How to print in livecode.

[lemodizon]

Hello everyone,

This is my first time to print in livecode but I'm still confused and i don't know if i'm doing the right steps. hope you can help me. i bought a receipt printer(china made) and the paper size is (57mm x 30meters) i set the size of the my substack (receiptTemplate) into 192px . The result of the print out is misaligned hope you can guide me on this. I'm practicing myself on how to print in livecode since livecode has no report builder. I will try it also in my canon printer. hope you can teach step by step procedure on how setup a template for receipt/report in livecode. Thanks

Code: Select all

on  mouseUp
    
   answer "Is the printer on and paper ready to print?" with "Cancel" or "OK"
   if it = "Cancel" then exit to top
   else
          
      put  fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" into Box1
      revPrintText Box1,,,the long name of fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate"  
      
      end if
   end mouseUp

[Klaus]

Does it work with -> revprintfield?

Code: Select all

...
revPrintField the name of fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" 
...

Or maybe just:

Code: Select all

...
print cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" 
...

[jacque]

The default print margins are 1 inch on all sides. It looks like you need to change that. See the printMargins property in the dictionary. Most printers will have an area where they can't print so see if you an find out what that is and include that in your calculations. Try starting with a quarter inch and adjust it from there.RevPrintText should work. You don't need a printing card if you use revPrintText because you are just printing a variable.

If you want styled text then you will need a template field on the printing card that includes the text with the correct styling. Use revPrintField for this method.

To make a template card for more elaborate printing you can use a printing card to layout fields, images, etc. For this method, place the left edge of controls at 0 and the top controls at 0 too, because for this method you use "print card" and any empty space on the card will be added to the printMargins. Most printers have a half inch area at the top where they cannot print so expect at least that much at the top of the printout.

[dunbarx]

Hi.

Should just take a little practice to get going.

Basically you can print text, a card or a field.

Check out the "print" command in the dictionary, especially the fact that you can print into any rect. Also read about setting the "printScale", which I have found useful.

Check out the several "revPrint..." commands as well.

Craig

[lemodizon]

Does it work with -> revprintfield?

Code: Select all

...
revPrintField the name of fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" 
...

Or maybe just:

Code: Select all

...
print cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" 
...

Hi Klaus,

I will try this. thanks again.

[lemodizon]

The default print margins are 1 inch on all sides. It looks like you need to change that. See the printMargins property in the dictionary. Most printers will have an area where they can't print so see if you an find out what that is and include that in your calculations. Try starting with a quarter inch and adjust it from there.RevPrintText should work. You don't need a printing card if you use revPrintText because you are just printing a variable.

If you want styled text then you will need a template field on the printing card that includes the text with the correct styling. Use revPrintField for this method.

To make a template card for more elaborate printing you can use a printing card to layout fields, images, etc. For this method, place the left edge of controls at 0 and the top controls at 0 too, because for this method you use "print card" and any empty space on the card will be added to the printMargins. Most printers have a half inch area at the top where they cannot print so expect at least that much at the top of the printout.

Hi Jacque,

wow. it seem it is not easy to create a template. i need to practice on this I thought this is easy hehehe. do you have a sample stack on this? so that i can see how you done the procedure. Thanks for the response.

[lemodizon]

Hi.

Should just take a little practice to get going.

Basically you can print text, a card or a field.

Check out the "print" command in the dictionary, especially the fact that you can print into any rect. Also read about setting the "printScale", which I have found useful.

Check out the several "revPrint..." commands as well.

Craig

Hi dunbarx,

Thanks for the response. I wish livecode will include a control object for report builder. I need to practice to create a template. by the way do you have sample stack on this? so that can i see how you do it.

[dunbarx]

wish livecode will include a control object for report builder.

Hi.

Not sure what this means.

I need to practice to create a template.

Nor this. Do you mean a "form" that you can call on at any time?

Craig

[jacque]

Since every print job is different, there are no universal templates. But for your example it can be simple if you only need plain text. Just set the print margins to a smaller number and use revPrintText like you did before.

Code: Select all

put  fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" into Box1
set the printMargins to 20 -- adjust this as needed
revPrintText box1

If you don't care about styled text, you don't need any of the other parameters.

If you want to use styled text, let us know and we can help.

[lemodizon]

wish livecode will include a control object for report builder.

Hi.

Not sure what this means.

I need to practice to create a template.

Nor this. Do you mean a "form" that you can call on at any time?

Craig

Hi Craig,

sorry for the confuse

What I mean is if there is a widget or control object from the tool palette for report builder or a form.

[lemodizon]

Since every print job is different, there are no universal templates. But for your example it can be simple if you only need plain text. Just set the print margins to a smaller number and use revPrintText like you did before.

Code: Select all

put  fld "data" of cd "receiptCard" of stack "ReceiptTemplate" into Box1
set the printMargins to 20 -- adjust this as needed
revPrintText box1

If you don't care about styled text, you don't need any of the other parameters.

If you want to use styled text, let us know and we can help.

Hi Jacque,

I will try this weekend. Thanks

[bogs]

What I mean is if there is a widget or control object from the tool palette for report builder or a form.

Well, there used to be, but it was removed from the IDE a long long time ago...


However, if you wanted to try it in the current IDE, you can copy the file from Lc 7.1.4 (last version I know has it) into the plugins folder, and run it as a plugin.

The file your looking for would be [livecodecommunity-7.1.4 (x86_64)/Toolset/Unsupported/revreportsetup.rev]

Once it is in the plugins folder, you could then select / run it, however, I do not believe that it runs properly in the current IDE and would require some digging to figure out why (which is why it was in the unsupported folder to begin with, I suspect).

[lemodizon]

What I mean is if there is a widget or control object from the tool palette for report builder or a form.

Well, there used to be, but it was removed from the IDE a long long time ago...


However, if you wanted to try it in the current IDE, you can copy the file from Lc 7.1.4 (last version I know has it) into the plugins folder, and run it as a plugin.

The file your looking for would be [livecodecommunity-7.1.4 (x86_64)/Toolset/Unsupported/revreportsetup.rev]

Once it is in the plugins folder, you could then select / run it, however, I do not believe that it runs properly in the current IDE and would require some digging to figure out why (which is why it was in the unsupported folder to begin with, I suspect).

Hi bogs,

I saw this interface while searching in the internet. how come livecode removed it? anyway thanks for the information.

[bogs]

I saw this interface while searching in the internet. how come livecode removed it? anyway thanks for the information.

The answer as to why it was removed would require someone that was around during the time period, and that isn't me unfortunately, I have no idea why it was removed, it seems a fairly simple and easy to use tool.

[lemodizon]

Hello Everyone,

Good day.

I did my practice today on how to print in livecode. Thanks for all the information I appreciated. thanks and stay safe everyone.

Code: Select all

on mouseUp
   answer printer
   lock screen
   set the printmargins to "0,0,0,0" --L,T,R,B 36=.5", 72=1"
   set the textFont of fld "data" of card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate"  to "Courier New"
   set the textSize of fld "data" card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate" to "7" --different textSize
   set the textStyle of fld "data" card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate" to "plain" --different textStyle
   set the printPaperOrientation to "portrait" --portrait, landscape
   print card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate"
   set the textFont of fld "data" of card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate" to empty --default font/size/style
   set the textSize of fld "data" of card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate" to empty --default
   set the textStyle of fld "data" of card "RTemplateCard" of stack "Rtemplate" to empty --default
   reset printing --default
   unlock screen
   
end mouseUp

see the simple final print out