Printing multiple layouts from hosted files to arbitrary printer

[ccosner]

Configuration: FM Server 8 on Win2003, FMP 8 clients on XP and Win2000.

Script prints from 5 layouts.

Desired behavior: User clicks PRINT button, gets dialog to choose an arbitrary printer (one that their machine sees), script then goes to each layout and prints the current record.

I can't seem to find documentation on how the Print and Print Setup script steps differ when hosted on server vs. shared from a client. FileMaker Help doesn't appear to address this. Maybe there is no difference.

Question 1: In the above desired outcome, can the user choose an arbitrary printer that has not been specified (predicted and hard-coded) in the script print setup and have that choice persist when the script goes to different layouts to print? Is there any way to accomplish this?

Question 2: If NO to 1, one must specify all the possible printers in the script. What designation needs to match so that the script will choose the proper printer? Does the printer name on the develpment machine (where the script was written or edited) need to match the printer name on the client? If so, is it *sufficient* that the printer name match (if it is indeed the same printer)?

Thanks.

[ccosner]

So here is my solution (simplified)

Goto Layout 1

Print Setup[Restore;No dialog] # portrait

Print[Restore] # current record, 1 page, network printer

Goto Layout 2

Print[No dialog]

Goto Layout 3

Print[No dialog]

Goto Layout 4

Print[No dialog]

Goto Layout 5

Print[No dialog]

The first Print[Restore] effectively suggests a printer. The user can change it if they want. Windows XP machines appear to recognize the specified network printer even if the printer name is slightly different on the development machine (how? by ip address? printer type?). The follow-on Print[No dialog]s keep that printer selection and other settings.

I guess it's a tall order to compare all the settings controlled by Print Setup[Restore] vs. Print[Restore] because it depends on your printer (driver) and operating system. But if someone made an exhaustive list it might be helpful. I find the FileMaker documentation on this to be pretty vague. It just refers to 'options', but these commands seem to control different yet overlapping sets of options. For example, Print Setup[Restore] does not let you specify Current Record or Records in Set. You can only do that with Print[Restore].