database - Alter variable format using SQR programming language -

i new peoplesoft , peoplecode/sqr in general , want ask question.

what wish do, try , output large (clob) string variable on pdf file using sqr programming language, on 3 columns on page, can change layout of text in microsoft word going layout -> columns -> 3

what have until this:

 begin-select    txt.u_po_txt &txt.po_txt    ps_u_po_disc_txt txt    txt.business_unit = &po.business_unit    , txt.po_id = &po.po_id  end-select 

so,

 txt.u_po_txt 

is clob stored in database of 10000 characters , want output

 &txt.po_txt 

on pdf using layout described above.

i have tried using columns , next-column sqr commands no avail. find documentation of sqr on oracle website poorly written.

this example have found, applied case:

columns 10 50 110 move 55 #bottom_line begin-select  txt.u_po_txt &txt.po_txt  if #current-line >= #bottom_line  next-column goto-top=1 at-end=newpage  else  position (+1,1) !what even, throws me error "unknown command"  end-if  ps_u_po_disc_txt txt    txt.business_unit = &po.business_unit   , txt.po_id = &po.po_id end-select 

i couldn't find answer anywhere. please me.

i don't think possible using columns. defining , printing sqr columns determines start printing, text won't automatically wrap once hits end of column. it'll keep printing.

you can, however, use wrap parameter print accomplish this. here's example

let $left = 'this left column. left column. left column. left column. left column. left column.' let $middle = 'this middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column. middle column.' let $right = 'this right column. right column. right column. right column. right column. right column.'  ! these variables used track column tallest ,  ! move current position (#start-line) down largest number of ! lines printed let #line-offset = 0 let #start-line = 1 let #start-line-offset = #current-line - #start-line  ! print left column print $left (#start-line, 1) wrap 40 100 if #current-line - #start-line-offset > #line-offset     let #line-offset = #current-line - #start-line-offset end-if  ! print middle column print $middle (#start-line, 50) wrap 50 100 if #current-line - #start-line-offset > #line-offset     let #line-offset = #current-line - #start-line-offset end-if  ! print right column print $right (#start-line, 110) wrap 40 100 if #current-line - #start-line-offset > #line-offset     let #line-offset = #current-line - #start-line-offset end-if  ! update #start-line original line position, plus  ! number of lines printed in tallest column let #start-line = #start-line + #line-offset  print 'rest of report goes here' (#start-line, 1) 

the first number after wrap character width of column.

the second number after wrap maximum number of lines printed.

most of complexity in code comes fact you'll have track column printed lines (is largest vertically) , move current cursor position down many lines. difficulty comes fact tallest column may either left or center column, need track column tallest rather moving cursor downward after printing right column. in example, middle column tallest.

the reason i'm using #line-offset , #start-line-offset because #current-line current line position in report including offset header. example, if header 5 lines tall, #current-line start equal 6 (the first line after header) , doing print 'hello' (#current-line, 1) print 11th line of report (6 lines down 5 line header). also, assigning value #current-line doesn't seem work, don't think can manipulate current line position directly.

if, however, don't need print else after 3 columns, can use keep-top parameter wrap current line position doesn't change between each print , don't have of line offset tracking.

in situation, you'll have parse &txt.po_txt 3 separate variables (one each column) based on how text , column position data stored in field.

one thing watch out if have 2 or more spaces in row within data you're printing, sqr may put space first character of line because word breaks seem determined first space, rather sequence of 1 or more spaces.