inside forms server: printing to client printer 1

[pfonseca]

Hello there
I must mimic the client/server behavior, directing a report output directly to the printer. I cannot use this feature in a web environment, though (?)
If there is a way (even a hacker's way) to make this "print to printer" feature, please please let me/us know
thanks

 

[MikeJones]

?? I was always under the understanding that if you set the reports output to printer (rather than previewer etc.) then the PC that was running it would send it to it's default printer?


What version of reports are you using?

 

[pfonseca]

Hi there
We are migrating several applications in Forms 5 to Forms 6i & Web.
You are correct IF your environment is Client/Server i.e windows for example + remote server.
If you build your forms in unix and web deploy them (in my case OAS + Developer Server) there is no such thing as a "default printer". Imagine a web server somewhere in the world printing to _your_ default printer...Please note that I do not want to print the output in I.E. or Acrobat, I do need a huge listing of data to come out directly to my default printer.

PLEASE tell me that I'm wrong

Regards

 

[Kenrae]

But OAS or Forms?

If you're using OAS Server, serving dynamic html pages, then you should use a javascript call [window.print()].

With forms server, you have the call "do_key('print');", but this will print your screen, not the data. If you want your data to be printed, you should use a reports tool (Oracle Reports, the "star" of this forum, would be fine).

 

[pfonseca]

Hi & Thanks for your replies
Perhaps I didnt make my scenario clear, I'm thinking too specifically ))
we are using Developer Server (Forms & Reports Server), OAS is in the middle-tier.
we DO use Oracle Reports; in fact, we ask the user what output should be used to build a parameter list to pass to Reports.
The problem is that I cannot send the output directly to the printer (via Reports, though)

Imagine this: your rdf is being deployed by a "cgi-engine" - rw60cgi - and a default parameter form asking the destination of the output would be extremely handy but this input is not available in a web environment

hope it was clear now and thanks for your time

 

[ehpt]

I am also having exactly the samee problem. Only difference is that we are using Java forms and using URL to invoke report's parameter form. It seems this simple feature has not been provided by oracle. If u get around it somehow, please let me know too.

 

[ehpt]

I am also having exactly the same problem. Only difference is that we are using Java forms and using URL to invoke report's parameter form. It seems this simple feature has not been provided by oracle. If u get around it somehow, please let me know too.

 

[pfonseca]

Hello all
It's been a long time since this thread started, and if it wasn't for ehpt reply and email-notification I would already forgotten it.
There IS a way to print to printer rather than screen. Using Developer Server I can enumerate TWO ways:
1. mapping, in the middle-tier, a valid printer and "asking" the Reports Server to print to a printer that is valid under his settings (destype=printer+desname=lpr01). Note that the report prints on a server-printer.
2. Using ORARRP, an unsupported but working Oracle tool that registers some mime types of your browser and allows you to print to a LOCAL printer on the user side. Please check Metalink under "Top Tech Docs/Internet Developer Tools/Oracle Reports/White Papers" and there "BETA:Oracle Reports Remote Printing Utility Documentation".

Best Luck

 

[ehpt]

Hello pfonseca,
I have tried using the ORARRP tool. But this tool is not invoked when you are invoking reports thru a URL. The ORACLE Forms Built-in RUN_REPORT_OBJECT invokes it and it can then be used. But my problem was that I am using Java forms and not Oracle forms to call the reports.

And setting the clients printer as the default printer of the report server is one solution but my problem is that if the client is not in the network of the server and is running the report 1000's of miles away from the web, then this solution will not work.

Thanks

 

[pfonseca]

Hello ehpt

quote:
"I have tried using the ORARRP tool. But this tool is not invoked when you are invoking reports thru a URL."

That is not correct. Let me tell you how I use it:
1. at runtime, according to some user selections, I build a url to call web reports. I use desformat=pdf, paramform=html and some other settings;

2. IF the user selects "printer" rather than "screen" as as destination of the report I build the parameter destype=FILE+desname=/MyMountPoint/MyDir/MyReport.rrpa and run the web report.

3. The report's CGI runs the report, writes it in pdf format but the file's extension is, in my case, "rrpa".
(I get a notification saying that the report was sucessfull written to the requested destination)


4. With a few timers and host commands I check whether the file that I asked for exists or not and if it exists I point a URL to the new-generated-file and call it with a WEB_SHOW_DOCUMENT;

5. My browser tries to open a file with a registered extension of "rrpa" and, because that mime-type is registered with ORARRP, the tool is invoqued and the report PRINTS to a LOCAL printer;

6. Dont let the example in orarrp.pdf misled you: they present us with an example of RUN_REPORT_OBJECT, but remember that there is more than one way to do it

Best Luck

 

[ehpt]

Hello pfonseca,

Thanks a lot for your help. I am not clear on a few things. It would be great if you could help. i am not able to understand how to do the following:
"With a few timers and host commands I check whether the file that I asked for exists or not and if it exists I point a URL to the new-generated-file and call it with a WEB_SHOW_DOCUMENT;"

How do I use timers from the web??? How do I point a URL to the new generated file????
Please explain in detail.

Thanks in advance.

ehpt

 

[pfonseca]

Hi there
I'm having a stree-time right now, but i'll replay later with some examples

regards

 

[Guest_imported]

Hello there,
Have you used orarrp to print to a printer on HP Print server ? We found that it(Orarrp) behaves inconsistently with mainly character mode reports (extension .rrpt). And it does not print to a printer on HP Print server. It says Unable to connect to printer... Has anyone faced it ? And the .rrpa reports give us no printer selection dialog box either. It just prints to the default printer which may NOT be the printer on which we need the printout... How do we work around these problems ? Has anyone any ideas on this ? Any wud be highly appreciated !!

 

[ehpt]

Hello pfonseca,
After a little bit of research I came across a utility ORARRP provided by ORACLE which would facilitate printing to the client printer. But for this to work you would have to install this utility on all the client machines and also add a MIME format on the Web Server Running the Reports Server. I tried this and it worked. But this utility is not supported by ORACLE. You can find the details and white paper of this utility at the metalink site (metalink.oracle.com) of ORACLE.
Hope this helps.

Thanks and all the best
ehpt