How to add pictures to a custom directory

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John Dykema
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How to add pictures to a custom directory

Post by John Dykema »

I have a custom directory built in Personal Profiles. We print one family per sheet for easy deleting and adding families. They're in Booklet ring binders. Now we want to add family photos to each sheet. I’ve imported some family photos but don’t know how to print them on the sheet. I don't see "Family picture" in the Query select fields either. Can anyone help?

I test printed the picture Dir. in Membership/Family mailing list/pictorial directory and the pictures are printed approx 1½” x 1 ¾”. We’d like them printed 3” x 5” . Does anyone know what determines the size it prints? Can I adjust the output size in my custom Dir somehow?
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

John Dykema
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Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:37 pm
Location: First Cutlerville Christian Reformed Church
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Making progress in custom directory

Post by John Dykema »

Alright, I've figured out how to build the query and I've figured out the sizing question. Look ready to run. Now when I run a test on the picture directory
I'm getting this error:
"This report could not be generated because of the error:
Field must be a General field".

I did click on the button: General Field Name in the OLE Bound properties box.
Anyone have a suggestion or is there a work around this?
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

Zorak
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Post by Zorak »

Sorry I missed this posting before!

You should have "Expression or Variable Name" selected as the Control Source Type, then "family_picture" or "profile_picture" in the Control Source field.

John Dykema
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Location: First Cutlerville Christian Reformed Church
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Post by John Dykema »

Very cool, Zorak. It worked. :D
I don't see that in the manual. Might be good to have them add that as a "hint".
Now I just have to fiddle with the sizing issues. Thank much.
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

John Dykema
Posts: 320
Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:37 pm
Location: First Cutlerville Christian Reformed Church
Contact:

Post by John Dykema »

We are about completed with the final format of our Pictorial Directory. Now, because not all familes have a photo on file we are getting lots of sheets without a photo. We'd like to just eliminate those w/o a photo.
I can select 'Family Photo' (we're not using the Profile photos) in the "Edit Ouput field" section but when I try to find that field in the "Edit record filter" it seems like they don't want to filter in the photo field. Does anyone know if there's a way to filter those families without a Family Photo?
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

Zorak
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Post by Zorak »

It is possible to filter those families out... it's a little cumbersome.

Each field that is displayed would need the following in the "Print When" area of the field properties:

Code: Select all

right(alltrim(family_picture),12)<>"NOPHOTO2.JPG"
Just copy this text and paste it into the "Print When" tab of the field properties. Also check the "Remove Line if Blank" checkbox to shrink up as much space as possible in between all the skipped families.

John Dykema
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Post by John Dykema »

Thanks, Zorak. All the print out for those families who do NOT have a picture are now blank. I've double checked each field again but I'm still getting a blank page for those without a picture. The 'remove line if blank' fields are all checked. Any more advice? :cry:
I am still really excited about this project.
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

chunky
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Post by chunky »

Hi, I stumbled across this thread as I was developing our church's directory. I have got everything setup properly... except the printing of the photo. I've incorporated your suggestion above to print blanks when no photo is present.

However, all I see come up is the directory reference for where the photo is located, not the actual photo itsefl in the report. Is there something I should be doing other than just entering the "family_photo" in the Expresssion field?
We are running PC10.4.

Thanks!

Zorak
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Post by Zorak »

When inserting the picture field into the report, be sure to use the "Picture/OLE Bound" control, rather than a regular data field.

On the properties of the picture object, choose "Expression or Variable Name" as the Control Source.Also, choose "Scale Contents, Retain Shape" to make sure that the pictures come out the right size in the report and retain their original aspect ratio.

John Dykema
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Post by John Dykema »

I'm still getting blank sheets. Rather than printing a blank page for those without a photo, I want to eliminate all those without a photo. I don't want any blank sheets at all.
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

Zorak
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Post by Zorak »

Code: Select all

right(alltrim(family_picture),12)<>"NOPHOTO2.JPG"
This needs to be added to every field in the "Print When"

chunky
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Post by chunky »

Great! thanks for all the help! hanks for the patience to answer too... I just started using this 2 days ago, so I'm a bit rusty on Database work.

I too am running into the same problem as John. those without photos are taking up the full space of where the photo would be, even when the PrintWhen properties are set as you have suggested.

"Remove line if blank" is checked and the copied the conditional expression you typed above. Am I doing something wrong as well?

thanks!

Zorak
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Post by Zorak »

The "remove line if blank" will only function properly if there is nothing else on that "line". If you have other fields of information beside the picture, it will lock that space and not remove it properly if the picture field is blank. The picture needs to be by itself, with nothing to the left or right, to be able to remove it completely.

This isn't specific to picture objects, the "remove line if blank" setting on all fields work this way.

chunky
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Post by chunky »

That's great, Zorak. I just reformatted the report and it works fine. Thanks again!

John Dykema
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Joined: Sun Sep 28, 2003 5:37 pm
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Post by John Dykema »

Zorak, when your said to be sure to use the "Picture/OLE Bound" control, rather than a regular data field, where do you specify that?
Everything else listed below, I've got included--
"On the properties of the picture object, choose "Expression or Variable Name" as the Control Source.Also, choose "Scale Contents, Retain Shape" to make sure that the pictures come out the right size in the report and retain their original aspect ratio."

Another thing, I must not be clear in my question. I don't want to print a single sheet of paper for those without a picture. I don't have trouble coming up with blank spaces but the whole sheet prints blank, thus wasting paper. :cry:
We are using PC+ v.11 with the latest upgrades, Win XP Pro, and 5 networked pc's.
We have 569 communicant and baptized members.

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