dot matrix printers

[mark111]

I've stuck my neck out and offered to help our company adapt a FM solution to use for our accounting package. The old system used carbonless forms and dot matrix printers. I created some layouts within the solution that match our forms but cannot get them to line up. Moving fields on the layouts doesn't move where they print anywhere close to proportionally and the printers act as if every character is a graphic (i.e. takes forever to print) even though I made sure all of the formatting is in courrier.

I know it would be easier to ditch the forms and print out the whole thing on a laser, but the old guys here love the preprinted carbonless forms and don't want to switch.

BTW they are running FMP 6.0v4 in windows XPpro

[LiveOak]

Unfortunately, there is a long history of low fidelity of WYSIWYG with dot matrix printers on the Windows platform. The only things I can think of that might help are 1) use the default Windows serial printer driver (font should not matter with this driver), 2) export the data as text and format and print from another application or 3) drive the printer directly using a serial plug in (essentially writing you own printer driver).

-bd

[jasonwood]

I've never run into this so it's just a thought...

It might help if you put all the fields in a single text box (as merged fields). Set the document margins to zero and start the text box at the top and far left of the document. Use a fixed width font so you can use spaces for formatting.

[mark111]

Part of the problem is that there are 3 different forms, trackers, shippers and invoices, so there are 3 different printers. They are connected over the network with some kind of ethernet to parallel adapter. I've only been working with one printer so far just trying to get one working so I can copy the layout for the other forms. It is not even consistent if I print twice without changing anything. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll see if I can change the drivers and get any better results.

Personally I would rather have them switch to Macs, buy a good fast color laser like the Phaser, and just have the layout print as many copies as the want. (wishful thinkin)