Q190769: HOWTO: Use STRTOFILE() to Send Output to a Printer

Article: Q190769
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): WINDOWS:6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 21-AUG-1999

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 6.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

There is a new function in Visual FoxPro 6.0, STRTOFILE(), which outputs the
contents of a string to a file. Since it allows additive output, you can also
direct this output to a printer. This article provides an example of using
STRTOFILE() to send a file or the contents of string or array to the printer you
choose.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Visual FoxPro 6.0 has two new string/file functions. These are the STRTOFILE()
function, which outputs a string to a file, and the FILETOSTR() function, which
inputs a file to a string. The following sample uses each to output text to a
file.

1. Run the following code from a program (.prg) file:

        LOCAL lcString_to_Output, laOutput[1]
        lcOutPut = ""

        * Get the version information for VFP6.exe, returned to an array.
        =AGETFILEVERSION(laOutput, HOME()+'vfp6.exe')

        * Convert the contents of that array to a string with the function
        * Array_to_String. Note that there must be a carriage return and line
        * feed after each line.
        lcString_to_Output = Array_to_String(@laOutput)

        * Print the string
        =Print_a_String(lcString_to_Output)

        * Make sure this .prg file is not open.
        CLOSE ALL

        * Print this PRG file after converting it to a string with
        * FILETOSTR().
        =Print_a_String(FILETOSTR(SUBSTR(SYS(16),1, LEN(SYS(16))-3) + 'prg'))

        RETURN

        PROC Print_a_String
           LPARAMETER tcStringToPrint
           LOCAL laPrinters[1,1], lnArrayRow, lcPrinter
           * Prompt the Select the printer.
           lcPrinter = GETPRINTER()
           * You could also use SET('printer', 2) to return Windows default
           * printer, or SET('printer', 3) to return the VFP default printer.
           IF LEN(lcPrinter) = 0
              RETURN .F.
           ENDIF
           =APRINTERS(laPrinters)
          lnArrayRow = ASUBSCRIPT(laPrinters, ASCAN(laPrinters, lcPrinter),1)

          * IIF uses second column of laPrinters array in Windows 95, and
          * the first in Windows NT.
          * Last argument of .T. passed to STRTOFILE() means ADDITIVE output.
           IF STRTOFILE(tcStringToPrint, ;
                 laPrinters[lnArrayRow,IIF('NT'$OS(), 1, 2)], ;
                 .T.) > 0
           * Succeeded, since bytes were written.
              RETURN .T.
           ELSE
              * Failed, since no bytes were written.
              RETURN .F.
           ENDIF
        ENDPROC

        PROC Array_to_String
           LPARAMETERS tcarray
           * Note: This would require modification for use with multicolumn
           * arrays
           LOCAL lni, lcOutPut
           lcOutPut = ""

           #DEFINE       CR_LF       CHR(13)+CHR(10)

           * Iterate through array and append a carriage return/line feed
           * to each line.
           FOR lni = 1 TO ALEN(tcarray)
              lcOutPut = lcOutPut + tcarray[lni] + CR_LF
           ENDFOR
           RETURN lcOutPut
        ENDFOR

2. Select a destination for printing each time you are prompted.

This code prints the Visual FoxPro 6.0 version information and the contents of
the program.

Anything you print in this manner must have each line terminated with carriage
return and line feeds characters to ensure proper formatting. Window NT uses the
printer name that is in the first column of the array created by APRINTERS().
Windows 95 uses the port that is in the second column of the array created by
APRINTERS(). Code for this behavior accordingly. The third argument in the
STRTOFILE() function, lAdditive, must be .T. for sending output to a printer.

REFERENCES
==========

(c) Microsoft Corporation 1998, All Rights Reserved.
Contributions by Jim Saunders, Microsoft Corporation


Additional query words: kbXBase kbVFp600

======================================================================
Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP600
Version           : WINDOWS:6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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