some special printers, like Zebra label printers, are using a special proramming language like ZPL II. This allows a very flexible printing for graphs, formatting and barcodes. To combine these features with the power of an report builder will be an useful issue.
We routinely send printer codes to a printer. However, we do it either before or after the ReportBuilder report has printed.
We use escape codes to reverse the platton when a printer advances the paper too far.
You must use a specific windows API call WritePrinter and its associated calls to send the data directly to the printer.
For more info do a Search on the newsgroups under RawPrint and look for Joe Hechts RawPrint unit. It encapsulates this API. You can build wrapper controls around Joes API calls and build quite a few useful routines.
If you want some examples, I have a routine which sends Epson FX printer control codes to a printer. I'd be glad to send it along.
Comments
This is Windows not DOS, I don't think it's possible (and furthermore not
neccesary IMO).
What do you want to achieve?
regards,
Chris Ueberall;
some special printers, like Zebra label printers, are using
a special proramming language like ZPL II.
This allows a very flexible printing for graphs, formatting
and barcodes.
To combine these features with the power of an report builder
will be an useful issue.
cu
Axel
I haven't done it myself, but what about using the report's BeforePrint
event to send the escape sequences to the printer?
Some info on how to send those can be found at
http://www.gnomehome.demon.nl/uddf/pages/printer.htm
--
elektronik-labor Carls GmbH & Co. KG
Stefan Paege
Kontakt: +49 (0)5973 9497-23 Fax: +49 (0)5973 9497-19
We routinely send printer codes to a printer. However, we do it either
before or after the ReportBuilder report has printed.
We use escape codes to reverse the platton when a printer advances the
paper too far.
You must use a specific windows API call WritePrinter and its associated
calls to send the data directly to the printer.
For more info do a Search on the newsgroups under RawPrint and look for
Joe Hechts RawPrint unit. It encapsulates this API. You can build wrapper
controls around Joes API calls and build quite a few useful routines.
If you want some examples, I have a routine which sends Epson FX
printer control codes to a printer. I'd be glad to send it along.
Neil Huhta
Profit Monster Data Systems LLC