TppReportTextFileDevice Advise

rbuser

Hello All:

I have reviewed Demo # 107 in an attempt to print a report using
TppReportTextFileDevice.

My report is about 18 inches long and 11 inches wide. Under windows 2000
I cannot get it to print using the normal ppReport1 component. It prints
great under Windows 98 using ppReport1.

My code to print the report is as follows:

ppReport1.AllowPrintToFile:=True;
ppReport1.TextFileName:='C:\_NH\Temp.txt';
ppReport1.DeviceType:='dtPrinter';
ppReport1.ShowPrintDialog:=True;
if (ppReport1.FileDevice <> nil) and
(ppReport1.FileDevice is TppReportTextFileDevice)then
begin
lDevice := TppReportTextFileDevice(ppReport1.FileDevice);
{132 characters per line, 132 lines per page}
lDevice.CharacterGrid(132, 132);
end;
ppReport1.Print;


Questions:

1) Is this code doing anything different than a simple ppReport1.Print
( it appears to work ) ???

2) Does this bypass the printer driver ???

3) In order to get the length of the form to work, I used the
lDevice.CharacterGrid(132, 132) command. What are the limitations of the
parameters - specifically the length in lines ( ie is it limited in length
by printer driver parameters ) ???

4) Is there a way for me to eliminate using the printshow dialog using
the TppTextFIleDevice method ( can I simply make ShowPrintDialog=False ) ???

Thank you very much.



Neil Huhta
Profit Monster Data Systems LLC

nardmoseley

1. You need to move the following code to the Report.BeforePrint event.
The Report.FileDevice will return nil until it is created by the
Report.Print method.

if (ppReport1.FileDevice <> nil) and
(ppReport1.FileDevice is TppReportTextFileDevice)then
begin
lDevice := TppReportTextFileDevice(ppReport1.FileDevice);
{132 characters per line, 132 lines per page}
lDevice.CharacterGrid(132, 132);
end;


2. If you want to set Report.ShowPrintDialog to False, then you need set
the Report.DeviceType to dtReportTextFile:

uses
ppTypes;

Report.DeviceType := dtReportTextFile;

3. The Report.PrinterSetup properties for margins, paper size etc. are
always used by RB. And the printer driver is always used to measure text
etc - unless you set Report.PrinterName to 'Screen'.

4. When you send the .txt file to the printer then the printer driver
will be used.