Report is printing slow - VFP ver 6

[1421]

I recently converted a Dos-based system to window's-based VFP ver 6. The user is using a dot-matrix printer to print orders on duplicated paper. This was printing much quicker when in Dos. I am using the Courier-new font. Any idea's how to speed the printing up, perhaps a different font (which one?)? Anyone has any other ideas?

Thank You

 

[dgrewe]

Is the printer Local to the computer or networked ???

David W. Grewe (Dave)

 

[1421]

networked

 

[dgrewe]

Hook the printer local to the computer and try it. If the delay goes away, Check your network.

David W. Grewe (Dave)

 

[1421]

i am not at the site right now, the problem is not the 'delay' the problem is while it's printing it's printing slow, it's the windows/dot matrix mix. And I believe the systems guy made sure that all the drivers are upto date (i will double check on that). I had this problem by a different site (also converting from Dos-to-Windows) and they are living-with-it. At this time I am also looking into carbonless laser printer paper as an another solution. But i am wondering if something within the report can be modified that whould speed-it-up!

 

[Dan Freeman]

This is a Windows thing.

If it's a converted (or unconverted) DOS report, *Windows* is converting it to a picture and sending that picture to the printer driver.

That poor driver (and printer) are working their brains out trying to translate a 1024x768 (or whatever) picture to the rows/cols the printer can actually print.

In Windows control panel, set that printer's properties to always print in draft mode (if it supports it).

Or if it's simply a row/column report, use the "Generic/Text" printer driver instead.

Dan

 

[Mike Lewis]

1421,

I am using the Courier-new font.

That could be the problem. Courier New is a TrueType font, which Windows renders as a bitmap. The only way a dot-matrix printer can handle that is to print it dot-by-dot rather than character-by-character.

Try switching to a printer-resident font, that is, a font that's specific to the printer, rather than a TrueType font. Provided you select the appropriate printer driver when designing the report, the printer-resident fonts should show up in the font selection window.

I think you'll find the resulting printout very much faster.

Mike


__________________________________
Mike Lewis (Edinburgh, Scotland)

My Visual FoxPro site: www.ml-consult.co.uk

 

[sergiobravo]

There is one way to do it easy. For your dot matrix printer, change the driver to Generic text only. This way the printer will recieve the exact information to print as fast as it did on DOS. When you use a Windows driver for a dot matrix, the printer prints images instead of letters, that is why takes so long to print.

Now I have a question for you. How can I change the font size in a VFP6.0 program? I also had a DBASE IV program and exported to VFP6.0 and I need to change the font size but I don't know how. Can you helpme?
Regards

 

[1421]

The font size in the report?, just Modify the report (modify report reportname) and highlight the control, or all & then select 'Format' & then 'Font'.