Auto Brochure Multi Columns.

Amended 22-09-04 To allow for alternative themes.
Created 02-03-04 Author Norman Rouxel - www.drillpine.biz (V11)
  
This readme will allow you to lay Brochure Fragments out in any number of columns.
The number of columns can be altered by setting a Custom Property.


INSTALLATION


Edit Act_BrochurePrimary.html (and any other Primary Brochure Templates in use)
(if you don't see the exact line below then skip down to OTHER THEMES)
if you see the line:-


				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY<br>

then replace it with the following:-


<script language=JavaScript>
<!-- (V11)
var currentcol = 0;
var brochurecols = CUSTOMVAR:BROCHURECOLS;
var newcols = brochurecols;
var colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
document.write('<table width=100%>');
function startfrag(){
if ( currentcol++ == 0 ) document.write('<tr>');
document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%" valign=top>');
}
function endfrag(){
if ( brochurecols == newcols )  // normal end of fragment
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  if ( currentcol >= brochurecols )
    {
    document.write('</tr>');
    currentcol = 0;
    }
  }
else   // we want start a new column count
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&nbsp;</td>');
  document.write('</tr></table><table width=100%>');  // end previous table and start new
  currentcol = 0;
  brochurecols = newcols;
  colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
  }
}
function newcolcount(newcount){        // reset the column count
 newcols = newcount;
}
// -->
</script>
				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY<br>
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
if ( currentcol != 0 )
 {
 while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&nbsp;</td>');
 document.write('</tr>');
 currentcol = 0;
 }
document.write('</table>');
// -->
</script>



OTHER THEMES

Some themes have the line:-

				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY </td>

if you have this then replace that line with the following:-


<script language=JavaScript>
<!-- (V11)
var currentcol = 0;
var brochurecols = CUSTOMVAR:BROCHURECOLS;
var newcols = brochurecols;
var colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
document.write('<table width=100%>');
function startfrag(){
if ( currentcol++ == 0 ) document.write('<tr>');
document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%" valign=top>');
}
function endfrag(){
if ( brochurecols == newcols )  // normal end of fragment
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  if ( currentcol >= brochurecols )
    {
    document.write('</tr>');
    currentcol = 0;
    }
  }
else   // we want start a new column count
  {
  document.write('</td>');
  while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&nbsp;</td>');
  document.write('</tr></table><table width=100%>');  // end previous table and start new
  currentcol = 0;
  brochurecols = newcols;
  colwidth = Math.floor(100 / brochurecols);
  }
}
function newcolcount(newcount){        // reset the column count
 newcols = newcount;
}
// -->
</script>
				NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHUREBODY
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
if ( currentcol != 0 )
 {
 while ( currentcol++ < brochurecols ) document.write('<td width="' + colwidth + '%">&nbsp;</td>');
 document.write('</tr>');
 currentcol = 0;
 }
document.write('</table>');
// -->
</script>
		 </td>




In EVERY Brochure Fragment template:-

replace

<br>
<br>


with


<script language=JavaScript>
<!-- (V11)
startfrag();
// -->
</script>
<noscript><br><br></noscript>


add the following above the final line ( usually <!-- **** HTML end --> )


<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
endfrag();
// -->
</script>



Here is an example of the patched Act_TextOnly.html


<!-- TextOnly HTML begin -->
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
startfrag();
// -->
</script>
<noscript><br><br></noscript>
<table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="5" cellpadding="1">
  <tr>
    <td width="100%">NETQUOTEVAR:BROCHURE_TEXT</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--
endfrag();
// -->
</script>
<!-- TextOnly HTML end -->



Make sure you do the above to ALL brochure fragment templates.  There are usually 8!

Thats all patching.


CONFIGURATION


In Actinic go to Advanced / Custom Properties, click the "+" and create a Customvar BROCHURECOLS.

Go to Design / Options / Site Defaults / Custom Properties, click the "+" and select BROCHURECOLS.
Set it's value to 2 (or whatever number of columns you want).
(if using Business uncheck Searchable and check Use as Customvar)


That's that.    


NOTES

You can change the number of columns on-the-fly.   
Unfortunately as Actinic don't allow Custom Properties to be set for Brochure fragments (tut-tut)
you have to fudge it with a little javaScript in the fragment text.

In the fragment BEFORE you want to change the column count add the text

!!<<script language=JavaScript>newcols=3</script>>!!

changing the 3 to suit - and the new column count will start at the next fragment.
You can, of course, use 1 to get a single column layout.