DBMemo disappears on Xerox PCL printer

rbuser

Hello,

This one has me baffled anyway I have a subreport with a header with
fixed text and in the detail a DB Memo connected to a simple data field,
when I print this report on a Xerox 440 enhanced driver the memo disappears,
the fixed text in the subreport header prints.

- I am using reportbuilder 7.0.

- If I replace the DBMemo by a DBText this solves the problem.

- I have tried deleting the DB Memo and creating another the same, this
doesn't solve the problem.

If there is no data in the given subreport it doesn't print correctly, there
are other memos in the report they appear to work correctly. The problem I
have is that I would like to know the cause of this data loss as it may
affect other information or on other similar printers.

Without knowing the exact cause it is very worrying and the end user is not
happy about this.

Thanks for any suggestions

Alex

digitalmetaphors

This is not an known issue in RB.

1. Download the latest printer driver for the Xerox.

2. Test the report on other printers.

3. Check your event handlers, disconnect them and verify that there is data
when this memo attempts to print. Be aware that the report event handlers
will refire when the report is generated to the printer. You can try
toggling Report.CachePages to true to keep the report from regenerating for
the printer, unless the printer changes from the defaul that the report was
previewed with, in which case it must regenerate for the correct pagination
of the new printer.

3. Create a simple report, nothing else but a static height TppMemo with
some text in it. Print that. Create the simplest report possible that shows
the problem. If it works on other printers but no thte Xerox, then the
printer driver is at fault. We are making Win API calls that most printers
handle without problem. Every printer driver is different. The driver may be
out of resources when it should print the memo. Run a memory watch tool such
as one from Automated QA or Sleuth QA Suite to see if there are leaks.

We don't have a Xerox here to test with. Can you get the missing data in the
preview form? Can you send us an example that shows the problem in the
preview using theis driver for pagination when it generates to the screen.
Send it to support@digital-metaphors.com


Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Hello

1) For the driver this appears to the latest driver, if I go back the way
and use the standard driver there is no problem. The thing is, this is the
driver Xerox have recommended the customer to use. I noticed on the Xerox
site there are Beta versions I have suggested that to the customer but for
the moment they are using two drivers for their 440 ST, the standard for
report builder and the enhanced driver for other reports.

for more info see http://www.xerox.com

Name: whql_pcl440nt.zip
Product: Document Centre 440 ST
Version: 1.02.00
Release Date: 6/28/02 2:15:27 PM
Operating system: Windows NT 4.0
Language: English
File size: 1195 KB
Description: Windows NT 4.0 PCL 5e print driver for Document Centre models
420, 432, 440, and the digital Bookmark. Release 5.2SP1, version 1.02.00.
WHQL certified. Install using the Microsoft Add Printer Wizard. Note: Save
this file in a new folder on your hard drive before unzipping it.

If you want I can send you this driver, but think it would be easier if you
downloaded it yourself.

2) Yes I have tested on other printers the only one that created a problem
is the Xerox 440 ST document centre with the enhanced driver.

3) I have created a simple report and sent it to the e-mail given below
there are two results
i) an RTF file using the print to file option, this work fine and I
see the two reference texts "CMM and AMTOSS"
ii) a PCL file using the Xerox driver with no information, except
the title

To create the PCL file I have using Redtitian Escapes which allows any print
driver that uses PCL to be emulated without actually having the driver.
I have previously tested this and it is consistent.

- the missing data in general appears in the preview, the customer did
manage to have a preview and the missing data, Do you think this is
important ?
If so I could ask him how he managed to do this.

I will continue to test this but it is very strange and also a critical
point for the customer, they require to know how information can just
disappear. This is not acceptable as it could jeopardise their business
process and ultimately put in question the use of report builder and my
application.

Please keep in mind I already have a work around, what I require is to know
the reason for this,

thanks and brgds

Alex

rbuser

Hello,
Just another precision on the display of the DBMemo, the field it is
accessing is a 40 ch string. If I remove the Autodisplay
property it never displays, on preview on all printers. Is the Xerox problem
related to this autodsiplay property which appears to
be erroneous ?

Alex

digitalmetaphors

Autodisplay should only be applicable when using the report designer, to see
the data when designing the report in the Design workspace. It shouldn't
have any effect on the resulting output when the report actually generates.

Yes, being able to reproduce the problem in the preview would be helpful (RB
uses the printer driver to determine controls' width & height and to
calculate the pagination). Set the Xerox to be the default printer for the
machine and configure the report to use the default printer. Restart Delphi
and build a test project using DBDemos biolife table to print a dbMemo in
the report. Can you reproduce the problem this way in the preview? If you
can, then I'll install the printer driver and test it to see if we can
provide a solution to this printer driver problem, as it appears to be
specific to this one printer driver. Send a small zipped demo which shows
the problem using this driver in the preview to
support@digital-metaphors.com

Cheers,

Jim Bennett
Digital Metaphors

rbuser

Hello Jim,

Too much work for me to configure another database Jim, I will just use
my solution that is using a DBText and hope no other DBMemos create a
problem.

If you have time I would appreciate it if you could look at the Xerox
driver.

The last test I did was if I add the Stretch property it prints normally if
I remove AutoDisplay it re-creates the problem. This does indicate to me
there is a problem with the properties and the DBMemo behaviour. Why it
doesn't do this for the other DBMemos may be linked to the DB or the DB
access method, I really don't have the time or resource to continue with
this investigation.

As indicated above if you have any news about an explanation don't hesitate
to contact me.

brgds

Alex