Printing Barcodes via a webpage

[spongebob]

Hi Forum,

I have a question on how best to approach the following problem.

 

- I have a Filemaker FM 11 Server with one FM File shared on it.

- I also have my PC on the local network with FM 11 client on it using that file.

- My PC has a Labelwriter attached to it, and from my Filemaker File, I can happily print barcodes on my Labelwriter printer directly from my Filemaker file. I have a small layout, which shows the barcode to be printed. Its got just the right format for my labelwriter labels and took me a while to set up.

 

Now, we also have an Apache webserver, that serves content from the filemaker Server / file to the web. It runs Apache and lasso and it works very well.

 

Now, when a Remote User logs onto our system via the Internet from a Remote PCusing using a Standard web browser like Firefox, I want him, (assuming that he has a Labelwriter Printer attached to his PC and the barcode fonts installed) I want him also be able to print barcodes on his labelwriter printer attached to his PC.

 

The remote User isnt running a Filemaker Client. Hes only running a webbrowser.

 

Question: Can this kind of precise printing be done via a browser?

 

Maybe can I somehow via a Javascript or something send the printer the right commands to print exactly that kind of layout that is stored in my Filemaker file? Remember I have full control over the webserver and lasso and the webpage content.

 

What would be the best approach to achieve this via a webpage? Can this be achieved?

 

An alternative is that the Remote PC also has Filemaker Client on it and that he logs onto the FM File remotely via the web, but there are a million reasons I wanto avoid that at all cost, starting with "he now hasto buy filemaker" issues as well as security issues. Id rather do this via a webbrowser.

 

Any ideas?

 

Thank you in advance

Spongebob