The current word emitter has currently some challenges if the user tries to work with the result.
From user side the BIRT-docx isn't like a standrad word-document and it is not easy to change the word-documents based on the created huge count of grids and empty lines (paragraphs).
The main topics are:
The emitter creates for each HTML-text-element a wrapped grid.
Multiple specialized empty paragraphs will be used.
Based on this systematic of used wmpl-grids the additional empty paragraphs are necessary to avoid exceptions if docx-document will be opend.
The the header and the container area get a grid by default
The list element get for (BIRT-)styling reason a grid (which is fine) but with additional empty paragraph
Discussions were done before:
1352 DOCX with additional lines add header and footer
1879 DOCX grid arround all HTML-wrapped text paragraphs
Reserach result:
HTML-text grid-wrapped: The main reason is that the grid will be used for margin-padding implementation. And further investigations (debugging) shows that the main cause of the usage is the usage of the MHT-file for HTML-text and the wrong usage of supported HTML-style-attributes for MHT-HTML which can be converted/understand by Word.
When the correct attributes will be used the margin is given like on my implementation of the Label-element.
Header-Footer-grind: Is not longer necessary because it has no specific effect (comfirmation of #1352). Different style tests had no negative effect if the container wasn't added. The positiv effect was the structure is easier and the empty paragraph won't be added.
List-element need the additional grid to implements the border effect. So it won't be changed but the empty paragraph isn't necessary.
Upcoming changes:
Improve the MHT-file handling to activate the standard margin
Allow the combination of margin & padding handling (point 1) to simulate the current handling
Avoid the additional grid and paragraph on header & footer
Avoid the empty paragraph of the list grid cell
Add new standard option for WordEmitter-user properties
All options can be controlled by user properties to change back the behavior because the docx-structure will be changed
Planned timeline:
I will implements these changes and will create a PR for BIRT 4.18
The current word emitter has currently some challenges if the user tries to work with the result. From user side the BIRT-docx isn't like a standrad word-document and it is not easy to change the word-documents based on the created huge count of grids and empty lines (paragraphs).
The main topics are:
Discussions were done before:
1352 DOCX with additional lines add header and footer
1879 DOCX grid arround all HTML-wrapped text paragraphs
Reserach result:
HTML-text grid-wrapped: The main reason is that the grid will be used for margin-padding implementation. And further investigations (debugging) shows that the main cause of the usage is the usage of the MHT-file for HTML-text and the wrong usage of supported HTML-style-attributes for MHT-HTML which can be converted/understand by Word. When the correct attributes will be used the margin is given like on my implementation of the Label-element.
Header-Footer-grind: Is not longer necessary because it has no specific effect (comfirmation of #1352). Different style tests had no negative effect if the container wasn't added. The positiv effect was the structure is easier and the empty paragraph won't be added.
List-element need the additional grid to implements the border effect. So it won't be changed but the empty paragraph isn't necessary.
Upcoming changes:
Planned timeline: I will implements these changes and will create a PR for BIRT 4.18