Returning Text based on Length

[James]

I am having an issue with getting longer names to fill space properly. On the attachment, the left image is exactly what I want and works great for smaller names, but if I have a name that is longer (seems like 8 characters is the number) it makes it tiny (image on right).

 

I looked for someone else who had my problem and found this, it's close, but not exactly what I need. http://forums.pti.com/showthread.php?t=1093

 

Based on the above post I came up with the following to fit my needs.

 

var len = Field("First Name").length;
if (len >= 8)
 return Resource("Name Length");
//else
return "";

 

It does make the longer names fit, however it removes the shorter names instead of keeping them how they were (which is perfect).

 

What am I doing wrong?

 

THANKS!

 

James

[esmith]

It does make the longer names fit, however it removes the shorter names instead of keeping them how they were (which is perfect).

 

What am I doing wrong?

The code you included is returning a resource when length of first name is 8 or more characters otherwise returning nothing. The last line should read:

else return Field("First Name");

 

This scenario looks like it would benefit from the TextMeasure function, but I'm not sure what you are trying to accomplish for names with 8 or more characters.

[James]

Hmmm. That helped with the longer name, but replaced the shorter names with the name of the rule.

 

I've attached what I'm trying to accomplish with the longer names. I know once I figure it out for the first names I will be able to apply that to the longer middle names.

 

Thanks for the help!

[esmith]

Hmmm. That helped with the longer name, but replaced the shorter names with the name of the rule.

That doesn't make much sense. You were already returning

return Resource("Name Length");

for names that were greater than 7 characters. My code addition should return First Name value for records with a first name of 7 or less characters..

 

What does the resource contain (i.e. what is returned for longer first names)?

[James]

Here is the source code, is that what you are asking for?

 

<p style="(no style)" br="false" override="true" quad="C" findent="0" lindent="0" rindent="0" leadbefore="0" leadafter="0" widows="2" kerning="true" hyphenate="true" skipifempty="false" skipifemptyvar="false" noparabreakoncopyfit="true"><tracking newsize="0"><f Name="Jellyka Delicious Cake"><z newsize="200.0"><color Name="C=2 M=2 Y=2 K=0"><variable Name="First Name">

[James]

After putting this on the back burner for a few days I came back to it today and IT WORKS!

 

I cleared out my rule, started over and it works great.

 

Thanks Eric, I really appreciate your help.