Defining PXML expressions

If a property is of type Measure of Distance, Ratio, or PXML String Expression, its value is defined using the PXML expression language.

PXML expressions are interpreted by the PXML layouter during runtime. There are two types of PXML expression: Numeric and String.

PXML Numeric expressions

Properties that use PXML Numeric expressions are typically used to define the layout of report elements. A PXML Numeric expression yields a value that is expressed as either a Measure of Distance or a Ratio.

A Measure of Distance (such as X-Size or Border Width) is expressed in units of measurement, for example, 10in. If no unit is specified, the unit is points. When you specify a value in units, it is converted internally to its equivalent value in points. The most commonly used units are:

  • point|pt
  • pica|pc
  • inch|in
  • cm
  • mm

For additional examples of units, see Unit Names.

A Ratio (such as Scale X or Proportional Width) specifies the value as a proportion of another value. Ratio properties do not include units of measurement.

PXML String expressions

A PXML String expression yields a string value that is dynamically created at runtime. The Text Expression and Code Value Expression properties use PXML String expressions to create a page number string.