Failure to print correctly

rbuser

Hi:

I have two related problems using Win 98, Delphi 5 Pro, and
RB 7.01 Pro.

First Problem: has been plaguing me for several years, since
rb 3.xx. I am printing a large Bitmap occupying a single
page in landscape. The RB preview looks great; the HP
preview accurately reflexs what will be printed (as it
should!). What is shown on the HP preview is the image in
black & white only (it should be in colour) for a slip
second and then slowly overlaid with total black progressing
like a black cloud over the landscape).

It was a problem with HP and Lexmark to my knowledge with RB
3.xx. With Lexmark, I'm told the image on paper is
correct. My Hp Lazerjet preview still shows a black
rectangle the size of the image I'm sending.

Sending the Bitmap to paper via Delphi's TPrinter works
perfectly. (This workaround is installed in the software I
have on the market - for safety - mine!!).

Obviously I would like to use RB's capabilities particularly
in sending to a .PDF file - the main reason why I moved to
Pro from Stn. - amongst other reasons.

Second Problem: is really frustrating!!!!. I developed an
invoice in which the name and address (4-5 lines) is shown
in a TppShape box. Whereas in RB5.xx stnd all lines called
for were printed on the paper, using RB7.01 pro only first
two (the name and first address lines) are printed. The
preview shows all lines.

The rest of the somewhat complex invoice is accurate.

All or any suggestions gratefully received, Nigel Scott.

digitalmetaphors

Have you tried setting the TppImage.DirectDraw property? Which HP Laserjet
are you using? Can you reproduce it on an HP LJ 4 or 5? If so, then send us
an example report with this image on it and we'll print it on our HP LJ
here. Send it to support@digital-metaphors.com What happens if you generate
the report to an archive file? Does it generate correctly to archive? Can
you then perform a test by using a new small app which has a button and
archive reader to print the report archive file to the printer? Perhaps
there is a resource issue when printing the report to printer from the
larger main application?

Call BringToFront on those text controls or remove the shape as a test. Are
you using an address squeeze such as that shown in our main reports demo
#33? Can you reproduce the problem using our demo #33?

Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

I have a similar problem with some customers using bitmaps. I would be
interested in knowing if the .DirectDraw fixes this--please respond in this
thread.

Thanks!
Ed Dressel
Team DM

rbuser

Hi Jim:

There are some days ...

Problem One:
I should have refered to HP's Deskjet 970Cse in the case a failure to print in
colour the bitmap image. As I had indicated, the HP preview will show the image
in B&W before covering it with black (almost as if copymode := cmBlackness had
not been cancelled somewhere).

The HP Lazerjet 5 works perfectly - always has - albeit in B&W, of course.

Problem Two:
Using the HP's Deskjet 970Cse still is a problem but worse - it is intermitent,
I've come to realize - sometimes OK, sometimes fails to print lines 3 to 5 in
the tppShape box). I tried the reboot with the printing of the invoice as being
the very first action item - no difference. Sometimes, repeating the print from
the RB preview will show correctly. In all the cases, the HP preview (for the
Deskjet will reflect accurately what will be printed - all lines or two lines of
address).
The good old HP Lazerjet 5 never fails!

Sorry about the misinformation in my initial post. I hope I can try your
suggestions as quick as I can - a week or so.

Oh, BTW I have talked to HP over re-loading their driver for the Deskjet - even
reloading a clean copy of Win 98 on a blank HD- 'til I'm blue in the face.
Also the Deskjet has never failed with any other jobs.

Nigel.

digitalmetaphors

Instead of a TppShape, try using a TppRegion and place the memo control in
the region. Perhaps the shape is being rendered on top of the text on the
printer device context making the text disappear. This is not a known issue,
but each driver does behave differently, hence, the HP LJ 5 works correctly.

We have a DJ 970 Cxi. If you would like to send an example, I can test with
that printer as a test. It does sound like a printer driver problem though
and not much to do in that case. It may be that there is a resource leak,
bad info coming back from the printer driver about text heights. however,
until we can run a test here, we can't rule out that it may be a problem
with the text wrapping logic in RB, as it may be a case where the printer
driver is returning bad measurements, but the text wrapping logic should be
able to figure it out if stretch is set to true on the memo control. To be
sure, please send a simple example to support@digital-metaphors.com and we
can test it here to see if we can reproduce the error.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors