How to Use Catapult Rich Format Tags In Your Reports
Background
Catapult 4.20 can retain underlining and bolding (overprinting) encountered in your downloaded reports when generating PDF, RTF and HTML documents. In addition to this, Catapult supports multiple fonts for any report using a Rich Format Tag syntax.
How to Do It
Catapult uses a Tag Syntax similar to Rich Text format and HTML. The syntax is very specific, and is case sensitive. Character combinations were chosen that should not conflict with report data.
Tag Syntax
A Rich Format Tag always begins with an open parenthesis followed by a single quote. Similarly, a tag always ends with a single quote followed by closing parenthesis.
Catapult Rich Format Tags
| Tag |
Function |
| {'Us'} |
Underline start |
| {'Ue'} |
Underline end |
| {'Bs'} |
Bold start |
| {'Be'} |
Bold end |
{'Fs"font name" "font size" "char spacing(optional)"
"leading(optional)"'} |
Font start |
| {'Fe'} |
Font end |
font name is the exact Windows name of the font that you would like to use. This name can be found using the font drop down box within Catapult when defining a rule, or using a word processor (and using the font name drop down box), or retrieving the name from the properties of the font itself using the Windows Control Panel / Fonts application. The font name must be enclosed in double quotation marks, since it may be multiple words.
font size is the size to create the font. This value must be enclosed in double quotation marks, and separated from the font name value by one or more spaces. Be aware that setting the font size to a large value may cause overwriting of other report data. You may need to modify your report to achieve your desired result. Please note the ending single quote for the font start tag
char spacing is the spacing between characters. Normally this will be zero (0). If you need to add space between characters, use a positive number. If you need to remove space between characters use a negative number. This value is optional, and will default to zero (0) if not specified. (New for Catapult 5.0)
leading is the vertical distance between lines of text. Normally this value would be equivalent to "font size". Set it to a value larger than "font size" to increase the vertical spacing, and smaller to decrease vertical spacing. This value is optional, but can only be included if "char spacing" is also included (which may be zero (0) if not required). (New for Catapult 5.0)
Considerations
1. Rich Format Tags can be placed anywhere in your report. A Rich Format Tag does not take up physical space in your finished report, however if you were to view the report from Work with Spool Files (WRKSPLF) you would see the tags, and text in your report would appear to be shifted to the right.
2. In order to use the Font Start tag, you may need to adjust the width of your report and also Override Printer File (OVRPRTF) to create a report wide enough to contain the Rich Format Tags in addition to your report data. This should not cause any problems, since the finished width of the report is not changing. Additionally you will need to adjust your GrabRule to define with a page size and orientation.
3. A Rich Format Tag must be completely contained on a single line. This does not mean that a font attribute cannot span multiple lines, rather that the tag itself must not be broken across lines.
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