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Topic: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code (Read 4917 times) previous topic - next topic

How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

We have reached the PPFA layout limit. There is a max limit of 255 layouts in PPFA code. We maintain about a 1000 different forms and all these forms are defined using the layout command in PPFA. In our data file any one of these forms can be printed so there's no way for us to split the PPFA file. Is there a way to increase the limit? Here is an example of our code

Code: [Select]
PAGEDEF placeholder replace yes
     WIDTH 8.5 in
     HEIGHT 11 in;

PAGEFORMAT  placeholder 
     DIRECTION back;

LAYOUT C'mylayout1' BODY
  POSITION .25  in ABSOLUTE .25 in
  FONT TIMES
  OVERLAY MYTEMPOVER1  8.5 in 11.0 in;
  FIELD START  1 LENGTH 60
  POSITION 2.0  in 1.6  in;

LAYOUT C'mylayout2' BODY
  POSITION .25  in ABSOLUTE .25 in
  FONT TIMES
  OVERLAY MYTEMPOVER2  8.5 in 11.0 in;
  FIELD START  1 LENGTH 60
  POSITION 2.0  in 1.6  in;

...

LAYOUT C'mylayout254' BODY
  POSITION .25  in ABSOLUTE .25 in
  FONT TIMES
  OVERLAY MYTEMPOVER254  8.5 in 11.0 in;
  FIELD START  1 LENGTH 60
  POSITION 2.0  in 1.6  in;

As you can see there are about 255 layouts. If I add another layout I'll get an error when I compile the PPFA. Is there a way around this?

Re: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

Reply #1 –
Hey Luke, I don't have a solution right now, but just wanted to give you confidence someone is reading your message. I will try to find an answer ... 

Re: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

Reply #2 –
Quote from: Jörg Palmer – on
Hey Luke, I don't have a solution right now, but just wanted to give you confidence someone is reading your message. I will try to find an answer ...

Excellent, thanks

Re: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

Reply #3 –
Luke,
PPFA is still a supported product, so you should open a customer support request -- either with IBM (if you are running PPFA on a mainframe) or with Ricoh (if you are running PPFA on a workstation). The product service team can then let you know if they have any suggestions about how to handle this limit.
Best Regards,
Jack

Re: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

Reply #4 –
Hello,
I know I am posting to an old thread, but I haven't been following this new 'forum.
It looks like your LAYOUT records are the same except for the name of the overlay. 
See page 384 in the PPFA PDF ib6pug13.pdf  (at least that is the copy I'm reading).
The name of your OVERLAY can be a VARIABLE with the name read from the record data.
If you can put the name of the overlay into your data, you could use many fewer LAYOUT definitions.
--Roger

Re: How to overcome 255 layout limit in PPFA code

Reply #5 –
How would I exactly do that? Can you give an example of the line data and ppfa? I am using the record id line data