Direct LPT port Printing

rbuser

Can you print direct to an LPT port with ReportBuilder?

RB 11 Server / Delphi 2007.

Thanks.

nicocizik

Hi Jon,

What exactly are you trying to accomplish? ReportBuilder uses the Windows
API to communicate with the printer driver which in turn communicates with
the printer itself. It is possible to manually send ESC commands to the
printer using the TppPCL class provided in the ppPCL.pas file.

Perhaps a little more information on your project will help us understand
how to help.

--
Regards,

Nico Cizik
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com

rbuser

Direct printing to the port is to support bar code printers. The ESC
codes need to go direct to the port without any additional formatting.

We have done this in the past by using the MODE command to redirect the
LPT port to the serial port and printing direct to the LPT port where it
ends up on the serial printer.

Using the windows print driver bypasses the mode command redirect.

nardmoseley

RB 11 introduced support for sending printer commands directly to the
printer. Windows calls these escape commands.

The Printer.SendEscape method can be called from the
Report.OnDeviceStateChange event. And a TppPCL command library includes
simple to use commands. Example:

myPrinter.SendEscape(TppPCL.JobControl.Copies(3))


The Report.OnPrinterDeviceStateChange event fires while sending pages to the
printer.

uses
ppTypes;

procedure Form1.ppReport1OnPrinterDeviceStateChange(Sender: TObject;
aStateChange: TppDeviceStateChangeType);
begin
if (aStateChange = dsAfterStartPage) then
ppReport1.Printer.SendEscape('some escape code here');

end;


--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
www.digital-metaphors.com