Re: Image SIZEs in PDF?

PocketSurvey · 12-28-2021 08:35 AM

How do you control the size of an image in a PDF, given a user can take photos in numerous sizes and aspect ratios?

Steve

PocketSurvey

Thanks Steve, but alas the options: Large, Medium, Small, Tiny are not adequate to format a picture that fits the front cover page of a report. They are either too big or or too small.

I need more fine tuned control. ( In other systems I have developed I scaled images dynamically depending on the width and orientation, I guess this is not possible in AppSheet)

And putting the image in a cell depends on if the photo is landscape, portrait or square and depends on the device that take the photo.

SkrOYC

Can you explain what do you mean by this? Also, how that affects what you want to do?

PocketSurvey

Take for example a Square Photo on the front page of a report along with some other details such as client names, address, trade logos etc.

Even at 600 x 600 it forces rather data to the next the page. It needs to be width 400 or 450 or whatever I choose to fit.

If its landscape it fits. Portrait it is too long

If I put the photo in a table cell it will display different depending on if its portrait or landscape.

Ideally it needs something that MAX-WITDHT and MAX-HEIGHT like in HTML/CSS

Different sized images are always problematical when generating PDFs!

I guess I am expecting too much.

I think I will need to implement some condition formatting in the report template.

SkrOYC

Use an HTML template then

PocketSurvey

Alas, that’s no good for creating a PDF

I have put some condition formatting to cater for the different photo formats now.

SkrOYC

Two ways.

Wrap it around a table cell and define a fixed with
Use format rules

Controlling How Images, Thumbnails, Drawings, and Signatures are Displayed

You can control how these values are displayed.

You can control whether each value is displayed as an image or a URL.

You can control the size of each displayed value.

By default, these columns are displayed as images and the displayed image size depends on the column type:

Drawing column: Displayed as 600 x 600 image.

Image column: Displayed as 600 x 600 image.

Signature column: Displayed as 600 x 600 image.

Thumbnail column: Displayed as 200 x 200 image.

You can override these defaults by creating a format rule:

Go to the UX >> Format Rules tab of the app editor.

Click New Format Rule .

In For this data , choose the table containing the Drawing , Image , Signature , or Thumbnail column.

Pick the desired column or columns.

Optionally specify a condition.

Under Workflow template format, choose one of the following for Image format :
Large: To display the image value as a 1000 x 1000 image.
Medium: To display the image value as a 600 x 600 image.
Small: To display the image value as a 200 x 200 image.
Tiny: To display the image value as a 50 x 50 image.
Text: To display the image value as a URL.

PocketSurvey

Thanks.

But alas the options: Large, Medium, Small, Tiny are not adequate to format a picture that fits the front cover page of a report. They are either too big or or too small.

I need more fine tuned control. ( In other systems I have developed I scaled images dynamically depending on the width and orientation, I guess this is not possible in AppSheet)

And putting the image in a cell depends on if the photo is landscape, portrait or square and depends on the device that take the photo.

pennyG

I have the same issue. I need to place an image in a pdf in a specific position. with specific height/width in order to control the layout of the pdf.

This would seem to not be possible. Such a shame.

pennyG

Hi,

what do you mean by, "

Wrap it around a table cell and define a fixed with"

SkrOYC

<table style="width:200px">
  <tr>
    <td>Your image</td>
  </tr>
</table>

Or by using the WYSIWYG editors like GDocs or MSWord and adding a table of 1x1 and enter a width on it's properties.

I can't do a step by step since we may not use the same software and may not speak the same languaje, but it's pretty straightfoward

pennyG

Ah,

I didn't think you were talking about html. I thought you were talking about pdf template.

I do use tables in my pdf template (google doc) but my layout needs to be very tight. I am finding that the template is not generating the formatting I have set and there are large gaps between tables in the generated pdfs.

I have removed all spaces and padding, set line space to 0.06 for unwanted lines and I even set text size to minimum of 1 for the break lines.

I also set the width but the images are still bigger than required on the pdf.

I'm concerned that controlling the layout may not be as precise as I need.

This is what I created

https://www.screencast.com/t/c8ok5r2vPM

And this is the output

https://www.screencast.com/t/nWfAfL2Pmf

(the "X" is the image)

SkrOYC

It seems like you are pushing the limits of the platform since the html to pdf process get rid of complex stuff like your layout.

The thing you can do is limit the width of a tiny table cell were the image is. This way your height will be less than it's today. We can control width, not height

pennyG

Do you know any 3rd party pdf generators that could be accessed thru webhooks/zaps/power automate to generate the pdfs?

I can't publish what I have thru appsheet. It does not meet the business' standards.

OR

Do you know if the word doc template would keep more of the format integrity? I'd rather not spend a whole day building this in Word if you have an answer.

Thanks

Penny

SkrOYC

There are actually but I have found lately that AppSheet is enough for most cases.

Check the other post I told you on your question about links on images

pennyG

Hi,

I did. But it doesn't help. Setting a format is global. I am using the images in other locations. It is not possible to set a format to a file type (pdf) or a template.

I have a ticket open with support. It is not normal behaviour for a rendered pdf to have linkable signature fields. It has been recognized as an issue.

SkrOYC

It's actually normal and expected.

Check this post

Re: I'm looking for dificult template use cases! - Google Cloud Community

pennyG

Hi,

Are you saying it is normal and expected for a signature on a rendered pdf contract to have an active link on the signature image so that the isolated signature can be download?

That is not expected. It doesn't occur on my pdfs rendered in adobe.

Also, unless I am completely missing something, I can't create an html template that can be used as a PDF template.

SkrOYC

@pennyG wrote:
Are you saying it is normal and expected for a signature on a rendered pdf contract to have an active link on the signature image so that the isolated signature can be download?

Yes, it's the way AppSheet works

@pennyG wrote:
That is not expected. It doesn't occur on my pdfs rendered in adobe.

That's different, Adobe is it's own thing and has nothing to do with the pdf reports made through AppSheet rather than the fact that Adobe created the pdf format

@pennyG wrote:
Also, unless I am completely missing something, I can't create an html template that can be used as a PDF template.

Why not? I do it with ALL of my pdf reports made through AppSheet. If you need help you can ask

pennyG

"Yes, it's the way AppSheet works"

Maybe. But it is not standard business practice. Also, it was accepted as a ticket and I have been in communication with support.

"Why not? I do it with ALL of my pdf reports made through AppSheet. If you need help you can ask"

It is not clear in the documentation that html can be used to generate a pdf template. I don't think I am the only one who did not think it is possible.

Can you tell me the steps to do so?

Thanks.

SkrOYC

@pennyG wrote:
Maybe. But it is not standard business practice. Also, it was accepted as a ticket and I have been in communication with support.

I don't know if there is a standard to how you add an image to a report, I think every platform decides how to do it.

There is people that relies on that kind of behaviour.
For example, if we create a report that has images we can just add them with a small size on our pdf and then by clicking on them the users can see it at full size.

@pennyG wrote:
It is not clear in the documentation that html can be used to generate a pdf template. I don't think I am the only one who did not think it is possible.
Can you tell me the steps to do so?

HTML Email Templates | AppSheet Help Center

Using HTML templates | AppSheet Help Center

Part 1 - Almost pixel perfect pdf reports from aut... - Google Cloud Community

pennyG

Thanks.

I'll take a look at this when I get a chance. But I wanted to let you know I appreciate your time.