F j w L a y o u t
Program for simple certificate series printing
Support ARDF-FjwW for printing of certificates and finish tickets
Reserve all rights: © Karl-Heinz Schade, DL7VDB
Hints to improve this English text are welcome !
Utilization
- FjwLay is suitable, in connection with FjwW, to draft layouts and
printing of certificates with the result data of competitions.
Since the version 18.1.1 user-generated finish tickets can be printed, which can contain many further
elements (background, images, labels, any paper formats ...) as the default ticket in FjwW. The data
comes from FjwW per program communication.
With this functionality it can be also used regardless of FjwW for several other purposes.
- The design of the layout can be made easier by background graphic. The data for certificate series
printing are delivered by CSV files (different formats possibly). The certificate printing can start
directly from the program FjwW.
- The printing of a lot of certificates, single certificates or the complete printing a new of the
certificates (with background graphic) is supported.
Design of a new layout
- After starting program the paper format to be printed is set to A4 (portrait format, 219*297 mm).
With menu Edit|Printing page size every other standard format can be chosen
in the box. If the first entry -- Special format -->> is selected, if any, own paper
format (in mm) can be entered in the right input fields. The border to be printed (depending on the
selected printer) is framed in the program window with a thin green dash-dot-line.
- If a cerificate design exists, the scanned image of certificate can be loaded as a background, to
simplify positioning the text and data later to be printed. The picture should go best of all when
JPG file with correct scan resolution (DPI) are used, but also BMP and GIF images are possible.
This background image is loaded with File|Background image load and can be aligned
immediately/later with Edit|Background alignment differently on the printing page.
- The background image can also be load with File|Background from clipboard from the
clipboard. To do this, a picture must be placed with a program/tool in the clipboard; so any image
format other than JPG/GIF/BMP can be used.
When saving the layout, the background image is stored as a JPG file (quality adjustable) in the
maximum size of the print page.
- To insert a text at a place of the printing page, a frame with the left mouse key have to drawn up
there at first. Three question marks appear text, positions on the top center within the scope of.
When the frame remains/is smaller than 20x20 pixels and are the three question marks unchanged,
he is deleted after releasing the mouse button.
With menu Edit|Text/Graphic & Format, CTRL+T or pop-up menu
(right mouse key) Text/Graphic & Format appears a dialog window in which can be given
for the marked frame:
- A steady text which remains unchanged
- The key words which are substituted with the data from the control file before printing
- Font formatting, like bold, italic, underlined, size, color
- Horizontal and vertical adjustment of the text within the frame
The number of frames is limited to 100.
- It's possible to set an image within the frame, click the button Graphic and load
the image file (required JPG/GIF/BMP). The graphic can be aligned in the same manner as text, it is
visible within the frame only.
When a GIF graphic is used, transparent parts of the image in the main window, on printing, and HTML/CSS
pages are also displayed transparently.
- The frames can be marked by left mouse click. If the key CTRL is pressed,
the left mouse key adds or delete the marking. When several frames are selected, the first frame border
will become solid, all action after will be refer to this frame. The status bar always shows the position
of the first marked frame and the width/height only with one marked frame.
Key ESC remove all marking. Singles or several marked frames can be moved with
pressed left mouse key (within one of the frames) or with the cursor keys.
- Every settable property has a checkbox. Only if there is a check mark in it or clicked will this
property be set in the marked frame when Apply is selected. If the checkbox is empty
or shows a small dark square, this property is not set.
If several frames are selected, the checkboxes for the properties show this dark square if one of the
properties is not identical in all selected frames. However, by clicking until the check mark appears,
you can ensure that this property can still be set in all selected frames.
- Each frame has a layer number. This can be changed. The layer with the lower number is always
output/printed first.
- The dialog window "Text/Graphic & Format" not need be closed to draw up the next new frame. An once
used formatting is also applied with the new frame.
If several frames are marked, affect formatting/positioning on the text in all this frames.
The text which goes by formatting out the frame is cut off and not printed.
- One or more marked frames can be redoubled with Edit|Frames redouble and added to the
layout. They are first placed in the upper left corner of main window and take over important formatting.
The arrangement of several frames is retained. They are marked and can be moved immediately to the desired
location in the layout.
- The entire layout can be resized, reduced or enlarged, with frames and contained all the text.
It is resized in the ratio of the previous and new width of printed page. After that a background
picture can be resized/replaced by menu Edit|Align background.
- An additional TrueType font can be loaded for using in FjwLay. If a font is already loaded, it is
removed. The font file name is stored in the LAY file, for future use, the font file must exist in the
directory of the LAY file.
- The order in which the frame contents are drawn and thus the overlapping of the contents can be changed
by Edit|Frame content up/down". The number of the frame is shown under "Z" in the
"Text/Graphic & Format" dialog box.
- If a *.lay layout is reloaded, the anchor is set first so that no unwanted changes can occur. For an
intended change, the anchoring must be canceled with the right icon.
Key words
- The text/graphics within in the frames are printed as they are to see in the program window.
But when the text is marked with 'contain key words', FjwLay trying to find key words in the text and
replace it before printing.
- The keywords themselves consist only of letters and numbers and no spaces/special characters.
They should be short, then the layout is easier to design.
- Key word text is marked within by gray background, constant text not. Key word text is substituted
only with the coherent words (consisting of letter and/or digits, without regard to case) with data if
these words are included as key words in the loaded CSV control file. Leading and trailing spaces (not
the permanent space 0xA0) in the text after the replacement of keywords will be removed.
Example: The following text is written and marked as a key word text
Fname Name reached place
Pl of category Cat
For the lower CSV file examples this text becomes for the first record to
Corina Hauser reached place 1 of category W21
As key words are recognized Fname Name Pl Cat and are substituted with
the data from the CSV file after activation of the preview.
- Two key words can be connected by a '|' (e.g. 'Cal|Clb'). Then the data text of the first key word
will be displayed/printed. If this text is empty, the data text of the following key word is output.
Example:
Fname Name Cal|Clb
Results could e.g. look like this:
Gerald Eichler DL1DSR or
Pavel Mokry CZE
Start from command line, Drag&Drop
- When start of FjwLay from the command line the name of layout file (*.lay)
and the name of CSV control file (*.csv) in this order can be handed over.
With it the program is immediately ready to printing. Example:
FjwLay.exe WC_2006.lay WC_2006-2m.csv
- A layout file (*.lay) also can loaded by Drag&Drop in the program windows
of FjwLay.
Control file: the data provider
- CSV control files can be read in as code formatting ANSI, UTF-8 or UTF-16. With UTF-8/16 can be handed
over to data with all conceivable international characters to FjwLay. However, on the PC the suitable
international character fonts must be also available. A possible fonts is Arial Unicode MS
which contains almost all characters by a file size of more than 22 MB.
FjwW uses by the data handing over in FjwLay the UTF-8 format.
- The control files must contain the key words in the first line, which is starting with the @
character. There are three possibilities how these key words and from second line following data are separated
in every line of each other:
- with the semicolon sign ;
- with the tabulator sign TAB
- with one or several blanks realizes in such a way that key words and accompanying data begin in the same
column of characters; the key words themselves may contain no spaces! Below examples are to be found
in addition.
- After opening the control file the data are shown in a new window in tabular form. The headers with key
words can be changed in her width or be moved with Drag&Drop in her order. Clicking on a column header
sorts all data lines corresponding to text strings in this column in ascending alphabetical order, click
again sort back to the left column. That's also possible by menu Sort upward.
- In the left column single/several records can be marked line by line for which certificates should be
printed out. With menu Select all records can be marked or demarked.
- If the preview is activated (menu View|Preview) this record can be currently by double
click on a line.
- A click on column head sort the table order, this has influence of printing order of certificates and
the order of names on link page for "Print-out's as HTML/CSS".
Printing of certificates
- The sketched layout with text/key words can be printed out any time
(menu File|Text print current page); the frames themselves are not printed. With loaded
control file the key words are substituted always with the data of the current record and are printed.
- The printing is always beginning in the left, upper paper corner (left upper edge always =0) by
File|Printer/page setup used paper size/alignment on the chosen printer.
- If choosen the next record with View|Next data record or simply with the keys
CTRL+Cursor right, the new certificate will be display in the main window and
can be printed out with click on print icon in toolbar or after the keys CTRL+P.
Thus the user has printing of every single certificate exactly under control.
- For the upper printing variations can with File|Print with background also, in
addition the loaded background image with are printed out.
- With loaded control file the series printing can be begun for several/many certificates with
File|Series printing from/up to/marked:
- Printing of several records from record ... to record
- Printing out of the in control file window on left side marked record lines
The printing is begun with S t a r t. The print orders are sent in the distance of one
second to the printer. So the printing process observed and if necessary with S t o p
discontinuous, with Continue continuously or with Finish are finished
completely.
- During printing the currently record line is marked in the control file window and a choice is
removed in the mark box on the left automatically. Thus the user gets a quick overview for which records
already certificates are printed (more exactly: the print order was given and is in the printing spooler).
- The layer with the lowest number is always printed first. This means you can, for example, print text
on an inserted graphic.
Certificates as HTML/CSS
- When to print documents on the Internet for self-print in the browser are to be provided, they may be
generated (with CSS formatting) as HTML files. With File|Print-out's as HTML/CSS many
files are created:
- for every data line of control file one HTML file ($-#.htm)
Is File|FjwW Team rating activated, only one HTML file for all data lines will be
created, which have the same running number (without letter extension) in the first column @No,
e.g. the example of running number 001a, 001b, 001c
- one CSS file ($.css) with format of layout in all HTML pages
- the background and inserted pictures file (*.jpg, *.gif, *.bmp)
- the link page file ($!link.htm), which show the background picture (as little) and the links to generated
certificates. The order of the names on the link page is as shown in the CSV file, sorting by name makes sense
with click on column of name.
- all files must be uploaded to same directory on the server
The first part of file names (marked with '$') will be defined by user, the part '#' is a serial number.
- Fonts are to be selected here, which can also be expected in the Internet browsers on the client computers;
they are replaced by other fonts that can interfere with the layout. In frames inserted JPG/GIF/BMP graphics
will display in HTML too.
- A click on column head sort the table order, this will affect the order of names of the link page.
Certificates as PDF
- The documents to be printed can also be provided as PDF files on the Internet for download or self-printing
in the browser. For this purpose, the FPDF library of the PHP environment is used on the Internet server.
With File|Print-out's as PDF for PHP/FPDF some files are created:
- one PHP script ($.php), which contain the code and data records
- the background and inserted pictures file (only *.jpg)
- the link page file ($!link.htm), which show the background picture (as little) and the links to generated
certificates. The order of the names on the link page is as shown in the CSV file, sorting by name makes sense
with click on column of name.
- all files must be uploaded to same directory on the server
The first part of file names (marked with '$') will be defined by user.
- For the selectable fonts, there are more restrictions here, the fonts Arial, Courier and
Times are known to be usable.
Printing of FjwW finish tickets (new since V18.1.1)
- With a suitable layout, it is also possible to print finish tickets. Examples can be found in the example
directory of FjwW, the FjwW help describes the details. With this ticket printing both programs FjwW and
FjwLay must be started and adjusted correctly.
- With File|Ticket print from FjwW on/off the printer to be used must be set and ticket
printing is activated. Also in FjwW the ticket print must be activated in the menu
Results|Finish ticket|Ticket with FjwLay.
The data from FjwW are then transmitted to FjwLay via program communication, the keywords are replaced in
the layout and printed on the selected printer.
- The key words described below are used, for the representation of the fox arrivals, splits and cumulative
times are the special keywords T??a, T??b, T??c, T??d (?? -> two-digit number starting from 00) used.
Example for CSV control files
Here follow example CSV files as they are generated from FjwW.
The language of the abbreviated (so that they do not occur in normal plain text) keywords can be set in the
FjwW menu under Results|Options of lists/Key words language (see in help of FjwW "Various/Keywords").
With ";"-separator
@NR;Cat;Nam;Fname;Clb;Cal;Birth;Bnd;Pl;Runt;Fo;StNo;ChipNo;Set;Start;Finish;F1;F2;F3;F4;F5;B
01;W21;Hauser;Corina;X41;;1983;2;1;58'30;5;52;411769;0;11:25:00;12:23:30;11:42:21;12:02:47;11:53:02;;12:17:38;12:22:39
02;W21;Hilbert;Anja;S47;DG0YS;1973;2;2;61'08;5;56;4845;0;11:50:00;12:51:08;12:05:57;12:32:25;12:17:50;;12:45:32;12:50:15
03;W21;Kaiser;Henrike;B27;;1972;2;3;76'01;5;31;410475;0;12:35:00;13:51:01;12:56:22;13:27:13;13:07:17;;13:45:06;13:50:05
04;W21;Pastors;Michaela;O33;;1978;2;4;86'33;5;26;782107;0;11:40:00;13:06:33;11:57:10;12:34:07;12:10:14;;12:59:52;13:05:41
With "Tabulator"-separator
@NR Cat Nam Fname Clb Cal Birth Bnd Pl Runt Fo StNo ChipNo Set Start Finish F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 B
01 W21 Hauser Corina X41 1983 2 1 58'30 5 52 411769 0 11:25:00 12:23:30 11:42:21 12:02:47 11:53:02 12:17:38 12:22:39
02 W21 Hilbert Anja S47 DG0YS 1973 2 2 61'08 5 56 4845 0 11:50:00 12:51:08 12:05:57 12:32:25 12:17:50 12:45:32 12:50:15
03 W21 Kaiser Henrike B27 1972 2 3 76'01 5 31 410475 0 12:35:00 13:51:01 12:56:22 13:27:13 13:07:17 13:45:06 13:50:05
04 W21 Pastors Michaela O33 1978 2 4 86'33 5 26 782107 0 11:40:00 13:06:33 11:57:10 12:34:07 12:10:14 12:59:52 13:05:41
With "Column"-orientate table
@NR Cat Nam Fname Clb Cal Birth Bnd Pl Runt Fox StNo ChipNo Set Start Finish F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 B
01 W21 Hauser Corina X41 1983 2 1 58'30 5 52 411769 0 11:25:00 12:23:30 11:42:21 12:02:47 11:53:02 12:17:38 12:22:39
02 W21 Hilbert Anja S47 DG0YS 1973 2 2 61'08 5 56 4845 0 11:50:00 12:51:08 12:05:57 12:32:25 12:17:50 12:45:32 12:50:15
03 W21 Kaiser Henrike B27 1972 2 3 76'01 5 31 410475 0 12:35:00 13:51:01 12:56:22 13:27:13 13:07:17 13:45:06 13:50:05
04 W21 Pastors Michaela O33 1978 2 4 86'33 5 26 782107 0 11:40:00 13:06:33 11:57:10 12:34:07 12:10:14 12:59:52 13:05:41
Also "Column"-orientate result list
The terms of following line have to be the key words in the layout.
Pl Nam Clb Cal Runt Fo StNo
1. Hauser, Corina X41 58'30 5 52
2. Hilbert, Anja S47 DG0YS 61'08 5 56
3. Kaiser, Henrike B27 76'01 5 31
4. Pastors, Michaela O33 86'33 5 26