Example: configuring page formatted output

In this example you have the Message configuration in Example 5 and want the StreamServer to generate output according to Example 6.

Example 5

Message configuration

 

Example 6

Sample output

 

Add an overlay

The logotype, header “Billy’s Music Ltd.”, background color, and table lines are all implemented as an LXF overlay. In this example, you have already created and added the overlay Music.lxf to the resource set.

1	Right-click the PageOUT sheet and select Add Overlay. The Add Overlays dialog box opens.

2	In the Overlays list, check Music.lxf and click OK. The overlay is added to the PageOUT sheet.

Draw the area for recurring data

The table in the overlay is where you want to have the recurring data from the blocks Classic, Jazz and blues, and Rock and pop.

1	Select Insert > Frame and draw the frame around the table.

2	Rename the frame to Artists.

Add the blocks

1	In the Process view, select the frame Artists.

2	Drag the Classic block from the Message view to the frame on the PageOUT sheet.

3	Drag the Jazz and blues block from the Message view to the frame.

4	Drag the Rock and pop block from the Message view to the frame.

Add and configure the fields

The steps below describe how to add the fields classic_artist, classic_artist_album, and classic_artist_price to the Classic block. The same steps apply to the other blocks.

1	In the Process view, select the Classic block.

2	Drag the fields classic_artist, classic_artist_album, and classic_artist_price from the Message view to the frame on the PageOUT sheet.

3	In the Process view, right-click the field classic_artist and select Position. The Position dialog box opens.

4	Set X to 5.6 and Y to 6.0 and click OK.

5	Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the other fields and change X to 72.0 and 134.0 for the field classic_artist_album and classic_artist_price respectively.

6	On the PageOUT sheet, multi-select the fields in the Classic block, and use the toolbar to set the font to Arial-12pt-Red-Bold.

Add free blocks

This example includes the following free blocks:

•	Label. This block is the table header. It contains the column labels Artist, Album and Price.

•	Label_Classic. This block is the header for the Classic block. It contains the label Classic music.

•	Label_Jazz. This block is the header for the Jazz and blues block. It contains the label Jazz and Blues.

•	Label_Rock. This block is the header for the Rock and pop block. It contains the label Rock and Pop.

Add the Label block

The steps below describe how to add the Label free block to the frame. The same steps apply to the other free blocks.

1	In the Process view, right-click the frame and select Add Free Block. The free block is added to the frame.

2	Rename the free block to Label.

Add text labels to the free blocks

The steps below describe how to add text labels to the Label_Classic free block. The same steps apply to the other free blocks.

1	In the Process view, select the Label_Classic free block.

2	Select Insert > Static Text.

3	On the sheet, click the position where you want to insert the text. The Edit Text dialog box opens.

4	Enter Classic music and click OK.

5	Right-click the text label and select Position. The Position dialog box opens.

6	Set X to 5.6 and Y to 6.0 and click OK.

7	Select the field, and use the toolbar to set the font to Arial-12pt-Bold.

Adjust the block height

The steps below describe how to adjust the block height for the Classic block. The same steps apply to the other blocks – including the free blocks.

1	In the Process view, right-click the Classic block and select Block Properties. The Output Block Properties dialog box opens.

2	In the After field, enter 0.9 and click OK.

Call the free blocks

Call the Label block

This free block should be inserted as the first line in the frame.

1	In the Process view, right-click the frame and select Frame Properties. The Frame Properties dialog box opens.

2	In the Before Frame and After (overflow) fields, enter Label and click OK.

Call the Label_Classic block

This free block should be inserted before the first instance of the Classic block. It should also be inserted as the first line after a page break.

The steps below describe how to call the Label_Classic free block from the Classic block. The same steps apply to the other blocks.

1	In the Process view, right-click the Classic block and select Block Properties. The Output Block Properties dialog box opens.

2	In the Before first instance and After (overflow) fields, enter Label_Classic and click OK.

Specify sort keys for the blocks

Data is already sorted according to the sort keys specified in the Event configuration: Classic => Jazz and Blues => Rock and Pop. In the PageOUT configuration we specify two sort keys:

•	The primary sort key instructs the StreamServer to sort data by Artist in ascending alphabetical order.

•	The secondary sort key instructs the StreamServer to sort data by Album in ascending alphabetical order.

The steps below describe how to specify sort keys for the Classic block. The same steps apply to the other blocks.

1	In the Process view, right-click the Classic block and select Block Properties. The Output Block Properties dialog box opens.

2	In the Criteria field, enter "Artist":"SA" "Album":"SA" and click OK.