Printing to printer instead of file or archive

rbuser

I have a main report with 10 different sub reports which I load dynamically
at run time. Because some are portait while others are landscape, I have
them as section style with NewPrintJob set to true.

Whenever I print to a file, be it an archive or using the TextraDevices, I
get the file ouput but the report also goes to the printer. What am I doing
wrong? I have my allowprinttofile and allowprinttoarchive set to true. Also
if there is a better way to do this, please let me know. My code is below.

procedure TMainForm.previewButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
buildReports('Screen');
end;

procedure TMainForm.printButtonClick(Sender: TObject);
begin
buildReports('Printer');
end;

procedure TMainForm.buildReports(mode : String);
var
r : cRpt;
i : integer;

begin
... checking for valid selections

if MyReportList.count > 1 then begin
mainReport.Template.FileName := curDrive +
'\ctrus\reports\projmgr\db\emptyReport.rtm';
mainReport.template.LoadFromFile;
disableSubReports; //turns all subreports invisible initially

for i := 0 to MyReportList.Items.Count-1 do begin
r := rptList.getInfo(myReportList.items.strings[i]);
if r = nil then continue;
if not FileExists(r.rptPath) then continue;

case i of
0: begin rpt1.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt1.template.loadFromFile; Report1.visible := True;end;
1: begin rpt2.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt2.template.loadFromFile; Report2.visible := True;end;
2: begin rpt3.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt3.template.loadFromFile; Report3.visible := True;end;
3: begin rpt4.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt4.template.loadFromFile; Report4.visible := True;end;
4: begin rpt5.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt5.template.loadFromFile; Report5.visible := True;end;
5: begin rpt6.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt6.template.loadFromFile; Report6.visible := True;end;
6: begin rpt7.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt7.template.loadFromFile; Report7.visible := True;end;
7: begin rpt8.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt8.template.loadFromFile; Report8.visible := True;end;
8: begin rpt9.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt9.template.loadFromFile; Report9.visible := True;end;
9: begin rpt10.template.filename := r.rptPath;
rpt10.template.loadFromFile; Report10.visible := True;end;
end;

end; //end of report loop

mainReport.AllowPrintToFile := True;
//show the report
mainReport.DeviceType := mode;
mainReport.PrintReport;
end;

end;



Thanks in advance,

Karen

digitalmetaphors

If you want to print and have the report automatically create the device
based on the Report.DeviceType, then call Report.Print. If you want to print
the report to a specfic device that you create, then you have to call
Report.PrintToDevices after you assign the Report.Publisher to the device
object you instantiate.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Jim,

It didn't used to be that complicated. If you clicked, print to file, and
using Walers ExtraDev, selected PDF - the file only was output to pdf
format. Now it not only goes to PDF, but to the printer as well. I was
wondering if it was because of some way I had setup my subreports.

Karen

digitalmetaphors

It shouldn't be that complicated. All you should have to do is select
PDFFile for the report's device type in the OI, or use the print dialog, and
then when the print dialog closes it should print to file, not also print to
the printer. It shouln't print to two devices as a result of a call to
Report.Print. If it is doing this, then send us an example that shows this
problem (support@digital-metaphors.com). Otherwise, to see what the problem
is with the device creation, then change your library path to point to
RBuilder/Source and place a breakpoint in ppProd.pas in the PrintToPrinter
routine to see which device it is trying to create.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

I was able to duplicate this using a small sample program. I sent it to
address you specified. Please let me know what I am doing wrong or if it is
a bug. I had to recompile the Walers ExtraDevices with the change you made
to 7.02, but the problem also occurs with the Report Builders Archive
function.

Thanks,

Karen

digitalmetaphors

One of your subreports is set to StartNewPrintJob = True. This will cause
the subreport to create a new printer device and it will print to the
printer, even though the main report is printing to another device, such as
a file device. Toggle this property to keep the subreports from printing to
the printer.


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

I listed this in my initial post to you asking if it was the problem.

My problem is that I have a combination of landscape and portrait reports
and any combination can be selected by the user. Don't you have a way to
use the same device, but allow the page orientation to change?

Thanks,

Karen