Marc -

I appreciate the detailed explanation and do understand what you are saying.

I always try to reason things through in a logical sequence and am generally pretty good at it.

Here's the part that I don't undertand, though.  

(1) If I make the "Auto HP LaserJet 5 - Envelopes" the default printer, the printing is done on an envelope.  It would seem to me that would indicate that the Windows printer setup dialogue box is appropriately set up.   It would also seem that I should be able to omit both the PrintPagePaper and the PrintPageTray commands from the programming, since that information is contained in the Printer Setup.

(2) If in the Sesame programming I include "PrintPagePaper(30)" I get a printer message telling me to "load legal size paper."  That tells me two additional things:  (a)  The PrintPagePaper command is being recognized by my print driver and (b) "30" is either being misinterpreted or is simply not the correct code for my particular driver.

(3) If I make another printer (e.g. letter-size one sided) the default printer (which is set up for portrait printing), and use the AlternatePrinterCoding in Sesame, the text is printed in landscape (but, as I said before on letter-size paper).  This tells me, once again, that the AlternatePrinterCoding is being recognized and the page layout is being correctly applied in the AlternatePrinter setup dialogue.  

Why the envelope feeder is not being utilized is totally beyond my comprehension.

At this point, I feel that I must "give up" and leave envelopes set up as my default printer. Perhaps, when I get a new printer, it will "fix" the problem.

On the issue of using mass update to print multiple envelopes, I am having a problem with the coding to retrieve the set of records I want to print on.  I am so "weary" at this point, that I would really appreciate suggested sample programming to

(1) retireve a set of record based on a saved retrieve set

(2) sort the records based on a saved retrieve set

and

(3) print the retrieved, sorted record set (using my existing printspec coding to print the envelopes).

Thanks.

Mark -

I am trying to write code to retrieve and sort records in preparation for running a mass update to print envelopes ... and I'm trying to take it a step at a time.

So, for right now, I am simply trying to retrieve the appropriate records in sorted order.

Here is the code I have on my command button:

var saverecord as Int
var loadretrieve as Int
var doretrieve as Int
var loadsort as Int
var dosort as Int



saverecord = @selecttreeitem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

loadretrieve = @LoadRetrieveSpec("Paid Subscribers - People Who have paid for a subscription to the Middle Villager Newsletter")

doretrieve = @selecttreeitem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Retrieve New Results (F10)")

loadsort =
@LoadSortSpec("Alphabetical By Last Name")


dosort = @selecttreeitem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Sort")

If not @Askuser("You are about to print","(several hundred) envelopes","Do you want to do this?") Then
STOP



STOP

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, 355, 0, "IArial", 12, 0)

FinishPage()

 

I know that the print code has to be moved to the mass update spec; however, I would think that the code should work up to the STOP point.  

In other words I expect to get the appropriate retrieved set of records in sorted order, before being asked whether to continue.    

Instead, I still have all the records in the database as they were when I opened the application.

Also, in the "Ask User" box, can I include the actual number of records in the retrieved record set - and, if so, how?

Thanks!

Ray -

Just tested the programming you suggested and it is perfect.  It tells me the number of records retrieved.  Thank you, thank you!

The problem I am still having, however, is that it is not retrieving the records I want.  Do you see anything wrong with my code for retrieving (and sorting) a record set?

Thanks

Spencer,

I see a problem with the sort. In the order that you have it

dosort = @selecttreeitem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Sort") 

should be

dosort = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Results Commands!Sort") 

-Ray

Spencer,

Does the screen flash like it goes back to the retrieve spec?

One way to find out is open your application and go to the 6th record, any number would work other than the first.
Click the Button
Are you still on the same record?

If you are then you are not returning to the retrieve spec.
If you are not then the Retrieve spec is not loading properly. Check the name of the spec.

-Ray

Ray, et. al. -

I am still having problems with my command button for retrieving a record set and sorting it (although i am happy to say that I am making great progress and am very much encouraged).

First, I would like to point out (just in case it is not self evident) that the reason for all the "save record" commands is that when a record has a date of birth, the age is automatically recalculated, on form entry.  In order to ensure that I don't get the "sometimes" message that "my record has changed but not yet been saved," I included the "save" command to preclude the possibility.

Here is the code I am presently using:

var saverecord as Int
var loadretrieve as Int
var doretrieve as Int
var loadsort as Int
var dosort as Int

saverecord = @selecttreeitem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

loadretrieve = @LoadRetrieveSpec("Paid Subscribers")

saverecord = @selecttreeitem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

doretrieve = @selecttreeitem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Retrieve New Results (F10)")

saverecord = @selecttreeitem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

loadsort = @LoadSortSpec("Alphabetical By Last Name")

saverecord = @selecttreeitem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

dosort = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Results Commands!Sort")

If @Askuser("You are about to print", @ResultSetTotal() + " envelopes","Do you want to do this?") Then
{
//Run Mass Update
}

STOP

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, 355, 0, "IArial", 12, 0)

FinishPage()

 

I am having a couple of problems with the retrieve/sort spec.

1) When I press the command button, the appropriate record set is retrieved, however it is not properly sorted.  That's my first problem.  (I am presented - at this point - with the ask user message telling me the number of envelopes I am about to print and asking if I want to continue).

2) If I click "yes" on the askuser box and then  click on the command button a second time, I am presented with the askuser box yet a second time, asking if I want to contnue.    By clicking on the command button a second time, the records are then properly sorted.

It seemed to me that perhaps my statements were "out-of-order" so I tried a couple of variations, with no success.

I am eager to get to the actual "print" (mass update) command and would appreciate additional help.

Thanks!

Ray -

I'm still struggling along with my little project that I had thought would be much easier for me to accomplish.  But, as I said before, I am making progress.

I tried the new code you provided and that seems to work better. 

I am left with two issues.  First, here's the code I am currently using on the command button:

Var SaveRecord as Int
Var vReturn as Int
Var LoadSort as Int
Var LoadRetrieve as Int
Var DoRetrieve as Int

SaveRecord = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")

vReturn  = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Search (F7)")

LoadSort = @LoadSortSpec("Alphabetical By Last Name")

LoadRetrieve = @LoadRetrieveSpec("Paid Subscribers")

DoRetrieve = @SelectTreeItem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Retrieve New Results (F10)")

If @Askuser("You are about to print", @ResultSetTotal() + " envelopes","Do you want to do this?") Then

{
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, 355, 0, "IArial", 12, 0)

FinishPage()
 

I know that this won't print all the envelopes, but I thought it would print an envelope for the first record in the set; it doesn't.

Also, I thought that the mass update would be more straight-forward with something like: RunMassUpdate("Pint Envelopes") but, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be.

I have checked everything I could find on Mass Update in both the Programming Guide and the User's Guide but just can't seem to get the gist of what I need to do.  I have created and named a Mass Update Spec in the Global Code of the form.  Am I supposed to write code to "load" it and then SelectTreeItem() to run it?  If so, how do I tell it that I want it to continue without input from the user?

If I could resolve these last two issues, I should be able to complete this phase of my application.  (Actually, my first question isn't germain to the task; however, it would help me to understand why it doesn't work for the first envelope).

Thanks!

Ray -

I responded to a similar discussion on another thread but am repeating a question previously asked that has not been answered, with regard to the following code:

Var SaveRecord as Int  
Var vReturn as Int
Var LoadSort as Int
Var LoadRetrieve as Int  
Var DoRetrieve as Int  
  
SaveRecord = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Navigation!Save Record")  
  
vReturn  = @SelectTreeItem("Search Update Menu!Search (F7)")  
  
LoadSort = @LoadSortSpec("Alphabetical By Last Name")  
  
LoadRetrieve = @LoadRetrieveSpec("Paid Subscribers")  
  
DoRetrieve = @SelectTreeItem("Search Menu!Search Commands!Retrieve New Results (F10)")  

If @Askuser("You are about to print", @ResultSetTotal() + " envelopes","Do you want to do this?") Then  
  
{
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, 355, 0, "IArial", 12, 0)
  
FinishPage()   

I know that this won't print all the envelopes, but I thought it would print an envelope for the first record in the set; it doesn't. Can you see any reason why it wouldn't print one envelope?

While playing with recording a macro to run the mass update, I discovered that while I had RECORDING ON, I as NOT asked whether I wanted user intervention.  I am assuming, therefore, that when the progamming is run, that additional user input would  NOT be required.  Do you know whether my assumption is correct?

Thanks!