Using content areas

Content areas provide anchoring and layout management for all the objects in a form, including subforms.

It is usually unnecessary to modify the properties of a content area. However, if you are designing a form that contains subforms that are set to flow content, becoming familiar with the properties of content areas will help you to understand the behavior of subforms. For information about the properties of content areas, see Content area properties in the Content Area tab.

Content areas cannot be selected or manipulated through the Design View tab of the Layout Editor. If required, you can select, cut, copy, paste, move, delete, or resize content areas through the Master Pages tab of the Layout Editor. A rectangle on the master page delimits the area bounded by a content area.

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This rectangle delimits the content area

New forms have a default content area. If required (for example, when designing a form that contains subforms set to flow content), you can add additional content areas to the form. All content areas are displayed in the Hierarchy palette.

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Default content area

Data flow between content areas

When more than one content area has been defined, objects flow from one content area to the next when the form is rendered. You can select a flow direction for the objects and their data. The flow direction controls when an object receives the focus relative to the other objects in the form during a tabbing sequence. It also determines when an object receives merged data relative to the other objects in the form. Specifying the flow direction of one content area automatically sets the flow direction of all other content areas in the form.

When the form is rendered, if an object that merges data expands so much that it will no longer fit in one content area, the object spills into the next and subsequent content areas. Similarly, when you are designing a form, you cannot add more objects to a content area than will fit within the area bounded by the content area. As soon as the content area has been filled, the remaining objects overflow into the next available content area. If another content area is not available to catch the overflow, the data will not be rendered properly.

To select a content area

You can select a content area using the Hierarchy palette or the Master Pages tab of the Layout Editor.

 Select a content area by doing one of the following actions:
  • In the Layout Editor, click the Master Pages tab. Click the blue rectangle that delimits the content area.

  • In the Hierarchy palette, click the content area.

To rename a content area

  • To rename a content area using the Hierarchy palette, right-click the object and select Rename Object. Type the new name and press Enter.

  • To rename a content area using the Object palette, select the content area. In the Object palette, type a new name for the content area in the Name box and press Enter. Designer maintains the occurrence number automatically.

To define the tabbing and data-fill order for the subforms within the content area

 In the Object palette, select one of these options from the Flow Direction list:
  • To set the default tabbing order and data-fill order starting from the top of the page and moving to the bottom of the page, select Top To Bottom.

  • To set the default tabbing order and data-fill order starting from the top of the page and moving to the right until the last object on the right edge of the page has been reached, select Western Text. When the right edge of the page has been reached, continue the tabbing order and flow direction at the next object down on the left side of the page.

  • To set the default tabbing order and data-fill order starting from the right of the page and moving to the left of the page, select Right to Left.

Copying, moving, and resizing content areas

You can cut, copy, paste, delete, resize, or reposition content areas through the Master Pages tab of the Layout Editor. You can only cut or delete content areas that you have added to a master page. A form must have at least one content area. The default content area cannot be deleted.

To cut, copy, paste, or delete a content area

 In the Layout Editor, click the Master Pages tab. Right-click the content area and select the appropriate menu command.

To resize a content area

 Resize the content area in the Master Pages tab of the Layout editor using one of these methods:
  • Click the border of the content area and drag any of the resizing handles to resize the object.

  • Select the content area, and then in the Layout palette, adjust the size settings.

To move a content area

  1. In the Master Pages tab of the Layout editor, select the content area.

  2. Move the content area using one of these methods:

    • Drag the content area to a new location.

    • Edit the x and y coordinates in the Layout palette.

    • Use an arrow key to move the content area slightly in one direction.

Adding content areas

You can add a content area using the Insert menu or the Object Library palette. Content areas can be added to master pages only.

To add a content area using the menu

 With the master page of the form displayed, select Insert > Standard > Content Area.

To add a content area using the Object Library palette

 Do one of the following actions:
  • In the Object Library palette, click the Standard category. Click the Content Area object and draw the object on the master page of the form.

  • From the Standard category of the Object Library palette, drag a Content Area object onto the master page of the form.

  • In the Object Library palette, click the Standard category. Double-click the Content Area object.

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