PDFlib 8 Windows COM/.NET Tutorial

8.3 Table Formatting
The table formatting feature can be used to automatically format complex tables. Table
cells may contain single- or multi-line text, images or PDF graphics. Tables are not restricted
to a single fitbox, but can span multiple pages.
Cookbook Code samples regarding table issues can be found in the tables category of the PDFlib Cookbook.
General aspects of a table. The description of the table formatter is based on the following
concepts and terms (see Figure 8.29):
> A table is a virtual object with a rectangular outline. It is comprised of horizontal
rows and vertical columns.
> A simple cell is a rectangular area within a table, defined as the intersection of a row
and a column. A spanning cell spans more than one column, more than one row, or
both. The term cell will be used to designate both simple and spanning cells.
> The complete table may fit into one fitbox, or several fitboxes may be required. The
rows of the table which are placed in one fitbox constitute a table instance. Each call
to fit_table( ) will place one table instance in one fitbox (see Section 8.3.5, »Table Instances«,
page 237).
> The header or footer is a group of one or more rows at the beginning or end of the table
which are repeated at the top or bottom of each table instance. Rows which are
neither part of the header nor footer are called body rows.
Header
Simple cell
Cell containing
Textflow
1 Giant Wing
Material
Benefit
2 Long Distance Glider
Material
Benefit
3 Cone Head Rocket
Our Paper Plane Models
Offset print paper 220g/sqm
It is amazingly robust and
can even do aerobatics. But
it is best suited to gliding.
Drawing paper 180g/sqm
With this paper rocket you
can send all your messages
even when sitting in the
cinema pretty near the back.
Amazingly robust!
Cell spanning
three columns
Cell containing
image and text line
Cell spanning
three rows
Footer
Material
Benefit
Kent paper 200g/sqm
This paper arrow can be
thrown with big swing. It
stays in the air a long time.
With big swing!
Fig. 8.29
Sample table
As an example, all aspects of creating the table in Figure 8.29 will be explained. A complete
description of the table formatting options can be found in the PDFlib API
Reference. Creating a table starts by defining the contents and visual properties of each
table cell with add_table_cell( ). Then you place the table using one or more calls to fit_
table( ).
8.3 Table Formatting 227