Hi -

Well I need to revisit prininting an envelope using print specs.

Unfortunately, I have never been able to get Windows to recognize an "alternate" printer, using Sesame.  So, for now at least, I have set my default printer for envelopes.

I am using the following code:

AlternateDefaultPrinter("Envelopes")
PrintPagePaper(20)
Newpage(950,412)
PrintString("Herbert Teicher", 30, 25, 0, "Arial", 14, 0)
PrintString("26 McDonald Street", 30, @PageExtentY(), 0, "Arial", 14, 0)
PrintString("Staten Island, NY  10314-5055", 30, @PageExtentY(), 0, "Arial", 14, 0)

PrintString(Mail Name, 450, 200, 0, "BArial", 16, 0)
PrintString(Street Address + " " + Apt, 450, @PageExtentY(), 0, "BArial", 16, 0)
PrintString(City + ", " + State + "  " + Zip, 450, @PageExtentY(), 0, "BArial", 16, 0)

PrintString("Thanks for supporting The Middle Villager Newsletter", 30, 800, 0, "Arial", 8, 0)

FinishPage()
 

The return address prints just fine.  The merged data prints just fine.  But, for some reason, the last line "Thanks, etc." will  not print at all.  I have varied the coordinates to be sure that I wasn't going "off the page" or trying to "back-up" etc. but nothing seems to work.  HELP!!!

Also, is there any way to provide a code to tell Sesame to print an envelope for the entire set of retrieved records?

Thanks!

Mark -

The truth be known, I believe I got confused with the X,Y coordinates but believe I had tried less than 400.

In any event, I just tried it with 300 and it still didn't print.

The mass update info will be helpful, providing I can get that last line to print.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Mark -

Finally, I got the line to print.  I think the problem was that I didn't have a space in front of the font name.  I did want it to print in italics, so I added the letter "I" without any space and that worked.

I trust that I will understand how to use the mass update feature to print the retrieved records.  If I have a problem with that issue, I'll come back here.

The last thing I would like to know is when you think the new print specs will be released. It is a real nuisance to have my default printer set to envelopes, because most of my routine printing is done on letter size paper .... and the envelope printing is intermittent.

Thanks!

Ray -

You asked:

Quote:


A while ago, on the forum, I was told that commands "were coming out" (or words to that effect) that would tell the printer which tray to use.  I assumed that when they were developed, they would be communicated.  So ...... I was waiting for them to be developed.

In any event, I tried using the PrintPageTray command and still no luck.

Perhaps you (or Mark) can look at my code and see if I am overlooking something. 

AlternateDefaultPrinter("Auto HP LaserJet 5 - Envelopes")
PrintPagePaper(20)
PrintPageTray(5)
Newpage(950,412)
PrintString("Spencer Wulwick (MVR)", 30, 25, 0, "Arial", 14, 0)
PrintString("210 South Hale Avenue", 30, @PageExtentY(), 0, "Arial", 14, 0)
PrintString("Tampa, FL 33609-3933", 30, @PageExtentY(), 0, "Arial", 14, 0)

PrintString(Mail Name, 450, 200, 0, "BArial", 16, 0)
PrintString(Street Address + " " + Apt, 450, @PageExtentY(), 0, "BArial", 16, 0)
PrintString(City + ", " + State + "  " + Zip, 450, @PageExtentY(), 0, "BArial", 16, 0)

FinishPage()
 

I am, by the way, using an HP LaserJet 5M with an envelope feeder that inserts into a slot on the printer.

One variation I tried was in the name of the printer.  The windows setup for the printer is just as it is shown in the above code.

The programming guide says to use the name of the "shared printer."  So, I made the printer shareable (even though I don't need it set up that way) and assigned the share name ENVELOPES.  Even if I change the printer name from AUTO HP LASERJET 5 - ENVELOPES to ENVELOPES, it makes no difference.

I also tried the "auto" setting (7) and neither did that make a difference.

The envelope feeder works perfectly from other programs, such as MS Word, etc.

It would be a great help if I could get this to work so that I can set my default printer back to the way I want it.

Thanks!

Hello Spencer,

I had forgotten that PrintPageTray was undocumented which was why I was wondering what other commands you were looking for. I though Mark had said it would be out in 1.1.1 but undocumented. anyways

Quote:


No difference as it still prints to the Laserjet 5 on letter paper or no difference as it doesn't print?

The AlternateDefaultPrinter() command can use both the local name for the printer and the shared name for the printer. The 1.1 documentation has been updated to say this.

-Ray

Quote:


Hello Spencer,

Who told you to use 20 for envelopes?

As far as I am aware the numbers in the documentation are correct.

From what I remember you have two printers correct? A LaserJet5 and an OfficeJet all-in-one.
Which one do you want to be your normal day to day default printer?
Change your system so that printer is the default printer.
Try using the below code. Replace "Auto HP LaserJet 5" witht he name of your plain jane LaserJet 5 not the one you set up for envelopes

AlternateDefaultPrinter("Auto HP LaserJet 5")
PrintPageTray(5)
Newpage(950,412)
PrintString("Am I on a Letter?", 30, 25, 0, "Arial", 14, 0)
FinishPage()
 

If it is not on a letter try PrintPageTray(6).

-Ray

Spencer, try this:


Make both of your printers shareable.
Write down the names they use as Shared Printers
Write down the name of your computer as a network name.


Go to a command prompt
Type NET VIEW to see the printers and their names.

Try to capture them with NET USE:
NET USE LPT2:  \\computername\sharedprintername

Does that work?  If yes, try using those names in the Sesame commands for printers.  Remember to use the double quotes.

AlternateDefaultPrinter("\\computername\sharedprintername")
Do your print stuff:
PrintString("STUFF")
FinishPage()
RestoreDefaultPrinter()

Spencer,
Most printer drivers on MS OSs, have a set of dialog boxes that control two aspects of the behavior of the printer. The "pages" of these two aspects appear almost identical - yet are not identical. The first of these appears on the "General" tab under the button labeled "Printing Preferences". The other appears on the "Advanced" tab, under the button labeled "Printing Defaults". On the defaults dialog there are settings for Paper/Quality, and "Advanced". Under the "Advanced" button on the "Defaults" dialog there are setting for Paper Sizes. On the "Paper/Quality" tab of the "Defaults" dialog, there are settings for "Paper Source" and tray selection.

Do not confuse these settings for the identical settings that appear on the "General" tab of the main printer dialog box - though it would be wise to make sure that they both agree and that they both agree with your expectations for that printer in regard to paper sizes and trays.
Microsoft has attempted to generalize the trays/paper sizes with the following table:

DMBIN_USER;
DMBIN_ONLYONE;
DMBIN_LOWER;
DMBIN_MIDDLE;
DMBIN_MANUAL;
DMBIN_ENVELOPE;
DMBIN_ENVMANUAL;
DMBIN_AUTO;
DMBIN_TRACTOR;
DMBIN_SMALLFMT;
DMBIN_LARGEFMT;
DMBIN_LARGECAPACITY;
DMBIN_CASSETTE;
DMBIN_FORMSOURCE;

Unfortunately, this table can only roughly correspond to the actual settings as devised by the author of the actual printer driver. For example, by no means can this table accomodate the likelihood that there may be more than one manual feed, or tray containing envelopes. Because, this may be non-specific, Microsoft, has also, incorporated in the development tools the ability to specify a paper size. The driver is then supposed to use the assignment of paper size to a particular tray to determine the appropriate tray to use for any selected paper size. This works only as well as the driver will let it, based on the settings that have been assigned to that driver.