[FX.php List] Display text within a static-sized rectangle (for eventual printing)?

[Kevin Futter]

On 13/9/06 11:15 AM, "Joel Shapiro" <jsfmp at earthlink.net> wrote:

> Hi all
> 
> OVERVIEW:
> I'm looking for creative ways to give immediate feedback to Web users
> when their text (entered into a textarea) won't fit in its alotted
> space on its printed form -- without users having to wait for the
> admin to print the form and give it to them -- possibly the next day.
> 
> 
> SITUATION:
> I've got a project where users enter text into a textarea on a web
> page (FX.php).  There is a word-count limit on the field which works
> fine *technically* (i.e. users cannot submit text over the limit).
> The text in this field is later printed from FileMaker client by an
> admin.  The field prints on a form and has pre-defined dimensions of
> approx 2.5" x 4". The problem is that users want to be able to enter
> their text differently, e.g. some as a paragraph, some as a list,
> some with blank lines, etc, so a word-count doesn't really make that
> much difference (e.g. 5 words in a list can take up as much physical
> space as 20 words in a paragraph).  And getting all users to only
> enter text in one way (e.g. paragraphs only, no lists) is not an
> option at this time.  (We'd originally used a character count, but
> they preferred word-count)
> 
> One other complication is that some reports are printed in OS X, and
> some in Windows XP, so even there there is a discrepancy between how
> much text will fit into this text box -- however I'd be happy to
> display at least an *approximation* of what the printed form will
> look like.
> 
> 
> OPTIONS EXPLORED:
> I've been playing with creating a PDF (via FPDF) to display just this
> text field within a bordered rectangle.  This seems to work _OK_, but
> it's certainly not ideal -- opening a new browser window and/or a PDF-
> reader app window, with a message to close the window to continue
> editing.  I don't like how it interrupts the UI of: (1) select record
> to edit; (2) edit record; (3) click to submit changes.  It would be
> an additional step (2a) to optionally(?) view an approximation of how
> the field will print, and then (2b) to close that window and continue
> editing before submitting (step 3).
> 
> If I could display this in just a small pop-up window, it would be
> more acceptable, but that doesn't seem possible since as a PDF it
> could open up either in the browser or in a PDF-reader app.  And I
> don't want to put the whole form into a PHP-generated PDF, as it's a
> large, 2-sided report with very tight text-formatting (and I'm lazy).
> 
> Then I thought of maybe creating an image (GD) with the text inside
> the sized rectangle -- which probably *could* display in a small pop-
> up window -- but before I tackle that one, I thought I'd ask for
> suggestions.
> 
> Anybody got any for me?
> 
> (And if I use a PDF or an image, how consistent will these be for
> users on different browsers, different platforms, etc.?)

I would go with the image, as you then avoid running foul of users'
preferences (and platfrom differences) for how PDFs are handled in web
pages. Also, you could explore some of the newer JS libraries out there that
actually open new content in a dynamically generated layer over the existing
page (Lightbox being the most famous example). Most only handle images, but
there is one, whose name escapes me at the moment, that can load most any
document, including HTML files. This is a much friendlier approach than
pop-up windows, and also avoids pop-up blockers too.

-- 
Kevin Futter
Webmaster, St. Bernard's College
http://www.sbc.melb.catholic.edu.au/



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