I have a report that has 10 columns and is formated the way I want it. Some of the columns are too wide to fit on the report, so I use the stylesheet wrap option to force the column to wrap.
Here is an example of one of the wide columns on the report and how I force it to wrap:
TYPE=REPORT, COLUMN=TFR_TRANSTYPE_DESC, POSITION=+.0, WRAP=1.4, WIDTH=1.4, SQUEEZE=1.4, $

The problem is that the users want the option to select the particular column they want to use as the report sort. To keep the report formatted in a consistent way, I perform the selected sort using the NOPRINT option. Having done this I thought that the report would have been produced using the same consistant format.
To my surprise, WebFOCUS thru away the stylesheet information for that selected sort field. This occured even though I performed the sort using the NOPRINT option.
This resulted in a very wide column for that selected sort column field, and this ruined the entire report.
Is there a way, for WebFOCUS to honor the stylesheet information I coded for a column, even though I am performing a BY SORTFIELD NOPRINT?

My coworker came up with a solution.

To keep the stylesheet formating of a column in the middle of a report, that you are also sorting on using the NOPRINT option, simply define another field that is a duplicate of the original field. Then sort on the duplicate field, leaving the original column unchanged.
WebFOCUS leaves the original stylsheet formatted column alone, and uses the duplicate NOPRINT Sort column to perform the sort.

There is another solution to this that does not require a DEFINE. Here's an expanation why you had a problem. Somebody correct me if I get my facts wrong.

WebFOCUS didn't "lose" the styling, it applied the styling to the first instance of the field which just so happens to be the NOPRINTed sort field reference. If you removed the NOPRINT from the sort you would see that it would contain the styling.

The way to get around this is to use positional references to columns on the report for formating instead of column names. Using COLUMN=P3, for example, would format the third column that appears on the report output regardless of what field is actually in that column.

Just thought this might be helpful to know.

Mickey,
You're right in why the stylesheet is not working the way JohnK expecting.

JohnK,
Besides using the COLUMN=P3 you could also use COLUMN=B3, COLUMN=C3 or COLUMN=N3.

JohnK,

You have WRAP, SQUEEZE, and WIDTH together in the same style block. These do not work together and only one will take effect at run time. It seems that WRAP will always override the others. I would recommend removing those extra keywords if you don't need them.

Brian
WF PM