Multi-columns

This example is a variant of the previous one showing how to lay the text across multiple columns.

<?php
define('FPDF_FONTPATH','font/');
require(
'fpdf.php');

class
PDF extends FPDF
{
//Current column
var $col=0;
//Ordinate of column start
var $y0;

function
Header()
{
    
//Page header
    
global $title;

    
$this->SetFont('Arial','B',15);
    
$w=$this->GetStringWidth($title)+6;
    
$this->SetX((210-$w)/2);
    
$this->SetDrawColor(0,80,180);
    
$this->SetFillColor(230,230,0);
    
$this->SetTextColor(220,50,50);
    
$this->SetLineWidth(1);
    
$this->Cell($w,9,$title,1,1,'C',1);
    
$this->Ln(10);
    
//Save ordinate
    
$this->y0=$this->GetY();
}

function
Footer()
{
    
//Page footer
    
$this->SetY(-15);
    
$this->SetFont('Arial','I',8);
    
$this->SetTextColor(128);
    
$this->Cell(0,10,'Page '.$this->PageNo(),0,0,'C');
}

function
SetCol($col)
{
    
//Set position at a given column
    
$this->col=$col;
    
$x=10+$col*65;
    
$this->SetLeftMargin($x);
    
$this->SetX($x);
}

function
AcceptPageBreak()
{
    
//Method accepting or not automatic page break
    
if($this->col<2)
    {
        
//Go to next column
        
$this->SetCol($this->col+1);
        
//Set ordinate to top
        
$this->SetY($this->y0);
        
//Keep on page
        
return false;
    }
    else
    {
        
//Go back to first column
        
$this->SetCol(0);
        
//Page break
        
return true;
    }
}

function
ChapterTitle($num,$label)
{
    
//Title
    
$this->SetFont('Arial','',12);
    
$this->SetFillColor(200,220,255);
    
$this->Cell(0,6,"Chapter  $num : $label",0,1,'L',1);
    
$this->Ln(4);
    
//Save ordinate
    
$this->y0=$this->GetY();
}

function
ChapterBody($fichier)
{
    
//Read text file
    
$f=fopen($fichier,'r');
    
$txt=fread($f,filesize($fichier));
    
fclose($f);
    
//Font
    
$this->SetFont('Times','',12);
    
//Output text in a 6 cm width column
    
$this->MultiCell(60,5,$txt);
    
$this->Ln();
    
//Mention
    
$this->SetFont('','I');
    
$this->Cell(0,5,'(end of excerpt)');
    
//Go back to first column
    
$this->SetCol(0);
}

function
PrintChapter($num,$title,$file)
{
    
//Add chapter
    
$this->AddPage();
    
$this->ChapterTitle($num,$title);
    
$this->ChapterBody($file);
}
}

$pdf=new PDF();
$title='20000 Leagues Under the Seas';
$pdf->SetTitle($title);
$pdf->SetAuthor('Jules Verne');
$pdf->PrintChapter(1,'A RUNAWAY REEF','20k_c1.txt');
$pdf->PrintChapter(2,'THE PROS AND CONS','20k_c2.txt');
$pdf->Output();
?>

The key method used is AcceptPageBreak(). It allows to accept or not an automatic page break. By refusing it and altering the margin and current position, the desired column layout is achieved.
For the rest, not much change; two properties have been added to the class to save the current column number and the position where columns begin, and the MultiCell() call specifies a 6 centimeter width.