Development ...

[Tom Townsend]

I sure wish Filemaker would allow for two sets of scripts in the menu and allow one set to be opened by end users of a solution or a runtime. Printing and page set up is a real problem with all the different systems and printers. The end user should be able to adjust these in the scripts through a edit so they can get orientations of page layout correct and not have to deal with print dialog box. I'm forced to tell them take what I give or Open My scripts to them. Am I missing something here or am I suffering a program weakness?

[IdealData]

How about standardising on a few page setups and printers (as generic as possible).

Conditionally execute your print routines based on other parameters that the user can configure. Lets say they have a "config" page to complete before using your solutions and that has a printer "type" to define.

[Vaughan]

I think what Tom refers to is that there is no way for the user to save the page setup, unless they can edit the script... and of course they don't have privileges for that.

I've just started playing around with the idea of *not* doing any page setups, but instead saving the name of the printer and the orientation (the printer name is easy, the orientation needs a bit of fancy scripting). Then whenever either the printer name changes or the page orientation needs changing, a scripted dialog box warns the user and brings up the Page Setup dialog.

I've only tried this out on myself (ie a personal project that I use at home and at work on different printers and computers) and it seems to be OK so far, but it needs serious testing. In some ways it puts the onus for correct page setup back onto the user, because it's possible that they could select the wrong orientation; but they'll work it out soon enough and change it, and from henceforth FMP will remember it.

At least that's my theory.

[Tom Townsend]

Thanks Vaughan and Mark. I have played with dedicated page layout scripting and squeezed the layout of the printed reports to the Max ...and still ... a printing script bound to a Epson, when used on any other model Epson or any other brand printer, the results are very improper in most cases.

On the Mac that is my Primary tool of choice, I set the printer in the chooser to Print to PDF as the default printer, get a load of this .... i then use a applescript to name the created PDF the name on the invoice. Now I have to open Acrobat to print the invoice. I haven't tried to continue the applescript to automatically print the invoice from within Acrobat YET. Its jumping through the hoops and not proper.

Now I always sell the customer FilemakerPro with a solution and now it looks like I might have to sell Acrobat with them too.

On FileMaker ... I tell them, anyone with average intelligence in business needs to look real close at FileMaker. It will the best $300.00 you ever spent. And now I have to say $500.00 for my solution and another $300 to print it out properly.

Hey FileMaker ... I'm willing to pay for the added feature to have a open dedicated script menu for end user and to keep them out of My Code.