Combining items

Jon Polish · #1 08-17-2007, 01:47 PM

Hi:

I think I do not understand how to correctly combine items. I select from multiple items (all text with 5 to 34 lines each) on different levels in the explorer pane. These items are not necessarily contiguous, but my experience tells me that this does not effect the outcome.

I then Paste Special | Paste Rich Text. The combined item does appear, but only the first line for each item. If I select items on the same outline level, I get the results I expect, namely the entire text of all of the selected items appear as one item.

I would like the entire text of my selected items to appear as one item with the appearance of an outline. Can this be done? If not, how can I combine my items so that I can print them all formatted so that each item does not print on a separate sheet of paper?

Jon

kevina · #2 08-17-2007, 01:55 PM

Two options come to mind:
1) select the items in the Data Explorer pane
2) use File | Export | Text items to a rich text (RTF) document
3) turn off "Insert page breaks between exported items" and set other options as desired

or
1) check the Tool | Options | Editor | Show combined text for multiple selection option
2) select the multiple items
3) copy the Item Details contents, then paste wherever you want the combined text

Jon Polish · #3 08-17-2007, 02:09 PM

Thank you for your quick reply. The first suggestion produced the same results I was getting. The multiple selection displayed correctly, but pasting the item showed only the first line for each item.

The rtf export worked as described.

Any reason the first idea does not work?

Jon

kevina · #4 08-17-2007, 02:17 PM

Are you selecting the combined text in the Item Details pane, or just selecting the items in the Data Explorer pane?

Doing the latter will result in Paste Special | Paste Rich Text pasting only the titles (because you have selected the combined "items" not the combined text).

Jon Polish · #5 08-17-2007, 02:21 PM

Ah, I see. I was selecting the items in the explorer pane. The results approximate what I am hoping for, namely an outline format. However, it does not include all of the text under the first lines. Is there a way to accomplish this?

Jon

Jon Polish · #6 08-17-2007, 02:38 PM

I patched together something based on your suggestion to show combined items. I can copy all the items displayed in the item detail pane and then paste to a new item. I can even position the cursor in the item detail pane while showing the combined items and print that out. But I still cannot get the outline format. Am I missing something?

Jon

janrif · #7 08-17-2007, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Polish
[snip] I would like the entire text of my selected items to appear as one item with the appearance of an outline. Can this be done? If not, how can I combine my items so that I can print them all formatted so that each item does not print on a separate sheet of paper?[/snip]

Jon, I think you are asking is if there is a 'join' function, i.e. select multiple items & join them into one item -- in the item title & in the detail content.

This does not exist per se in UR & I don't see it listed in the development road map but it would be a nice function & it is a useful function. However, the steps outlined to you work very well but you won't get the outline AFAIK.

Jon Polish · #8 08-17-2007, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by janrif
Jon, I think you are asking is if there is a 'join' function, i.e. select multiple items & join them into one item -- in the item title & in the detail content.

This does not exist per se in UR & I don't see it listed in the development road map but it would be a nice function & it is a useful function. However, the steps outlined to you work very well but you won't get the outline AFAIK.

Yes, that is what I am thinking of. It would be nice to have, and I thank you for confirming that I am going about this correctly.

Jon

janrif · #9 08-17-2007, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jon Polish
Yes, that is what I am thinking of. It would be nice to have, and I thank you for confirming that I am going about this correctly.

Well Kevina is one of the developers so you can be sure that it was good advice. I just happen to think that a 'join' command would make sense for URp & your post gave me the opportunity to say so. :-)