Using lists in Sharepoint - fixing the width of columns

steinooo · 10 Feb 2009 at 10:56

Hi,

I would like to create a list with fixed width colums, but dont want to have to modify Schema.XML files etc to risk messing up my other lists, do you think its possible to purchase a web part of a list which has pre-defined or even user-defined fixed widths for the fields in a list?

thanks.

DarkShadow · 10 Feb 2009 at 14:02

Have you got access to SharePoint Designer?

If so, you can adjust the pixels manually

steinooo · 10 Feb 2009 at 14:16

No I havn't, but thanks for the tip - does it work with 2003 do you know? I should have mentioned the version in the 1st post sorry.

DarkShadow · 10 Feb 2009 at 15:09

Unfortunately I don't know. What I do know is MOSS is extremely anal about connecting to older services and vice versa

SP is a fantastic tool once you get C# programming going on top of it! Infact I'm actually working on something at the moment

HTMLHugo · 10 Feb 2009 at 15:41

id like to add its Anal full stop

steinooo · 18 Feb 2009 at 14:32

dark_shadow said:
Have you got access to SharePoint Designer?

If so, you can adjust the pixels manually

Hi Dark,

i've downloaded Sharepoint designer but can't for the life of me figure out how to adjust the column widths as you suggest, could you point me in the right direction please?

HTMLHugo · 18 Feb 2009 at 14:52

what exactly is it your trying to do ?

you can customize a view of a list and then limit the column sizes within that?

you can create a dataformwebpart and style that ?

its quite easy to mess around with the style of 1 list and not affect the others?

as for the bog standard list view i dont think you can limit the column size and really not sure why you would want too, however most people (in my experience) don't display that as they want it to look a certain way to users.

perhaps if you can expand i can try and help further.

alternatively wait for the answer of the original poster

steinooo · 19 Feb 2009 at 09:54

HTMLHugo said:
what exactly is it your trying to do ?

Trying to make it so that if a user enters loads of text in one field that the list web part won't expand to the right, which can get massive and cause a scroll bar to appear in your browser. I want to fix the width of some columns.

you can customize a view of a list and then limit the column sizes within that?

I looked at that but couldnt see how?

you can create a dataformwebpart and style that ?

not sure what that is, not sure if i have that webpart installed? I have a content editor web part and a data view web part?

hope that helps explain a bit more? cheers for the help so far.

HTMLHugo · 19 Feb 2009 at 15:18

I wouldnt recommend fixing the column widths but thats your call use the following instructions from the top of my head.

open up sharepoint designer.

goto lists and select your list.

open up the view you want to edit

switch to code view and you should have a ListViewXml tag edit the td elements within this.

if you dont have a listviewxml tage right click on the listview within designer mode and select "convert to XSLT data view"

check in and bingo.

disclaimer : obviously do this on a dev server and take all precations you can as I wont be held responsible if it all goes wrong.

steinooo · 20 Feb 2009 at 08:58

HTMLHugo said:
goto lists and select your list.

open up the view you want to edit

switch to code view and you should have a ListViewXml tag edit the td elements within this.

I think i'm being thich here but I can't understand how to do this stage.

^^ thats where i'm at....

HTMLHugo · 20 Feb 2009 at 10:46

just double click on the allitemssg SPD should open up a new page

the other pages are for the forms associated with the list if you wanted to customise them also.