Old Printer and Short Reports?!?

[binky]

I am developing a program that will use a VERY old dot matrix printer. I have to print on 8.5 x 5.5 inch sheets of preprinted receipts. Has anyone ever coded for this situation? Is it as easy as setting up the margins in my report to fit a piece of paper this size? I would try it on the printer except it is at the client's site and I'm not.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
Ken

 

[jfischer]

If your client already has a printer driver installed in Windows for the specific printer model, then you could add another instance of that printer with a different name and set up a Custom form size for the receipts. Then, select that unique printer name and form size as the default printer when you both design and print the report.

If your client does not have a specific printer driver for Windows but you know the printer control codes for the old printer, you could add a Generic / Text Only printer. Then, on the printer's Properties tabs you could set up a Custom form size on the Paper tab, and enter control codes on the Fonts tab. You select that generic printer and custom form size as the default when you design and print the report. The printer control codes are activated by Font attributes for various controls and labels that you put on your reports.

 

[mailzero28]

Hi Ken,

I really hope that your client is not using NT as his operating system on the client machines.

Did you know that there is no printer manufactuers around that create driver with a custom page setting for their own dot matrix printers linked to NT machines.

However, good old MS have a solution on their Knowledge Base Web site - just search for "custom page NT" and a fairly good solution is provided. It's been a while since I came across it, but your question reminded me.

bye

Martin.

 

[binky]

Thanks for directing me to the Knowledge Base! I will check it out.
Do you know if Windows 2000 is going to give me the same problems?

thanks again!
Ken