Question

VFP9 Set Print command does not work

Asked by: jgbreeden

I have read that VFP 9 has a problem with the Set Print command.  I am wondering if anyone has found any other solutions.

The problem is, if you have more than one printer, and you want to print to the one that is not the default printer, in most cases the Set Print command does nothing, and your output goes to the default printer.

I have a report that was written in VFP8 that prints to a receipt printer.  After compiling in VFP9, it still works fine.  But if I try to modify anything on that report, and then recompile, it will fail to set the printer.  I checked the environ field in the first record of the frx file and it is still set to F.

I read one thread on foxite.com about using the WinAPI's to reset the Windows default printer, then print the report, then reset it back.  I'd rather not do that, since the only reason I was modifying this report was to speed it up by replacing graphics with text, since VFP9 is significantly slower than VFP8,  and I am concerned that resetting Windows will be even slower.

I have also read some people get different responses if they use GetPrinter or Prompt, but I don't want to use either.  Has anyone found a better solution?

IF PRTINFO(1,cPrinter) < 0 then
	MESSAGEBOX("Receipt printer not defined", 0)
ELSE
	set print to name [&cPrinter]
	report form "tickrep" TO PRINTER 
ENDIF

                                  
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Asked On
2009-09-04 at 18:05:47ID24709284
Tags

vfp

,

foxpro

Topic

FoxPro Database

Participating Experts
2
Points
500
Comments
3

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Answers

 

by: jrbbldrPosted on 2009-09-04 at 21:09:58ID: 25264912

"I am wondering if anyone has found any other solutions."

"I read one thread on foxite.com about using the WinAPI's to reset the Windows default printer, then print the report, then reset it back"

Sure - regardless of your concerns use Windows scripting
    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=C717D943-7E4B-4622-86EB-95A22B832CAA&displaylang=en
to temporarily change the Windows default printer and then return it to the original after the print job is done.

Something like:
* ==================================================
mcFRXFile = <desired VFP Report Form>

* --- Determine Existing Default Windows Printer ---
lcDefaultPrinter =  SET("PRINTER",2)

* --- Use APRINTERS() To Determine What Printers Available on this Workstation ---
=APRINTERS(gaPrinters)

* --- Determine if Desired Printer Installed ---
nLoc = ASCAN(gaPrinters,"Image Printer")
IF nLoc > 0
   * --- Use Windows Scripting To Set Default Printer To New Image Printer ---
  lcNewPrinter = "Image Printer"
  ONET = CREATEOBJECT("WScript.Network")
  ONET.SetDefaultPrinter(lcNewPrinter)

  SET PRINTER TO NAME (lcNewPrinter)

  * --- "Print" Report Form To Image Printer  ---
  SELECT RptFile
  REPORT FORM (mcFRXFile) TO PRINTER NOCONSOLE

  * --- When Done Printing - Use Windows Scripting To Restore Original Default Printer ---
  ONET.SetDefaultPrinter(lcDefaultPrinter)
  RELEASE ONET

  SET PRINTER TO NAME (lcDefaultPrinter)
ELSE  && IF nLoc > 0
  WAIT WINDOW "Image Printer Not Installed" TIMEOUT 4
ENDIF  && IF nLoc > 0
* ==================================================

Try it out for yourself.  It executes fast enough for me and hopefully it will for you too.

Good Luck

 

by: mikegagnonPosted on 2009-09-06 at 04:27:30ID: 25269467

You can also try this (if you do not want to switch the windows printer)

SET PRINTER TO DEFAULT
SET PRINTER TO "&value"

 

by: jgbreedenPosted on 2009-09-07 at 11:29:04ID: 25276600

jrbbldr, you are correct, I'm not seeing any degradation in performance using Win APIs.  I should have realized that is probably the only thing that doesn't get worse with each update from micorsoft.

I guess I'll just have to live with the overall degradation of VFP9.  Pardon my whining, I'm just getting more and more disappointed with ms.

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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