Changing Printer's within a script

[datalink]

A machine in the shipping department has three printers attached to it. One is a standard HP 1320n, which prints invoices and packing slips. There is also a Dymo 400 which prints inventory location tags for inbound freight. Lastly there is a larger thermal printer which prints shipping labels for outbound freight.

Various scripts call various printing functions, but I can't seem to find a way to get each script to recall which printer it should print to. Is there a way to do this efficiently without showing the operator the print dialog each time?

[Stephen.S.]

You could try giving the users a Print Selection menu on the layout from which they can choose the action they desire to accomplish, and thus the printer they desire to use. The attached example will of course need to be setup for each particular printer and the desired page setup, but should give you something to think about.

Edit: Only the print selection scripts (List by Title and List by Sub Title) will actually output something.

Stephen

Printers.fp7.zip

[dpassovoy]

Try using the following plug-in:

https://www.productive.cc/pci_cart/FMPro?-DB=PCSC_Products.FP5&-Format=catalog.htm&-Lay=CGI&ID_No=24&-Find

I was going to use it for a similar problem, but it works only up to FM7, which it looks like you are using.

D

[Stephen.S.]

Thanks for pointing out the site. It would seem their website is in need of an update. Under system requirements for the plug-in, it states:

Mac OS 7.6 through OSX 10.3 or later

FileMaker Pro 4.1 through FileMaker 6.

FileMaker 8 is also supported. FileMaker 7 is not.

[datalink]

Yeah...I was aware of Productive Computing's plug in, but had hoped to avoid having to worry about another plug in. It seems though, that even that worry is out, because the machine in question is an XP machine running FMP8. Since the solution is native to 8 it relies heavily on Set Variable script steps all over th place....so not backward compatible to 7. :

I'm considering a local fmp file on the win machine containing the print scripts with the Print Step retaining the correct printer choice for each function. Then having the hosted system call to the local file on the win machine to send the job to the right printer.... this seems like its asking for trouble and might not work in the first place.

Any other suggestions? People must run into this all the time.

[dkemme]

The problem is FM7, not productive computing. The only what to change with FM7 is by using UI elements which is very buggy. If you need to change printer you need to change to FM8.

[datalink]

As mentioned above the system is native to 8 and the terminal in question is an XP machine. The issue is that the print and print setup scripts don't seem to retain the printer selection.