How To...Print to the Printer and File Device

Question 

"How do I print my report to the printer and a file device (PDF, Text, etc.) at the same time?" 

Solution

Use the TppReport.OnPrintDialogClose event to create the file device and assign its Publisher and PageRequest property to the report's.

Download: PrintToPrinterAndArchive.zip 
                  PrinterToPrinterAndPDF.zip
                  PrintToPrinterAndTextFile.zip 

Sample Delphi code:

uses
  ppPDFDevice;

procedure TForm1.ppReport1PrintDialogClose(Sender: TObject);
begin
  //Create the file device and assign its publisher and PageRequest properties.
  if (ppReport1.PrintDialog.ModalResult = mrOK) then
    AddPDFDevice(ppReport1, TppPageRequest(ppReport1.PrintDialog.PageRequest));

end;

procedure TForm1.AddPDFDevice(aReport: TppReport; aPageRequest: TppPageRequest);
begin
  FPDFDevice := TppPDFDevice.Create(nil);
  FPDFDevice.Publisher := aReport.Publisher;
  FPDFDevice.FileName := TppFileUtils.GetApplicationFilePath + 'Test.pdf';
  FPDFDevice.PageRequest := aPageRequest;

end;

procedure TForm1.ppReport1PrintingComplete(Sender: TObject);
begin
  FPDFDevice.Free;
  FPDFDevice := nil;

end;