PrintString

The PrintString method can be used to print the contents of a buffer to your Windows printer. Formatting, like carriage returns and line feeds, can be added through standard scripting methods. See the example below.

Parameters

PrintStr

Name of string to print.

FlagVal

Specifies whether or not you want the printer dialog to be displayed. Setting this value to a 1 or true causes the standard Windows printer selection dialog to be displayed. Omitting this value or setting it to 0 or false causes the string or string value to be sent directly to the default printer.

Returns

None.

Remarks

Can be used with or without the Optional Printer Dialog Flag.

Page numbers (including the word "Page") automatically print at the bottom center of each page.

When the data is sent to the printer, a system beep sounds.

Example

In the following example, the script checks to see if it is on the correct screen (by searching for the string “===> ENTER”) then it goes to position row 18, column 12, of the screen, reads in the next 75 characters and places them into buffer one. Then it goes to position row 21, column 13, of the screen, reads in the next 75 characters and places them into buffer two. Then, it assigns the value of buffer 1 plus a carriage return and line feed, plus an additional line feed, plus the value of buffer 2 to "page". Then it prints the contents of "page" (shown in red).

dim TextFound, Buf1, Buf2, page
Sub Main
EMConnect( "A" )
' This is to make sure you are on the correct screen
TextFound = EMSearch( "===> ENTER", 1, 1 )
If TextFound = 0 then
  MsgBox "You are on the correct screen, you may continue!", 4096 
  EMReadScreen Buf1, 75, 18, 012
  EMReadScreen Buf2, 75, 21, 013
End If
Page = Page + Buf1 + VbCrLf + VbLF + Buf2
MsgBox "Make sure your printer is ready and click OK to print!", 4096
PrintString Page
End Sub
Main

Note

Optionally, you can prompt the user with the standard Windows printer selection dialog by including the optional prompt parameter as shown here:

PrintString Page, 1

Additional remarks

The following application of this script describes how to print a customer account number followed by the customer's address:

In EMSearch, substitute a unique screen identifier for "===> ENTER". Find a text string on the screen where the customer data is displayed. It is good practice to create scripts in such that way that they can only run on the screen that they were designed for.

In the first EMReadScreen, substitute the exact cursor position where the Customer Number field starts. You may have to decrease the number of characters to read.

In the second EMReadScreen, substitute the exact cursor position where the Customer Address field starts.

Test the script by running it. Most addresses consist of three lines. You may have to do a little work to get the formatting of the print job exactly the way you want it.

Tip

You can also modify this script to "read in" a large amount of text (data), format the text, and send it to your printer.