The General page of the Picture Properties dialog has the following options:

• Image source type: the type of source for the image. Image file name means the Image source setting contains the path and name of an image file. General field name means Image source contains the name of a General field in the database that contains the image. Expression or variable name means Image source contains the name of a field or some other expression that contains the path and name of an image file (for example, if the name of an image file on disk is stored in a field in the database). Note that if you choose Expression or variable name, the field or expression must contain a valid image file name for every record in the report or you'll get an "invalid path or file name" error. In that case, set a filter on the report for that field not being empty.

• Image source: the source for the image; see the previous setting for the meaning of this setting, which varies according to the image source type.

• If source and frame are different sizes: this setting determines what to do if the image source is a different size that the frame you created for the picture. The choices are:
  • Clip contents: show a section of the original picture in the frame, retaining the picture's original dimensions if the picture is bigger than the frame. The picture is anchored at the top and at the left of the frame. You cannot see the lower-right portion of the picture that extends beyond the frame.

  • Scale contents, retain shape: displays the whole picture, filling as much of the frame as possible while retaining the relative proportions of the picture. This protects your picture from vertical or horizontal distortion.

  • Scale contents, fill the frame: displays the whole picture, filling the frame completely. If necessary, the picture is distorted vertically or horizontally to fit the frame.
    

• Center general field horizontally in frame: as its name suggests, turning this setting, which is only available if Image source type is set to General field name, on centers the picture horizontally within the frame.

• Object position: it's possible the height of a band can change when it's printed. For example, the detail band may only appear as one line high in the Advanced Report Designer, but if a field's Stretch with overflow setting is turned on (see Field Object Properties), that field may take more than one line if it contains a lot of information, and therefore so does the detail band. The object position settings allow you to specify what happens to objects when the band they're in changes height. The choices are:
  • Float: specifies that the selected object moves vertically relative to the size of objects directly above it.

  • Fix relative to top of band: as the band changes height, this object maintains its position relative to the top of the band.

  • Fix relative to bottom of band: as the band changes height, this object maintains its position relative to the bottom of the band.
    

• Size and position in layout: rather than trying to precisely size or position an object using the mouse or arrow keys, you can specify the dimensions and location of the object using these controls.

• Rotation: you can rotate an object on the report by specifying the rotation angle. Positive numbers mean clockwise rotation and negative numbers mean counterclockwise.
  

The Print When page allows you to conditionally print an object so it can be ignored under some conditions. This page has the following options:

• Print repeated values: setting this to No means the object won't print unless one or both of the In first whole band of a new page/column and When band content overflows to new page/column settings are turned on.

• In first whole band of a new page/column: prints the object in the first band of a new page or column that isn't an overflow from a previous page or column. This option is automatically turned on (and disabled) if you choose Yes for Print repeated values, and optional if you choose No for Print repeated values.

• When this data group expression changes: prints the object when the value of the chosen group changes. This option is available only if a group exists and Print repeated values is No. Choose a group from the list beside this option.

• When band content overflows to new page/column: prints the object when the band overflows to a new page or column. This option is available only if Print repeated values is No.

• Remove line if blank: removes the entire line of the report the object is on if the object is blank and no other object is on the same line.

• Print only when expression is true: an expression to be evaluated before the object prints. If the expression is true, the object is printed; otherwise, it isn't printed. All other options in this dialog except Remove line if blank are disabled if you include an expression. Click the Expression Builder button to display the Expression Builder.
  

The Other page displays a comment about the object. To change the comment, click the Edit comment button.