Arctic reports (reporting system - Windows)

[sphinx]

I PMed you..... Thanks

[IdeasVacuum]

Hello srod, good to see that you still have the PB addiction

I would like to try Arctic Reports, some time ago I followed the instructions on your website to access the download and when that failed I emailed you, so perhaps your web email is busted.

The forum seems to be less busy since you 'left' it....

[srod]

Hello srod, good to see that you still have the PB addiction

I would like to try Arctic Reports, some time ago I followed the instructions on your website to access the download and when that failed I emailed you, so perhaps your web email is busted.

The forum seems to be less busy since you 'left' it....

pm me an e-mail address and I'll sort you out with a temporary download account.

[srod]

01 October 2011

Just a quick note to say that the new business of mine (which took me away from coding) is settled enough now that I can actually make some good use of my spare time (and do what I, arguably, do best... no, not hammering back beer by the barrel fangles!) and so Arctic Reports is back on the block, as it were! Arctic Reports is back in development, albeit part-time. I have invested too much time and effort into this product to let it die... honestly, and without sounding too arrogant, it is too good to allow it to simply fade away! Beside's I really enjoy working on it.

Consequently, the purchase page is back up.

I am rewriting the nxReport Core Module to give it 64-bit support and, following this, a much requested feature will be added. A developer manual to accompany the Core Module is being created at the same time that the new code is being laid down. This is in addition to the existing online documentation.

Any questions (by way of support etc.) will of course not be answered as quickly as would have been the case previously since I am out most days now. Rest assure though that answers will generally be forthcoming within 24 hours.

Regards.

Stephen.

[IdeasVacuum]

.....brilliant news srod.

[DoubleDutch]

Welcome back.

[PrincieD]

Good to have you back Stephen mate! (you're a great programmer! shame to see your talent unfulfilled!) and well done! I'm happy your new business is going well

Chris.

[sphinx]

Stephen, you made my day.

I can not wait to see Bar code support. Welcome back dude!

[GoodNPlenty]

I'm thrilled to have you back; you are a great PureBasic resource.

I've been truly amazed at the power of Artic Reports and have enjoyed using it in some of my projects. I personally would have no problem supporting future development of the product whether it is version 2 or Artic Reports Gold, Platinum etc.

[srod]

I'm thrilled to have you back; you are a great PureBasic resource.

I've been truly amazed at the power of Artic Reports and have enjoyed using it in some of my projects. I personally would have no problem supporting future development of the product whether it is version 2 or Artic Reports Gold, Platinum etc.

Thank you very much; glad that the product is useful. Your purchase includes updates for life so no worries.

btw : I have upgraded all existing licenses to full lifetime upgrades. This means that all those that purchased 1 year of updates have been upgraded to a full lifetime of upgrades. The least I can do since the product has remained static for quite some time now. I shall e-mail all of those affected.

[captain_skank]

Great to know your back in the saddle srod.

Arctic Reports is a godsend and I look forward to seeing what you've got planned for the future.

[srod]

6th November 2011 - nxReport 1.91

Hi,

just a relatively minor update to the nxReport Core module to announce, one which allows for the creation of PDF files using the GhostScript library (or any other PostScript to PDF converter for that matter!) The point being that if our user's machines have GhostScript installed (or the relevant library file sat there somewhere!) then we can render our reports direct to PDF without any user intervention etc. (i.e. directly from code).

We still intend adding native PDF support very soon now, but in the meantime users of our reporting system can make use of this facility.

Changes made to the nxReport Core module :

• Changed the name of the 'PrintWithoutDialog()' report method to 'PrintToNamedPrinter().
  This method now takes an additional optional parameter ('outputFile$') which, if specified, will cause the printed output to redirect to the named file (usually in PostScript format).
• Added a new exported function : nxReport_DoesPrinterSupportPostScript(printerName$).
  This function returns #True if the named printer is found to support PostScript. A zero return should be taken as an indication that the printer 'probably' does not support postscript, but this is no guarantee.

Printing to PDF is quite straight forward. Simply use nxReport's various functions for enumerating installed printers and use the function detailed above for testing for PostScript support etc. Once an appropriate printer is located simply use the modified 'PrintToNamedPrinter()' method to render your report (or a selection of pages) to a PostScript file. From here simply invoke GhostScript etc.

There is a small GhostScript helper library available for Purebasic users here. This little source code utility contains 2 functions; one to be used to locate GhostScript and the other to convert a PostScript file to PDF etc.

Simples!

We have added a new demo program (Purebasic only) to the Arctic Reports download section showing how all of this can work in practice. Nothing flash, just the bare bones!

Regards.

Stephen.

[javabean]

Hi srod!

Just a brief question: Is it possible to specify a certain printer tray without using the Printer-Dialog? Or do you know a workaround?

Thanks,
javabean

[srod]

Afraid that the nxReport core module does not support that. The problem is that whilst the DEVMODE structure offers up the field dmDefaultSource, the use of this field seems to be very much driver dependent and not something that nxReport can easily make use of. We would have to query the relevant printer's device driver (via DeviceCapabilities_()) for the bin numbers and, well, it just gets a bit messy inmo.

Not really something I wish to add at this time.

**EDIT : thinking about it... there's no reason why I cannot alter the \PrintToNamedPrinter() method to take an optional parameter through which developers can set additional fields of the underlying DEVMODE structure. For example, passing the string "BIN_NUMBER = 1" would lead to the \PrintToNamedPrinter() method setting the dmDefaultSource field etc. This would probably work. What I can't really see myself doing is giving nxReport the capability to enumerate all bin numbers etc. (through DeviceCapabilities_()) because, well, I think that it's better if the host application perform the enumeration.

I shall consider making this change when I embark upon the new version of Arctic Reports which will follow once I have finished eScript.

[captain_skank]

Probably a stupid question - but is there a way to show a progress bar whilst a report is preparing ??

I have a few reports that take a while to generate and want some way to let the user know that something is happening and not to press any more buttons