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Alternate PDF Generation Option for OIPI Classic (OpenInsight 10.0.8+) (Reporting and Printing)
Created at 29 JAN 2020 08:05AM
Alternate PDF Generation in OIPI "Classic" (OpenInsight 10.0.8+)
Therehave been reports on some systems that PDF generation in OIPI "Classic"(VSPRINTER/VSPRINTER1) often fails to generate valid, or complete, PDFoutput. This has been confirmed to be an issue, but unfortunately ithas not been resolved for this release.
As a workaround, OIPI "Classic" in OpenInsight 10.0.8 now supports an alternate method forPDF generation. In the configuration record (found in the SYSENVtable, and named either CFG_OIPI*<appid>*<username>,CFG_OIPI**<username>, CFG_OIPI*<appid>, or simplyCFG_OIPI), field 3 can now specify the name of a "Print to PDF"printer. On Windows 10 systems, for example, there is an included"Microsoft Print to PDF" printer, though other options (both free andpaid) exist with similar or advanced capabilities.
SomePDF printers can be configured to print to a specific location - forexample, "C:\TEMP\MYPDF.PDF". Others, including the "Microsoft Printto PDF" printer, will interactively prompt for the output name. In theCFG_OIPI record, field 4 should be configured with the static printfile output location, if one can be specified.
Afterpressing the "export" key in OIPI, if the CFG_OIPI record has a printername in field 3, and no output filename in field 4, choosing the PDFbutton will fill in the file name as "unused" and allow you to clickthe OK button.
OIPI will then invoke the specified printer, which will prompt the user itself for the output file name.
Ifthe CFG_OIPI record has a printer name in field 3, and an outputfilename in field 4, choosing the PDF button will work as previously -users can specify the destination file location and name they desire. When the OK button is pressed, OIPI will invoke the specified printerand wait for the output to be generated into the pre-defined location. Once the pdf has been generated by the PDF printer, and pdf productionhas completed, OIPI will move the file to the user-specified location.
Ifthe INIT call to SET_PRINTER specifies direct output to PDF, then thePDF will be generated using the PDF printer, at the INIT-specifiedlocation, only if CFG_OIPI fields 3 and 4 are both specified. If onlyPDF printer name is specified, then original PDF generation will beattempted.