Change paper and page settings with Java APIs

The default paper settings for a report are specified in the .4rp file. Override the defaults in your report program with Java reporting APIs.

Each report design document includes details about the page orientation, the page size of the report, and the report margins. These values are set when a report is first created, and can be altered by the report designer. See Specify the paper settings of a report for details about setting these values within the report design document (.4rp).

In the Java report application, you can override these report page and paper settings, thanks to the order of precedence for paper settings:

Paper settings order of precedence

The following areas determine the paper settings for a report, listed here in the order of precedence:
  1. In the report application using reporting APIs.
  2. In the report design document (.4rp).
  3. GRW default values.

Change the page height and width

The initial page height is specified in the report design document (.4rp). In the report application, use Java reporting APIs to modify the page height for FourRpLayouter or PXMLLayouter objects.
FourRpLayouter report = new FourRpLayouter(designFile, renderer);

// Set the page height
report.setPageLength("11inch");
report.setPageWidth("8.5inch");
Tip: See Paper Format Abbreviations for possible input values for these methods.

Change the report margins

The initial page margins are specified in the report design document (.4rp). In the report application, use Java reporting APIs to modify the page margins for FourRpLayouter or PXMLLayouter objects. 
FourRpLayouter report = new FourRpLayouter(designFile, renderer);

// Set the page margins     
report.setTopMargin("5mm");
report.setBottomMargin("5mm");
report.setLeftMargin("4mm");
report.setRightMargin("4mm");
Tip: See Paper Format Abbreviations for possible input values for these methods.

Set page orientation

The initial report size is set in the report design document (.4rp). In the report application, use Java reporting APIs to change the orientation for FourRpLayouter or PXMLLayouter objects. There is no method for changing the page orientation; you change the height and width of the paper to create a portrait or landscape orientation.

In this example, assume the initial report is a standard A4 portrait report. To change it to an A4 landscape report, use the setPageLength() and setPageWidth() methods. 

FourRpLayouter report = new FourRpLayouter(designFile, renderer);

// Change page orientation
report.setPageLength("a4width"); // height is now width
report.setPageWidth("a4length"); // width is now height
Tip: See Paper Format Abbreviations for possible input values for these methods.
Note: Changing page orientation from within the program works best when a report design is based on dynamic layouting.