A Printer Help Window - need one - Interface Design Discussions

September 15, 200421 yr

Not sure where to put this. I have file with many tables. Many layouts are printed from different tables. We have many printers networked. Each script has a Print command but settings are all different. I would like a little tiny window which shows our printers and then staff can select one. Some printers are only for #10 envelopes, one is only for 9x6, some are HP black and white and some are color Tektronics or Laneir. And we are puchasing and trashing printers all the time. People are always printing wrong. I want to help them and myself.

I want my Preference (I think) to hold our printer names (or number?). Then I want it to say which reports can use which printers, I think as records so it can be adjusted easily. Then script can stop it if our invoice is trying to be printed to #10 but allow options between three standard printers. I picture radio buttons. Then I want whether landscape or portrait. Well, I guess I just many 'basic' options available that my script (using parameters) can then follow; without needing me to do each one individually.

Maybe one script for 'landscape' and the Preference will see that only 4 reports can be printed landscape and offer those printers. Not a good example but if I break each print option into a script it seems it would be easier to use them in many scripts. Can I script selecting one record or found set or does that have to be within the print box?

My other problem is how to tell my small printer window what to do, depending upon the layout it is called on top of. I name my windows the layout name (usually) and sometimes refer to some of the by parameter. Has anyone played with these ideas and is it even possible? Not sure where to start. I need to restrict employees but allow flexibility. Sometimes a regular printer is running a large job and they need to be able to select another printer ... but they always mess up the printer definitions when I let them go in there. Or they select print found set instead of one or print invoice to letterhead printer etc. I can script all possible options. Is that what I need to do? Oh I hope not. How can I control this better without writing a gazillion scripts?