Multi-Column Report Issue

[#1]

I am using the Crystal Reports edition bundled with Visual Studio 2005. I have a problem with a multi-column report. It is a two column member directory with family members. It lists the member name, contact info, spouse, and children. I want each family group to stay together, and not break cross a column or a page. Each group may have from 3 to a dozen or so lines.

The family groups will not break across a page (which is good), but they will break across a column (bad). I have tried many combinations of settings to make this work without success.

So I wonder if anyone has seen and resolved this problem, or if perhaps it works better in the full version of Crystal.

[ray_novak]

In some sub-sections, I have checked 'Suppress Blank Section' checked. In others, I have a suppression formula.

Each section has only a single field.

The record set that the report uses has a single row for each person. The sorting and grouping is arranged so that the first record in each family group is the 'main' member. The report displays this person's name, and also shows the sections which include address and phone number info. Subsequent records are for family members (spouse and/or children). For these records, I display the name, but suppress the address and phone sections.

There is also a detail sub-section used as a group header. This group breaks when the first letter of the last name changes, so it an display a single letter heading ("A"). I had tried this as a regular group header too, but it didn't help.

I have tried combining all the sections into a single one with each field on a separate line (which means the section can have some blank space), and also combined into a text box. No luck.

I also have the group itself set to "Keep Together' in the group expert. Doesn't help/