How you do this kind of depends upon what your layout looks like. If you layout contains just text information and you don't particularly care if it is reproduced graphically, you can use a FM plug-in to send an email with the information from the layout.

If you want to send and EXACT graphical duplicate of the layout by email, you will need to use a PDF printer driver to print the layout to a PDF file, use an email plug-in (or FM's built in email feature) to create an email and attach the PDF file to the email.

-bd

I need to set up my FM5 database to send what would be a "printed" copy of a layout to an email message. For example, the user would go to a layout that would ask the user whether he wanted the output to be sent to the screen, printer, fax or email. With fax, it is easy sending it to the fax/printer driver. I am looking for a similar solution for email, or any solution!

Thanks for your help!

- Eli

During my search for a PDF Printer Driver, I found out that a PDF Printer Driver is designed for Apple Macs; is there an alternative for PC users?

The full version ($250) of Adobe Acrobat is required in order to Print-to-PDF printer driver. This printer driver is available for both Mac and PC as part of the Adobe Acrobat product.

As a Mac-only (unfortunately) shareware alternative, consider "Print-to-PICT", which can capture any print job and save it in PICT, GIF, or TIFF image format. These formats are readable on both Mac and PC.

http://thaigate.rd.nacsis.ac.jp/ftp/upload/krit/thaigfx/Graphics/Print2Pict.html

I haven't been able to find an equivalent shareware utility for the PC, yet ...

The Mac driver is PrintToPDF, available as shareware (www.downloads.com). It works quite well.

-bd

I wasn't aware of a shareware PDF writer!

I stand corrected.

Go to this link for a free download of the PDF Writer driver for Windows.

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/acpwin.htm

I need to set up a script to automate this whole process. My problem is when using the Print-to-PDF, or even Adobe's PDFWriter extensions in the chooser, Filemaker will not let you select them without going to the chooser manually. Is there a way to automatically select one of these from a script and then have the script change back to the real printer when finished? I tried using Applescript, but I still couldnt select which printer I wanted -- it would just let me open the chooser.

Also, LiveOak - Which FM-Plugin will let me print a layout with data intact?

Thanks!

- Eli

[ May 23, 2001: Message edited by: Eli Siegel ]

Printer switching doesn't use chooser. You script to the Desktop Print Manager.

tell application "Desktop Printer Manager"

set the default printer to desktop printer the "Printer Name"

end tell

This method will only support printers that have desktop icons (no label printers, etc.)

-bd