Eclipse BIRT Report Object Model (ROM)

Column Element

# Element Overview

Describes one column within a table or grid.

### Details

Display Name: | Column
Since: | 1.0
XML Element: | `column`
Extends: | None
Extendable: | No
Abstract: | No
Name Space: | None
Name Requirement: | Not Supported
Allows User Properties: | No
Has Style: | Yes
Default Style: | None

### Property Summary

repeat
  The number of adjacent columns described by this element.
style
  Name of the style applied to this column.
suppressDuplicates
viewAction
visibility
width
  The width of the column.

### Style Properties

backgroundAttachment, backgroundColor, backgroundImage, backgroundPositionX, backgroundPositionY, backgroundRepeat, bidiTextDirection, canShrink, color, dateTimeFormat, display, fontFamily, fontSize, fontStyle, fontVariant, fontWeight, highlightRules, letterSpacing, lineHeight, mapRules, marginBottom, marginLeft, marginRight, marginTop, masterPage, numberAlign, numberFormat, orphans, paddingBottom, paddingLeft, paddingRight, paddingTop, pageBreakAfter, pageBreakBefore, showIfBlank, stringFormat, textAlign, textIndent, textLineThrough, textOverline, textTransform, textUnderline, verticalAlign, whiteSpace, widows, wordSpacing

### Description

The column element defines one column within a grid. If an element references a column that does not exist, then BIRT creates the column implicitly as a variable-width column.

The developer defines columns to aid in report layout. Each column has the following properties:

- Width: a column can be variable width or fixed width.
- Style: a column can use the style defined for the grid as a whole, or can define a separate style. The developer uses this to create a distinct border around the column, use a different background color, etc.
- Alignment: how to align items with the column: left, center or right.

Each column definition element defines one or more adjacent columns in the table. The column definition section is optional. If not provided, BIRT ERD computes the set of columns from the table bands, as described below.

# Property Detail

## repeat Property

The number of adjacent columns described by this element.

### Details

Type: | integer
Since: | 1.0
Required: | No
Display Name: | Repeat
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | 1
Inherited: | Yes
Runtime Settable: | No
Property Sheet Visibility: | Hidden
Property Sheet Group: | Top

### Description

A table often has a series of columns with an identical format. For example, an accounting report may display debits in one column and credits in another. This property is a convenience to allow defining the column attributes once, and apply them to a set of adjacent columns.

## style Property

Name of the style applied to this column.

### Details

Type: | Style Reference
Since: | 1.0
Required: | No
Display Name: | Style
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | None
Inherited: | Yes
Runtime Settable: | No
Property Sheet Visibility: | Visible
Property Sheet Group: | Top

### Description

Column provides many style properties. The style properties are defined in the ROM Styles Specification. A column can inherit its style properties from a parent element, from a named style, or from a style that identifies the context in which the item appears. This property provides the name of the shared style to use.

This item can also set the value of style properties. Properties set on this element "override" those inherited from a parent element or a shared style.

### See Also

Style element in the ROM Styles Specification.

## suppressDuplicates Property

### Details

Type: | boolean
Since: | 2.1
Required: | No
Display Name: | Suppress duplicates
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | false
Inherited: | Yes
Runtime Settable: | Yes
Property Sheet Visibility: | Visible
Property Sheet Group: | Top

## viewAction Property

### Details

Type: | choice (viewAction)
Since: | 2.1
Required: | No
Display Name: | View action
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | NoChange
Inherited: | No
Runtime Settable: | No
Property Sheet Visibility: | Hidden
Property Sheet Group: | Top

### Choices

Name | Display Name | Value | Description
NoChange | No Change | NoChange |
Changed | Changed | Changed |
Added | Added | Added |
Deleted | Deleted | Deleted |

## visibility Property

### Details

Type: | List of HideRule Structures
Since: | 2.1
Required: | No
Display Name: | Visibility
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | None
Inherited: | Yes
Runtime Settable: | Yes
Property Sheet Visibility: | Hidden
Property Sheet Group: | Top

## width Property

The width of the column.

### Details

Type: | dimension
Since: | 1.0
Required: | No
Display Name: | Width
JavaScript Type: |
Default Value: | None
Inherited: | Yes
Runtime Settable: | No
Property Sheet Visibility: | Visible
Property Sheet Group: | Top

### Description

The width of the column. The width can be omitted. If so, BIRT automatically computes the width based on the content of the table.

Widths can be absolute (1 inch) or relative (20%). Widths are entered using the CSS dimension system. See the discussion of Dimensions in the ROM Overview Specification for details.