Re: long part numbers

[Stroller <..hidden..>]

On 23 Sep 2009, at 15:43, Joseph wrote:
> ...
> Here is a typical part number:
> CP-D-1X4-1315-25%-900/250-1-1-LC/PCx1-4x60mm
>
> When I print in html to the screen it nicely splits into two lines
> CP-D-1X4-1315-25%-900/250-1-1
> LC/PCx1-4x60mm
>
> so there is enough room for longer description. But tex template  
> just prints the entire part number on one line, so the description  
> is squeeze into few
> columns.  It does not look good, and there is a lot of white space  
> waisted as the part number column is long and empty below and  
> description is squeezed
> into narrow space, so it takes a lot of space.
>
> I'm using default invoice.tex template.
> I think this is the section from the template:
>
> ..hidden..@{}}
>   \textbf{Pos} & \textbf{Number} & \textbf{Description} & &  
> \textbf{Qt'y} &
>     \textbf{Unit} & \textbf{Price} & \textbf{Disc \%} &  
> \textbf{Amount} \\ [0.5em]
> <?lsmb FOREACH number ?>
> <?lsmb lc = loop.count - 1 ?>
>   <?lsmb runningnumber.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb number.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb description.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb deliverydate.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb qty.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb unit.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb sellprice.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb discountrate.${lc} ?> &
>   <?lsmb linetotal.${lc} ?> \\
> <?lsmb END ?>
> \end{tabularx}


You may wish to:
  \usepackage{hyphenat}

But I _believe_ this is inherent to tabularx. I'm pretty sure I  
changed to longtable for similar reasons.

I have this notion that tabularx is rubbish, and I think it caused  
another poster problems with multipage invoices. See the archives for  
18-19 May this year (Subject: "2 persistant bugs; Seeking ideas where  
to look."). I think longtable is a bunch better, and it will be used  
in the default templates in the future.

Suggest you make a test.tex file in your homedir and filling it with  
static fields:

  \documentclass{minimal}
  \usepackage{tabularx}

  \begin{document}

  Pos & Number & Description & Qt'y & Unit & Price & Disc & Amount \\
  1234 & 1 & Oranges & 3 & 1 & £0.42 & 0% & £1.26 \\
  CP-D-1X4-1315-25%-900/250-1-1-LC/PCx1-4x60mm & 2 & Paper probably &  
8 & 1 & £1 & 0% & £8 \\
  ...
  \end{document}


You can copy & paste the "\begin{tabularx}" and "\end{tabularx}" lines  
from your invoice.tex and you should see the same problem reproduced.  
I think that if you port the table to longtable you will see better  
results.

Docs: http://www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/common/resources/latex/longtable.pdf

Stroller.