# Question about pdf/writer **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [November 8, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636 "2007-11-08T20:09:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/1 "2007-11-08T20:09:24Z")
hey there all, i am using ruby to make some pdf charts, but there is also a data table i need to put in there. i am using pdf/writer and so far so good, but i can’t find anywhere that i can change the color of the table text. Anyone help me out on this? thanks ---
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 1:15am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/2 "2007-11-09T01:15:03Z")
On 11/8/07, shawn bright [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > i am using ruby to make some pdf charts, but there is also a data table i > need to put in there. > i am using pdf/writer and so far so good, but i can’t find anywhere that i > can change the color of the table text. > Anyone help me out on this? You do it by changing the fill color prior to starting the table (IIRC). -austin ---
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/3 "2007-11-09T16:15:37Z")
On Nov 8, 6:00 pm, Austin Z. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > ## -austin > > Austin Z. \* removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid \*[http://www.halostatue.ca/](http://www.halostatue.ca/) > \* removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid \*[You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike. // halo • statue](http://www.halostatue.ca/feed/) > \* removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid Right, thanks Austin, sorry. I did not ask my question very clearly. I need to be able to make one row of text one color, the next row of text another color, etc… This i can’t find out how to do. All of it needs to be in the same table. ---
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 5:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/4 "2007-11-09T17:12:25Z")
On Nov 9, 10:10 am, nephish [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Right, thanks Austin, sorry. I did not ask my question very clearly. I > need to be able to make one row of text one color, the next row of > text another color, etc… This i can’t find out how to do. All of it > needs to be in the same table. You can get alternating row colors with SimpleTable, but that’s about all… These are the shade\_color and shade\_color2 attributes. If you have more questions about this or other things you encounter in PDF::Writer, please join our mailing list. I have trouble keeping up on RubyTalk these days 🙂 [http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/ruby-pdf-discuss](http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/ruby-pdf-discuss) Also, as an aside, as of ruport-util 0.9, you might get a lot of love out of Ruport for this kind of thing, if you’re willing to poke around a bit. -greg ---
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 5:26pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/5 "2007-11-09T17:26:27Z")
On Nov 9, 10:08 am, Gregory B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > current implementation) to set text color for individual rows. > Patches welcome though! ok, gents, thanks for all your help, will keep poking around. Would love to help with patches, maybe will some day, but am still a newbie. Thanks again sk ---
**Author:** ![nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/8e7dd6/32.png) [@nephish](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/nephish)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2007, 5:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/question-about-pdf-writer/119636/6 "2007-11-09T17:13:35Z")
On Nov 9, 11:07 am, Gregory B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > On Nov 9, 10:10 am, nephish [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Right, thanks Austin, sorry. I did not ask my question very clearly. I > > need to be able to make one row of text one color, the next row of > > text another color, etc… This i can’t find out how to do. All of it > > needs to be in the same table. Whoops, I misunderstood. I don’t think it will be possible (with the current implementation) to set text color for individual rows. Patches welcome though!