Capture Print View of Form to attach to email

[Wes1961]

I have inherited a database were the developer created a form to simulate an existing printed form the company used. The form was developed with all the stagnate information keyed in as labels on the form. The form also has shading and lines.

The form is displayed with some information filled in such as: originator, approver, ship to address, etc.

The shipping clerk then has (on the form) the option of checking boxes such as prepaid or collect, hazardous yes/no, and shipped via and completing various fields. Then they print the form to a printer. This works great and the printed version looks very similar to the original paper form.

Now my problem, the need has come up that they need to send these forms ahead of the shipment (along with the shipment). Currently the clerk prints these and then faxes. Usually resulting in duplicate paper since the original goes with the carton. They want to be able to send the electronically. I have worked with and done something similar by doing ‘snapshots’ of reports and attaching them to an email but this doesn’t seem to work with a form.

How can I get an ‘electronic’ copy of the completed/printed form suitable to be attached to an email?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Wes

 

[cghoga]

Wes,

Look into the SendObject function, something like this:

DoCmd.SendObject acForm, "Your Form Name Goes Here", "RichTextFormat(*.rtf)", "toaddresshere@xyz.com", "ccaddresshere@xyz.com", "bccaddresshere@xyz.com", "Subject Goes Here", "Message Text Goes Here", False, ""

In the above the False says you do not want to open the email for editing that you want it to go on through automatically.

SendObject can be used with Forms, Reports, Queries, etc. In my experience it usually looks better with a report.

If you don't like this option, could you create a report with the same control source as your form and simply call the report when you need to create the attachment?

Hope this helps.

 

[Wes1961]

Thanks.... I wil try the sendobject.

I was aware that I could create a report but was trying to avoid it since the existing from is very busy/complicated with info that is not actally data.

 

[ChadRo]

I'm in kind of the same boat; however I cannot make a report look the same as the form. I had to use a form to make it look nice and be EXTREMELY user friendly (

http://www.chadro.com/QA Form.jpg).

I need some way to send a snap shot or a screen shot of this form. I have searched and searched the forums and have not found an answer.

I just need to know if there is a third party application that has the ability to do this or if I'm fighting a battle that cannot be won.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.