asked on

Printing and the WWW

What's the state of printing via the web? Are there any languages that have printer accesss routines? I want to put a print button on a page and have it run a command and print the output. Is this possible now? I couldn't find any Javascript routines to do it. How about Java? Just looking for some general discussions on printing and the web. (without having to use the browser's File | Print option) You know how users want to just click on a button and have magic happen!

Thanks

wspoulin

ASKER

Thanks for the comment. Some of this is definately a user knowlege/comfort issue.

But, one limitation of the browsers print is that it only prints what is on the page. I am only showing them a subset of the information. When they like what they see of this subset, they want to print the full dataset. The only way to do this currently, is to bring them to another page, dump the full dataset to this page and then they can click on print.

Having a print button on the first page would be faster and eliminate extra clicking, which they just can't seem to stand!

Any comments on Java's ability to do this?

wspoulin

ASKER

Thanks for your input martike. I guess I know that there is no way (yet) to do what I want, but I need confirmation. I'm hoping there will be a java-way to do it.

kollegov

Sorry Java JDK 1.0x do not support printing
JDK 1.1x have some support but only
for applet itself, not for page in browser.
(and only one browser, HOTJava, completly supports JDK1.1 applets)

On other hand most browsers do not support ANY java
functions which can be a little bit
dangerous.

I tryed break through with posting
events containing browser hot-keys
and routing it to browser from Java and from JavaScript
with no luck :(

I believe there is no way to access browser's
functions. Otherwise it mean breakthrough security
Suppose you will find way to print today,
Suppose other smart man will find how
It can so be used to print in file instead of printer :)
And will replace your autoexec.bat :)

wspoulin

ASKER

kollegov,

when you say JDK 1.1x supports applet printing, does this mean I could run a system command in the applet and have the output go to the printer? This is my ultimate goal, no matter what is displayed on the page. I would like a print button that runs a command and sends it's output to the printer.

wendy

itamar

I have heard about Netscape proposed some print method in HTML/JavaScript just like that to W3C.
I think it worths to be checked...

itamar

Check it on:
http://developer.netscape.com/library/documentation/communicator/jsguide/methods.htm#1008686

It's not exactly what you want, but it's a beginning...

itamar

I think it's a good answer for now.
If you think so, reject the previous answer so i can place my comment as an answer to be graded.
Thanks,

Nathan Stanford Sr

What about using Perl to send a printable text file or is this a formated file even then it could format to some degree what is the file it would be printing?

If you need help email me
nathan@cyberservices.com - Home
nathan_stanford@cabp.com - Work
A True Perl N. u T.

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itamar

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