[Q] (newbie) typesetting to grid in layer with widgets

[Q] (newbie) typesetting to grid in layer with widgets

[Rolf Marvin B e Lindgren]

[firt message still waits for moderator approval, here's a new and
improved version]

I'm giving ConTeXt  a first go in typesetting a diploma.  

I've figured out that I'd like to try to typeset to a five-column grid.

Most of the stuff should be centered against the third column, while
some stuff should be centered to the second and fourth column.

This makes for a very boring diploma, but that's beside the point at
this stage.

I want 1-inch borders throughout, so before \starttext, I have 

\setuplayout[paperheight=29.97cm,paperwidth=21cm,leftmargin=1cm,rightmargin=1cm,header=1cm,footer=1cm,textwidth=19cm,textheight=27.97cm]

(I pretend that marginpars don't exist.  I'm sure they'll come back and
haunt me).

Furthermore, before \starttext, I set up the layers I think I need with

\setuplayout[grid=yes,columndistance=12pt,columns=5]\showgrid
\definelayer [text] 
\setupbackgrounds [text] [background=text]

(The showgrid is there because I like to see what I'm doing).  Then I
have, say,

\setlayer[text][column=3,line=7,x=0.5\layoutcolumnwidth,location=c]{%
       Diploma awarded to}


now, _is_ this the smartest way to do this? 

furthermore, I'd like to allow for input into fields from Acrobat.  I
have this:

\definefield[CertID][text][CertIDSetup][]
\setupfield[CertIDSetup][%
        readonly=no,printable=yes,width=4em,%
        frame=on,height=8mm,offset=5ex]

\myCenter{3}{11}{Sertifikat Nr. DNV-2004-OSL-PERS-\field[CertID]}

trouble is, the _field_ is aligned to the baseline, whereas I'd like
the text _of_ the field to be thus aligned.  any suggestiosn?

(as a matter of fact, the problem with this approach is that text
cannot ever be centered becaue TeX need to know the dimensions at
typesetting time - which isn't known until the user has interacted.  is
there, say, JavaScript magic that could be done in order to have text
centered after it has been input?

and on a sitenote,

I'd like to have a frame around the entire page.  Preferably, I'd like
to be able to place it using numerical coordinates (absolute or
relative, set to a layer or not).  Is this, or something close to it,
possible? 

thank you,

-- 
Rolf Lindgren                                            http://www.roffe.com/
roffe@tag.uio.no

Re: typesetting to grid in layer with widgets

[Hans Hagen]

At 09:10 11/03/2004, you wrote:

>\setlayer[text][column=3,line=7,x=0.5\layoutcolumnwidth,location=c]{%
>        Diploma awarded to}
>
>
>now, _is_ this the smartest way to do this?

\setlayerframed
   [text]
   [...]
   [framed settings]
   {}

may give you some more control and insight (you can always turn of the 
frame later)

>furthermore, I'd like to allow for input into fields from Acrobat.  I
>have this:
>
>\definefield[CertID][text][CertIDSetup][]
>\setupfield[CertIDSetup][%
>         readonly=no,printable=yes,width=4em,%
>         frame=on,height=8mm,offset=5ex]
>
>\myCenter{3}{11}{Sertifikat Nr. DNV-2004-OSL-PERS-\field[CertID]}
>
>trouble is, the _field_ is aligned to the baseline, whereas I'd like
>the text _of_ the field to be thus aligned.  any suggestiosn?

fields (and text in there) don't have a concept of a baseline 
(unfortunately), so depending on the situation, you may want to lower the text

   \hbox{\lower2pt\hbox{\field[...]}}

and so (i need to look into pdf 1.5 to see if there are better ways now)

>(as a matter of fact, the problem with this approach is that text
>cannot ever be centered becaue TeX need to know the dimensions at
>typesetting time - which isn't known until the user has interacted.  is
>there, say, JavaScript magic that could be done in order to have text
>centered after it has been input?

doesn't align=middle work?

>and on a sitenote,
>
>I'd like to have a frame around the entire page.  Preferably, I'd like
>to be able to place it using numerical coordinates (absolute or
>relative, set to a layer or not).  Is this, or something close to it,
>possible?

i often use metapost for that (see metafun manual)

\defineoverlay[xxx][\useMPgraphic{xxx}]

\startuseMPgraphic{xxx}
   StartPage ;
     draw Page enlarged -3cm withpen pencircle scaled 1cm ;
   StopPage ;
\stopuseMPgraphic

\setupbackgrounds[page][background=xxx]

etc etc

hans  

Re: typesetting to grid in layer with widgets

[Rolf Marvin B e Lindgren]

Hans Hagen <pragma@wxs.nl> writes:

> \setlayerframed
>    [text]
>    [...]
>    [framed settings]
>    {}

I'll have to consult the documentation of \setlayerframed then - which
again i fear is somewhat terse ... what goes in the [...] box there?  

> fields (and text in there) don't have a concept of a baseline
> (unfortunately), so depending on the situation, you may want to lower
> the text
> 
>    \hbox{\lower2pt\hbox{\field[...]}}

heh.  the field box remains fixed to the baseline while the predecing
text is raised :)  OK, a bit more twiddling can compensate for that
again.  perhaps a wee bit to klugey for my tase.  

> >(as a matter of fact, the problem with this approach is that text
> >cannot ever be centered becaue TeX need to know the dimensions at
> >typesetting time - which isn't known until the user has interacted.  is
> >there, say, JavaScript magic that could be done in order to have text
> >centered after it has been input?
> 
> doesn't align=middle work?

I'll give it a shot but too optimistic I am not.  should the \field
have align=middle as part of its setup parameters? 

> >I'd like to have a frame around the entire page.  Preferably, I'd like
> >to be able to place it using numerical coordinates (absolute or
> >relative, set to a layer or not).  Is this, or something close to it,
> >possible?
> 
> i often use metapost for that (see metafun manual)

OK.

thanks!

-- 
Rolf Lindgren                                            http://www.roffe.com/
roffe@tag.uio.no