SSRS 2005 - Printing report with matrix and a list gives blank pages every other page

Question

Hi,

I am using SQL Server Reporting Services 2005 (SSRS 2005) to build an A4 portrait report. This report contains some text data and a matrix placed on a list so a horizontal table effect is created (with the columns representing the various repeating fields). The problem I am encountering is that, when exporting the report to PDF (or printing it) between each data page, I get a blank page with just the header and the footer and no data. I have read that this may be due to the body + left + right margins being greater than the report width. However, this is not the case and I have the following relevant settings:

InteractiveWidth (Report) - 8.5in; PageWidth (Report) - 21cm; PageHeight (Report) - 29.7cm; Left Margin (Report) - 0; Right Margin (Report) - 0; Top Margin (Report) - 0; Bottom Margin (Report) - 0;

The body width is 7.2 inches.

The matrix contains 2 fixed columns and is set to repeat every additional 5 columns using the following grouping expression set on the list: =Ceiling(RowNumber(Nothing)/5)

What I noticed is if I change that matrix to repeat every 2 columns horizontally, the report is printed properly, with no blank pages. (But 3,4, or more columns leads to the problem). And there is more than enough space for 5 columns and it would look really odd to print just 2! So, I think something in the list/matrix is causing the problem, but don't know exactly what!

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in avance, Tim

Answer 1

The problem might stem from your margins being set to 0. Have you tried setting margin values (0.5cm would be a reasonable value)?

PS - you don't have to work in a mixture of inches and centimeters - BIDS will allow you to change the units to match one another.

Answer 2

I have the same problem and what I think is happening is that your body of the report is larger than the size of the matrix in the report designer. That empty space between the matrix in the designer and the body is what is causing the blank page. Unfortunately I am trying to fix that right now as well.

To get around it right now, the width of my body in the report designer is the width of the matrix.

Hope this information was a bit helpful. If you need clarification, let me know.

Answer 3

Hi,

I am the one who posted the original question from another PC...

The solution was to shorten the list (that contains the matrix) to the width of the matrix as the list was effectively padding and giving the blank page.

Once I shortened the list to the width of the matrix, some other report items were being pushed out of the page (a useful trick to notice which items go out may be to colour the background of the report items in, say, red), but then this I resolved by placing everything in rectangles and setting the start of the rectangle to a point to the left of the matrix so that it does not get pushed out.

Thanks, Tim

Answer 4

regarding cylc's answer: the problem does indeed have something to do w/the matrix being less than the report body width.

since my matrix is smaller than the content in my header and footer, i needed another workaround. after reading cyclc's response, i added another hidden column outside the final column group and expanded its width such that the matrix width matched the report width. no more blank pages.

anyone know if MS recognized this as an issue and is addressing it?

Answer 5

Hi

I have a same problem , i am using the martrix in the report. In second page, if the columns are more than 5 then i am getting blank page . other wise its working fine.actually i want dynamic columns in the report.

plz help me if any one have idea

Thanks in advance

Answer 6

You might also have a look at this link http://botsikas.blogspot.com/2008/02/sql-reporting-services-and-a4-paper.html