Adding a New Page Area to a Report Template
To add a new page area to the flow layout, follow the steps below:
1. Click the ‘Draw Area’ button, or select Tools → Draw Area. This places the Designer in Area Drawing mode.
2. Use the mouse to draw an area with the desired position and size.
A sequence number appears at the top-left corner of each area, and determines the order in which the areas will be used when the report is run. A newly added area becomes the last area on the page.
If the elements do not need to be placed in a particular page area, it is not necessary to use area breaks. However, if some elements have to stay in a particular area, it is very important to use area breaks to make sure the element stays in its intended area. In the example below (Element-Associated Page Areas), the table should never be placed in the first or third area. While the chart is large enough to occupy most of the second area, it is still a good practice to add an area break, so the layout will not be changed due to subtle size differences across platforms and Java versions.
Changing the Flow Order
The ordering can be changed after the areas have been created. When the ‘Order Area’ button is pressed, the Designer enters into the Area Ordering mode. The cursor is changed to a hand cursor. To change the sequencing of the areas, simply click on the areas in the order they need to be sequenced. After every area has been clicked, the Designer returns to its normal editing mode.