title: ReportLab LayoutError: too large on page
body: <p>I'm doing my first program using ReportLab where I don't know in advance where the page breaks will fall and I'm having trouble.  To keep things simple I'm using the <code>SimpleDocTemplate</code>.  My flowables look something like this:</p>
  
  <pre><code>flowables = [Paragraph("Some title", style=headerParagraphStyle),
               Spacer(0, 10),
               Paragraph("first paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               Paragraph("second paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               ...
               Paragraph("nth paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               PageBreak(),
               Paragraph("Some title", style=headerParagraphStyle),
               Spacer(0, 10),
               Paragraph("first paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               Paragraph("second paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               ...
               Paragraph("mth paragraph", style=bodyParagraphStyle),
               PageBreak(),
               ...]
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When I build my PDF everything goes fine so long as my <code>n</code> or <code>m</code> or however many body paragraphs fit on one page, but if they run over, I get an error like the following:</p>
  
  <pre><code>reportlab.platypus.doctemplate.LayoutError: Flowable &lt;Paragraph at 0xb79800 frame=normal&gt;20th paragraph: too large on page 3
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Can't seem to find a good reason for why this keeps happening to me.  Any suggestions?  It does this even if I remove the PageBreaks().  All of the paragraphs are relatively short, mostly less than one sentence/line across.</p>
  
  <p><strong>ETA:</strong> I'm posting all of the code (with minor identifiers stripped) that is generating the error for me.  I've converted it to read a CSV file, so I've posted its contents, too.  The exact error that this code generates for me when I run it is:</p>
  
  <pre>
  Traceback (most recent call last):
    File "./spice_dev.py", line 355, in 
      departmentReportDoc.build(eachDepartment.report, onFirstPage=onReportPage, onLaterPages=onReportPage)
    File "/usr/local/lib/python2.6/site-packages/reportlab/platypus/doctemplate.py", line 1010, in build
      BaseDocTemplate.build(self,flowables, canvasmaker=canvasmaker)
    File "/usr/local/lib/python2.6/site-packages/reportlab/platypus/doctemplate.py", line 777, in build
      self.handle_flowable(flowables)
    File "/usr/local/lib/python2.6/site-packages/reportlab/platypus/doctemplate.py", line 694, in handle_flowable
      raise LayoutError(ident)
  reportlab.platypus.doctemplate.LayoutError: Flowable Additional comments and suggestions for improvement: too large on page 3
  </pre>
  
  <p>Some debugging work shows that the error is a result of this paragraph (although it can be other flowables, depending on content length) trying to split, being postponed, and then still not able to be split after the call to <code>handle_frameEnd()</code>.  Suggestions?</p>
  
  <p>spice.py:</p>
  
  <pre><code>#!/usr/local/bin/python
  # vim: set fileencoding=latin-1
  
  #import csv
  import os
  import os.path
  import time
  
  import numpy
  import scipy.stats._support
  
  #for debugging
  import sys
  import traceback
  
  # imports for reportlab
  
  from reportlab.platypus import *
  from reportlab.lib.styles import ParagraphStyle
  from reportlab.lib.pagesizes import LETTER, landscape, portrait
  from reportlab.lib.units import inch
  from reportlab.lib import colors
  from reportlab.pdfgen import canvas
  from reportlab.lib.enums import *
  
  ##########################
  ####### Constants ########
  ##########################
  
  kNumberOfQuestions = 4
  
  ##########################
  ####### Reportlab ########
  ##########################
  
  def _doNothing(canv, doc):
      pass
  
  headerParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Header", fontName="Helvetica-Bold", fontSize=16, spaceAfter = .05*inch, alignment=TA_CENTER)
  header2ParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Header2", fontName="Helvetica-Bold", fontSize=14, spaceAfter = .1*inch, spaceBefore=.5*inch, alignment=TA_CENTER)
  subheaderInfoParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Subheader Info", fontName="Helvetica-Bold", fontSize=10, alignment=TA_CENTER)
  questionParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Question header", fontName="Helvetica-Bold", fontSize = 10, alignment=TA_LEFT)
  commentParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Comment", fontName="Helvetica", fontSize = 10, alignment=TA_LEFT)
  instructorParagraphStyle = ParagraphStyle("Instructor Header", fontName="Helvetica", fontSize=10, alignment=TA_LEFT)
  basicTableStyle = TableStyle(
          [('FONT', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 'Helvetica-Bold', 9),
           ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 'CENTER'),
           ('LINEBELOW', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 1, colors.black),
           ('INNERGRID', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 1, colors.black),
           ('FONT', (0, 1), (-1, -1), 'Helvetica', 9),
           ('ALIGN', (0, 1), (-1, 1), 'LEFT'),
           ('ALIGN', (1, 1), (-1, -1), 'CENTER'),
           ('LINEAFTER', (0, 1), (0, -1), 1, colors.black),
           ('LINEBEFORE', (1, 1), (-1, -1), 1, colors.black),
           ('ROWBACKGROUNDS', (0, 1), (-1, -1), (colors.white, (.9, .9, .9))),
           ('TOPPADDING', (1, 1), (-1, -1), 8)
          ])
  statTableStyle = TableStyle(
          [('FONT', (0, 0), (0, -1), 'Helvetica-Bold', 9),
           ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (0, -1), 'RIGHT'),
           ('INNERGRID', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 1, colors.black),
           ('FONT', (1, 0), (1, -1), 'Helvetica', 9),
           ('ALIGN', (1, 0), (1, -1), 'LEFT')
          ])
  headerTableStyle = TableStyle(
          [('FONT', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 'Helvetica', 8),
           ('FONT', (0, 1), (-1, 1), 'Helvetica-Bold', 8),
           ('ALIGN', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 'CENTER'),
           ('LINEBELOW', (0, 0), (-1, 0), 1, colors.black),
           ('LINEAFTER', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 20, colors.white),
           ('LEFTPADDING', (0,0), (-1, -1), 15),
           ('RIGHTPADDING', (0, 0), (-1, -1), 15)
          ])
  
  ##########################
  ######## Classes #########
  ##########################
  
  class Course:
      def __init__(self):
          self.prefix = ""
          self.number = ""
          self.section = ""
          self.instructor = ""
          self.email = ""
          self.name = "None Found"
          self.enrollment = 0
          self.semester = ""
          self.report = [] # subreport for the course
          self.dataFile = []
  
      def __repr__(self):
          return self.prefix + " " + self.number + " " + self.section + " " + self.instructor
  
  class Instructor:
      def __init__(self):
          self.name = ""
          self.email = ""
          self.courses = dict([])
          self.report = []
          self.dataFile = []
  
      def __repr__(self):
          return self.name + " " + self.email
  
  class Department:
      def __init__(self):
          self.name = ""
          self.instructors = dict([]) #contains Instructor objects
          self.report = [] #subreport for the department
          self.dataFile = []
  
      def __repr__(self):
          return self.name
  
  class College:
      def __init__(self):
          self.name = ""
          self.departments = dict([]) #contains Department objects
          self.report = [] #subreport for the college
          self.dataFile = []
  
      def __repr__(self):
          return self.name + ":" + `self.departments`
  
  class University:
      def __init__(self):
          self.name = ""
          self.colleges = dict([]) #contains College objects
  
      def __repr__(self):
          return self.name + ":" + `self.colleges`
  
  #########################
  ### Utility Functions ###
  #########################
  
  def onReportPage(canv, doc):
      #display general info at the top of every page
      canv.setFont('Courier', 10)
      canv.drawString(inch, 10.5*inch, "Wassamata U")
      canv.drawString(inch, 10.35*inch, "Student Comments")
  
      canv.drawString(5.75*inch, 10.5*inch, "Year/Term:  " + uSemesterYear + "/" + uSemesterTerm)
      canv.drawString(5.75*inch, 10.35*inch, " Semester:  " + `semesterNumber`)
  
  def xmlify(text):
      return text.replace('&amp;','&amp;amp;').replace('&lt;','&amp;lt;').replace('&gt;','&amp;gt;')
  
  def semesterDescription(semesterNumber):
      # reference semester is Spring 1964, i.e. semester 0
      semesterNumber = semesterNumber / 10
      year = `1964 + (semesterNumber / 3)`
      term = "Spring"
      if semesterNumber % 3 == 1:
          term = "Summer"
      elif semesterNumber % 3 == 2:
          term = "Fall"
  
      return year, term
  
  #########################
  ######### Main ##########
  #########################
  
  # set up some options
  # should have a ui later
  
  # ugly, but quick
  # used to get them on the top of every page
  global uSemesterYear
  global uSemesterTerm
  
  print "\n"
  
  university = University()
  university.name = "Wassamata U"
  
  commentsFile = open("spireport2.csv", "rb").read()
  commentRecords = commentsFile.split("ô\r\n")
  commentsArray = []
  for commentRecord in commentRecords:
      commentsArray.append(commentRecord.split("æ"))
  commentsArray.pop()
  
  print "Reading in the SPI file"
  #read in data from file
  for row in commentsArray:
      #print row
      # college
      currentCollege = university.colleges.get(row[0])
      if currentCollege == None:
          currentCollege = College()
          currentCollege.name = row[0].replace("/", " ")
          university.colleges[row[0]] = currentCollege
  
      #department
      currentDepartment = currentCollege.departments.get(row[1])
      if currentDepartment == None:
          currentDepartment = Department()
          currentDepartment.name = row[1].replace("/", " ")
          currentCollege.departments[row[1]] = currentDepartment
  
      #instructor
      currentInstructor = currentDepartment.instructors.get(row[2] + row[3])
      if currentInstructor == None:
          currentInstructor = Instructor()
          currentInstructor.name = row[3].replace("/", " ")
          currentInstructor.email = row[2].replace("/", " ")
          currentDepartment.instructors[row[2] + row[3]] = currentInstructor
  
      #course
      currentCourse = currentInstructor.courses.get(row[5] + row[6] + row[7])
      if currentCourse == None:
          currentCourse = Course()
          currentCourse.prefix = row[5][:3]
          currentCourse.number = row[5][3:]
          currentCourse.section = row[6]
          currentCourse.instructor = row[3]
          currentCourse.email = row[2]
          currentCourse.name = row[4]
          currentCourse.semester = row[7]
          currentCourse.enrollment = int(row[8])
          currentInstructor.courses[row[5] + row[6] + row[7]] = currentCourse
  
      data = row[9:9+kNumberOfQuestions]
  
      currentCollege.dataFile.append(data) #split the data file by college for later
      currentInstructor.dataFile.append(data)
      currentDepartment.dataFile.append(data)
      currentCourse.dataFile.append(data)
  
  semesterNumber = int(university.colleges.values()[0].departments.values()[0].instructors.values()[0].courses.values()[0].semester)
  uSemesterYear, uSemesterTerm = semesterDescription(semesterNumber)
  
  reportDocContent = []
  
  print "Processing the SPI comments"
  
  for eachCollege in university.colleges.values():
      print "\tProcessing " + eachCollege.name
      collegeReportStartingIndex = len(reportDocContent)
  
      reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 100))
      reportDocContent.append(Paragraph("Student comments for " + eachCollege.name, headerParagraphStyle))
      reportDocContent.append(PageBreak())
  
      for eachDepartment in eachCollege.departments.values():
          print "\t\tProcessing " + eachDepartment.name
          departmentReportStartingIndex = len(reportDocContent)
  
          reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 100))
          reportDocContent.append(Paragraph("Student comments for " + eachDepartment.name, headerParagraphStyle))
          reportDocContent.append(PageBreak())
  
          for eachInstructor in eachDepartment.instructors.values():
              print "\t\t\tProcessing " + eachInstructor.name
              instructorReportStartingIndex = len(reportDocContent)
  
              reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 100))
              reportDocContent.append(Paragraph("Student comments for " + eachInstructor.name + ", " + eachInstructor.email, headerParagraphStyle))
              reportDocContent.append(PageBreak())
  
              for eachCourse in eachInstructor.courses.values():
                  courseReportStartingIndex = len(reportDocContent)
  
                  reportDocContent.append(Paragraph("&lt;para leftIndent=54&gt;&lt;b&gt;Instructor Name:&lt;/b&gt;  " + eachCourse.instructor + "&lt;/para&gt;", instructorParagraphStyle))
                  reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 10))
  
                  headerTableContent1 = [[eachDepartment.name + "/" + eachCollege.name, eachCourse.prefix + eachCourse.number + eachCourse.section, eachCourse.name], ["Department/School", "Course-Section Number", "Course Name"]] 
                  headerTableContent2 = [[eachCourse.enrollment if eachCourse.enrollment &gt; 0 else "Unknown",
                                          len(eachCourse.dataFile),
                                          ("%.2f" % (float(len(eachCourse.dataFile))/eachCourse.enrollment*100) if eachCourse.enrollment != 0 else "0.00")],
                                         ["Number of Students Enrolled", "Number Responding", "% of Response"]]
                  reportDocContent.append(Table(headerTableContent1, style=headerTableStyle))
                  reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 10))
                  reportDocContent.append(Table(headerTableContent2, style=headerTableStyle))
  
                  i = 0
                  for i in range(0, kNumberOfQuestions):
                      question = ""
                      if i == 0:
                          question = "The thing(s) I like the MOST about this course:"
                      elif i == 1:
                          question = "The thing(s) I like the LEAST about this course:"
                      elif i == 2:
                          question = "What is your reaction to the method of evaluating your mastery of the course (i.e., testing, grading, out of class assignments (term papers), instructor feedback, etc.):"
                      elif i == 3:
                          question = "Additional comments and suggestions for improvement:"
  
                      reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 10))
                      reportDocContent.append(Paragraph(question, style=questionParagraphStyle))
                      reportDocContent.append(Spacer(0, 5))
  
                      commentParagraph = ""
                      for comments in eachCourse.dataFile:
                          if comments[i] != "":
                              commentParagraph += unicode(comments[i], 'latin-1') + "&lt;br/&gt;"
                      reportDocContent.append(Paragraph(commentParagraph, style=commentParagraphStyle))
  
                  eachCourse.report = reportDocContent[courseReportStartingIndex:]
                  reportDocContent.append(PageBreak())
  
              eachInstructor.report = reportDocContent[instructorReportStartingIndex:]
  
          eachDepartment.report = reportDocContent[departmentReportStartingIndex:]
  
      eachCollege.report = reportDocContent[collegeReportStartingIndex:]
  
  # build directory structure to put reports in
  for eachCollege in university.colleges.values():
      if (not os.path.exists(eachCollege.name)):
          os.mkdir(eachCollege.name)
      for eachDepartment in eachCollege.departments.values():
          if (not os.path.exists(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name))):
              os.mkdir(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name))
          for eachInstructor in eachDepartment.instructors.values():
              if (not os.path.exists(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name, eachInstructor.name + " - " + eachInstructor.email))):
                  os.mkdir(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name, eachInstructor.name + " - " + eachInstructor.email))
  
  print "Building Comments Report PDFs"
  for eachCollege in university.colleges.values():
      print "\tBuilding Comments Report for " + eachCollege.name
  
      collegeReportDoc = SimpleDocTemplate(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachCollege.name + " SPI Comments Report.pdf"), pagesize=portrait(LETTER), allowSplitting=1)
      collegeReportDoc.leftMargin = .25*inch
      collegeReportDoc.rightMargin = .25*inch
      collegeReportDoc.bottomMargin = .25*inch
  
      collegeReportDoc.build(eachCollege.report, onFirstPage=onReportPage, onLaterPages=onReportPage)
  
      for eachDepartment in eachCollege.departments.values():
          print "\t\tBuilding Comments Report for " + eachDepartment.name
  
          departmentReportDoc = SimpleDocTemplate(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name, eachDepartment.name + " SPI Comments Report.pdf"), pagesize=portrait(LETTER), allowSplitting=1)
          departmentReportDoc.leftMargin = .25*inch
          departmentReportDoc.rightMargin = .25*inch
          departmentReportDoc.bottomMargin = .25*inch
  
  #       import pdb; pdb.set_trace()
          departmentReportDoc.build(eachDepartment.report, onFirstPage=onReportPage, onLaterPages=onReportPage)
  
          print "\t\t\tBuilding Comments Reports for individual instructors"
          for eachInstructor in eachDepartment.instructors.values():
              instructorReportDoc = SimpleDocTemplate(os.path.join(eachCollege.name, eachDepartment.name, eachInstructor.name + " - " + eachInstructor.email, eachInstructor.name + " SPI Comments Report.pdf"), pagesize=portrait(LETTER), allowSplitting=1)
              instructorReportDoc.leftMargin = .25*inch
              instructorReportDoc.rightMargin = .25*inch
              instructorReportDoc.bottomMargin = .25*inch
  
              instructorReportDoc.build(eachInstructor.report, onFirstPage=onReportPage, onLaterPages=onReportPage)
  #we do this one last because it's the biggest; otherwise it'd be at the beginning of the pdf report generation process
  print "\tBuilding SPI Report for University"
  reportDoc = SimpleDocTemplate("SPI Comments Report.pdf", pagesize=portrait(LETTER), allowSplitting=1)
  reportDoc.leftMargin = .25*inch
  reportDoc.rightMargin = .25*inch
  reportDoc.bottomMargin = .25*inch
  
  reportDoc.build(reportDocContent, onFirstPage=onReportPage, onLaterPages=onReportPage)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>spireport2.csv:</p>
  
  <pre>
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æsample commentsææi like itæô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205æone with a line break; let's see what happensæææweird charactèrs  áÈ-{ô
  College of Health & Public AffæCriminal Justice/Legal Studiesæsample@mail.comæAn InstructoræFOUNDATIONS OF LAW ENFORCEMENTæCJE5021æ0001æ1370æ   7ææææô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205ææææô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205ææææô
  College of Health & Public AffæHealth Info Mgmtæexample@example.comæAn InstructoræMEDICAL TERMINOLOGYæHSC3537æ0M01æ1370æ 205ææææô
  College of Arts & HumanitiesæEnglishæspam@me.comæAn InstructoræHARLEM, HAITI, AND HAVANAæAML3615æ0001æ1370æ  35ææææô
  College of Arts & HumanitiesæEnglishæspam@me.comæAn InstructoræCONT AMERICAN WOMEN S FICTIONæAML3283æ0001æ1370æ  35ææææô
  College of Arts & HumanitiesæEnglishæspam@me.comæAn InstructoræPOST-WORLD WAR II FICTIONæLIT4303æ0M01æ1370æ  32ææææô
  College of Arts & HumanitiesæEnglishæbill@gates.comæAn InstructoræMAJOR AMERICAN AUTHORSæAML4300æ0001æ1370æ  33ææææô
  College of Arts & HumanitiesæEnglishæspam@me.comæAn InstructoræPRACTICAL CRITICISMæENG3010æ0001æ1370æ  36ææææô
  </pre>