Use the SET PRINTER TO NAME command to print to a specified printer in Visual FoxPro

  • Article

This article introduces how to use the SET PRINTER TO NAME command to print to a specified printer.

Original product version:   Visual FoxPro
Original KB number:   162798

Summary

In order to specify that a Visual FoxPro report should sent to a particular printer, it is customary to either change the Windows default printer or use the PROMPT clause on the REPORT command to allow the user to select the printer. However, it is possible to change the desired destination printer without using either of these techniques. This article explains some methods for doing this using SET PRINTER TO NAME [printer name].

More information

The SET PRINTER TO NAME command allows the currently selected printer within Visual FoxPro to be set to any printer installed under Windows. The list of installed printers can be read into an array with the APRINTERS() function, or a single printer name can be returned by the GETPRINTER() dialog.

Note

For this procedure to work, the report form must be saved with the Default Printer selected from the Name drop-down box within the Print Setup dialog. This dialog is called from the Page Setup dialog found under the File menu.

Example 1

The following program displays the GETPRINTER() dialog to allow selection of a printer from the installed printers. If OK is selected in the GetPrinter dialog, a report called Test is sent to the selected printer. If the Cancel button is selected in the GetPrinter dialog, the report is not printed.

 * Beginning of program for Example 1
 * *******************************************************
 * This program assumes a report called Test which has been
 * saved with the default printer in the Print Setup dialog.
 *
 LOCAL lcPrinter

lcPrinter = ''
 lcPrinter = GETPRINTER()

IF !EMPTY(lcPrinter)
 SET PRINTER TO NAME (lcPrinter)
 REPORT FORM Test TO PRINTER NOCONSOLE
 ELSE
 WAIT WINDOW 'Print Job Cancelled' TIME 1
 ENDIF
 *
 * End of program for Example 1

Note

Under Visual FoxPro 3.0 and 3.0b, the GETPRINTER() dialog is different, and the dialog allows changing portrait/landscape settings, among others. These are ignored when the report is printed.

Example 2

The following program displays a custom form that has a drop-down list populated with an array created with APRINTERS(). If you choose the " Print Report " command button, a report called Test is sent to the selected printer. If you choose the Cancel button, the report is not printed.

 * Beginning of program for Example 2
 *********************************************************
 * This program assumes a report called Test which has been
 * saved with the default printer in the Print Setup dialog.
 *
 PUBLIC oform
 oform=CREATEOBJECT("form1")
 oform.SHOW

DEFINE CLASS form1 AS FORM
 AutoCenter = .T.
 Height = 158
 Width = 327
 Caption = "Printer Dialog"
 Name = "Form1"
 DIMENSION aprintarray[1]

ADD OBJECT combo1 AS COMBOBOX WITH ;
 ROWSOURCETYPE = 5, ;
 ROWSOURCE = "thisform.aPrintArray", ;
 HEIGHT = 25, ;
 LEFT = 24, ;
 STYLE = 2, ;
 TOP = 48, ;
 WIDTH = 276, ;
 NAME = "Combo1"

ADD OBJECT command1 AS COMMANDBUTTON WITH ;
 TOP = 108, ;
 LEFT = 48, ;
 HEIGHT = 27, ;
 WIDTH = 84, ;
 CAPTION = "Print Report", ;
 DEFAULT = .T., ;
 NAME = "Command1"

ADD OBJECT command2 AS COMMANDBUTTON WITH ;
 TOP = 108, ;
 LEFT = 180, ;
 HEIGHT = 25, ;
 WIDTH = 84, ;
 CANCEL = .T., ;
 CAPTION = "Cancel", ;
 NAME = "Command2"

PROCEDURE combo1.INIT
 LOCAL lnI
 FOR lnI = 1 TO APRINTERS(THISFORM.aprintarray)
 * Note below that you are adding a leading space. This
 * prevents a network printer in Windows NT from appearing
 * disabled in the combo due the leading "\"
 THISFORM.aprintarray[lnI,1] = SPACE(1) + ;
 THISFORM.aprintarray[lnI,1]
 ENDFOR
 * Set initial value of combo
 THIS.Requery()
 IF '5.0' $ VERSION()
 * This sets the combo initial value of the dropdown to the
 * default printer - This will not work in 3.0/3.0b since
 * SET('PRINTER', 2) is not available
 FOR EACH a_element IN THISFORM.aprintarray
 IF UPPER(SET('PRINTER',2))$UPPER(a_element)
 THIS.Value = a_element
 ENDIF
 ENDFOR
 ELSE
 * If in 3.0/3.0b, set to first element in list.
 THIS.Value = THISFORM.aprintarray[1]
 ENDIF
 ENDPROC

PROCEDURE command1.CLICK
 SET PRINTER TO NAME (ALLTRIM(THISFORM.combo1.VALUE))
 REPORT FORM test TO PRINTER NOCONSOLE
 RELEASE THISFORM
 ENDPROC

PROCEDURE command2.CLICK
 RELEASE THISFORM
 ENDPROC

ENDDEFINE
 *
 * End of program for Example 2

References

  • Visual FoxPro 5.0 Help
  • Visual FoxPro 6.0 Help