webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content in Webmasters and Developers

Re: webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:42:55 EDT

DC DSL : For what you're describing, you really should just bite the bullet now and make this a database/form solution. It will get unwieldy in short order if you do this file-based.
--
There is no giant fur-bearing trout.

Re: webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 16:33:44 EDT

jbcalg : thanks for the suggestions

usa2k - i'll try some stylesheet options and see how they work (and yes i am/was clueless, hence this post ;))

dc dsl - i am the backend (so to speak) but am trying to add frontend links for the 'admins' to manage activity themselves
- ie they can edit assigned shifts (volunteers cannot)

frames: the layout/content of the schedule page/frame is in tables - date being saved to a simple text file

i already do the copy/paste into formatted word pages (and/or excel depending on how the end user wants to see and use the data)
- but ideally i to be out of the process once the schedules are posted

.doc vs .txt: the only data saved is the volunteer's name, not the shift day, location, shift hours which is visible on the sign up page
- but i can look further into that to see if the .doc instead of .txt format works well enough

this is for 20 - 60 shifts per day for a 5 day period in each of june, july, and september with the shifts grouped into various locations, then various times at each location etc

this is replacing a paper sign-up method (i hesitate to call it a system :)) and so far is working well but it can always be better

as posted in OP, once we move it to a database then formatting output and other options will be easier

but for now there's some good suggestions to consider/try - thanks again

Re: webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:18:33 EDT

usa2k : To add to my previous post ...

These are "id" in some container.
Most often a Div.

Try print preview from »fah-tool.org

Hah! I did not exclude the check boxes from my page! :)

--

Jim, VoIP 12/2002, VOIPo 2/2007
FAH-Tool ... Pets ... USA2K site ... Artist-247

Re: webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 10:07:25 EDT

DC DSL : Are you talking actual frames or div or table columns, and is this for visitors to do themselves, or you on the backend?

If it's in frames, you should consider changing that to a div or table layout.

If it's in tables, the desired data can be copy/pasted from the browser rendering to Word.

If this is for users, the next option would be to put the data into text files with a .doc extension and include them. Put a link to "Download this as a Word document" and Word on their systems will consider it a document.

If you want to create PDFs, you'll either need a server-side component to do it on the fly, or you'll have to create and upload them.
--
There is no giant fur-bearing trout.

Re: webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 08:17:20 EDT

usa2k : There is the ability using CSS to limit what is printed.
Many sites are clueless of this simple approach.

EDIT: And you can restyle what will be printed also!

--

Jim, VoIP 12/2002, VOIPo 2/2007
FAH-Tool ... Pets ... USA2K site ... Artist-247

webpage Printing - how to Format webpage content

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:42:43 EDT

jbcalg : I run a NFP website where we have volunteers self schedule themselves for activities

left frame = event list
right frame = shift schedule (various times, single or multiple lines per time block)

Schedule pages are php, simple save to text file, one entry per line

Any suggestions of method/methods to output the stored text pages to formatted word, pdf or similar ?

Moving the whole shebang to mysql database where it'll be easier to manage output (among other things of course), but a quick/easy method for now would be appreciated

edit - dang, meant for this to go in devt not hosting - mod notified :)