings or labels to be printed
width	To define width of the column
FontSize	To define font of the column
total	To define whether add up subtotal on every page. Set the value as “true” if add up.
length	Reserved, not available currently
align	To define the alignment of the row, can be “left” or “right”

<Input> and <InputText>

As the following image shows, <input> defines a group of character strings. Each character string to be put in is defined as one <InputText>. <Input> works when our existing field fails to satisfy all the printing requirements, e.g. it enables us to put in some user’s specific character. By defining <Input>, a dialogue window will pop out for inputting relevant values. 

 

Property and explanation for <Input>

Property	Explanation
name	To define the name of <Input>, no practical use
Key	To define the title of the input box

Property and explanation for InputText:

Property	Explanation
name	To define the name of <Input>, no practical use
key	To define relevant key assignments, also as the text in input box, repeated values not allowed.
x	To define x-coordinate in printing
y	To define y-coordinate in printing

Labels

Labels we mentioned here is equivalent to the format {#ValueObject.fielod}. Basically its print template is the same as in excel. Please refer to the previous tutorial for detail.

To look for corresponding values, please refer to:
2BizBox Customized Print Template - ValueObject and Corresponding Values 1
2BizBox Customized Print Template - ValueObject and Corresponding Values 2