VFPDosPrint Quick Guide
(for more detailed help, see file dosprinten.chm included in the release package)The fastest way to start using VFPDosPrint is using format files. All you will need is:
- A format file that contains the report design
- A data set to be used to generate the report
Let's say we have a Customer table with the following columns:
- CustID
- CustName
- CustAddress
- CustPhone
- CustBalance
Now, we need to create a format file to generate a simple listing report. Create a text file with the following text. Once done, save the file with the name 'CUSTOMERS.FMT':
# CUSTOMERS.FMT # Basic customer report # <config> StartConfString=$C10$$COFF$ // 10 CPI not condensed (80 cols) PaperLenght=60 TopMargin=2 LeftMargin=5 </config><macros> COMPNAME='XYZ Bookstore' COMPADDRESS='Caracas, Venezuela' XCID=CustID XCustBal=TRANSFORM(CustBalance,'9,999,999.99') </macros><format> #...+....[....+....[....+....1....+....1....+....1....+....1....+....1....+....1 he: [COMPNAME ] CUSTOMER LIST he: %COMPADDRESS% he: he: ID FULL NAME ADDRESS PHONE # BALANCE he: ======= ======================= ===================== ============= ============ de: [XCID ] [PROPER(CustName) ] [CustAddress ] [CustPhone ] [XCustBal ] fo: fo: fo: [datetime ] %pageno% </format>
Before proceed with the next step, lets take a closer look of this format file. First, note that everything is contained in sections wich starts with < > and ends with </ >. Each section has a defined purpose inside the format:
<config>: configures page size and margins, as well as specific printer configurations.
<macros>: define report-level variables (called Macros), that are used in other sections across the format.
<format>: define the layout of the report.
Everything enclosed with '' or '% %' delimiters are expandible expressions. This expressions will be evaluated and the result inserted in the text in the same position of the expanded expression. Finally, any line starting with # will be considered as a comment and will not be sent to the final report, as well as any empty line or text that is not enclosed inside a section.
Now, we are ready to generate our text report. All we need now is a data set and an instance of DOSPrint class:
*-- Generating customer report * SELECT 0 USE CUSTOMERS GO TOP LOCAL oDP SET PROCEDURE TO vdp ADDITIVE oDP=CREATEOBJECT("VFPDosPrint") oDP.PrintFormat="CUSTOMERS.FMT" oDP.Run()
At this time, we have our report generated and ready to be printed. Yes, is THAT easy. You can either send the report to a defined printer or save it to a file:
oDP.Print( GETPRINTER() ) && Send report to a selected printer
oDP.PrintToFile( GETFILE() ) && Save report to a disk fileThis is a basic example of what can be done using VFPDosPrint. Please, read carefully the help file included in the release package to learn how you can use VFPDosPrint to generate really complex text-based reports or even structured files like HTML or XML!.