Dot-matrix printers print with LazReport

[jc99]

I want to create a report for dot matrix printers same type Epson FX-80.
I thought the LazReport also had support matrix printers, type FastReport for Delphi and Lazarus that is supported.

I went on their website a searched for dot matrix and the only things that came up where dot-matrix-designer/generator
(eventually for DataMatrix-Codes) which are widely used e.G: in ticket-systems and identification-systems.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Matrix
https://www.google.com/search?q=dot+matrix+code&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X
Where did you see the support for dot-matrix-printer ?

[rvk]

I want to create a report for dot matrix printers same type Epson FX-80.
I thought the LazReport also had support matrix printers, type FastReport for Delphi and Lazarus that is supported.

Maybe this topic kind of wandered off from the original intend but... what exactly do you want to print to the Epson FX-80? Like Thaddy already stated in the second post, Windows 7 still has the Epson FX Series 1 (80) driver. So if you print a page (complete with graphics), Windows should take care of it and print it to the Epson. Or does Windows not support printing graphics to a dot-matrix printer? (Hence my question on what your desired output would be on that printer, what is missing at the moment?)

[jc99]

Maybe this topic kind of wandered off from the original intend but... what exactly do you want to print to the Epson FX-80? Like Thaddy already stated in the second post, Windows 7 still has the Epson FX Series 1 (80) driver. So if you print a page (complete with graphics), Windows should take care of it and print it to the Epson. Or does Windows not support printing graphics to a dot-matrix printer? (Hence my question on what your desired output would be on that printer, what is missing at the moment?)

Graphics on FX-80 should be no problem, but for me that was long time ago.
If I remenber correctly the windows driver is highly optimized, it prints only where it has to print something.
@elidorio:
So the question remains, why does the default printing option don't fit your need ?
Have you said anything about your OS ?
What is your background ?
(Standard statement #7: )
Post some code ! Maybe a test-Project !
Please give some details. The more the better.
PS: More is good, but please less then 10000 words.

[taazz]

The Idea of dot patrix reports is that of speed. If any of you have a dot matrix printer at hand do the following test.
1) create a report in lazreport with a simple text and printed
2) open a command prompt and send the same text to the printer.

You will see the speed difference (in this case hear it too). FastReport (and fortes report apparently) did not had any dot matrix printing support up to version 2 where they introduced an export filter to text and used that to send the generated text file to the printer. So you will not see any "language" specific code there. As already said, try using zreport for dot matrix printing.

TOOOO FUNNY! .. I was dying after I read this.
I only wish I understood half the jargon they used(@taazz  @jc99). But in the end, all I could think was: Damn these guys need to get outside. 

outside is overrated, the sun is hot, the sea is gold and the caviar is black, not all that great.

[rvk]

If any of you have a dot matrix printer at hand do the following test.

Unfortunately my Epson matrix printer went into the trash some years ago.

FastReport (and fortes report apparently) did not had any dot matrix printing support up to version 2 where they introduced an export filter to text and used that to send the generated text file to the printer. So you will not see any "language" specific code there.

Yes, exporting to text and passing it through to the printer will greatly increase the speed of printing on matrix-printers. I can remember that too. Setting it to "one pass" and draft even more. But speed was not asked for, specifically. If Windows gathers the elements of the page and prints it whole (with graphics) translated to the matrix-printer it will be slow but it will print. If the meaning of support is printing natively to a matrix-printer (taking advantage of the speed and not through a Windows driver) I don't think you'll find many components/programs which do that these days (HP, EPSON, IBM, BROTHER and CANON all had different commands). But exporting to text and passing it through as plain text could be done with a simple function.

Grrr. can't try zreport... Sourceforge is still not up (all the way).

[jc99]

If any of you have a dot matrix printer at hand do the following test.

Me too, less then a year i trashed my Brother A3 Printer
(I kept it in the attic for more than 10 years)

outside is overrated, the sun is hot, the sea is gold and the caviar is black, not all that great.

Hey let's switch then, on these circumstances i vote for the outside thing

To get real, the highly praised Dot-Matrix-Printer-Support in reality is only a text-export, where all the text of a page is condensed to a ~80x50-character-matrix ?

@elidorio:
I got another question:
Are you printing on plain paper, or do you want to fill out preprinted forms ?

[taazz]

If any of you have a dot matrix printer at hand do the following test.

Me too, less then a year i trashed my Brother A3 Printer
(I kept it in the attic for more than 10 years)

outside is overrated, the sun is hot, the sea is gold and the caviar is black, not all that great.

Hey let's switch then, on these circumstances i vote for the outside thing

To get real, the highly praised Dot-Matrix-Printer-Support in reality is only a text-export, where all the text of a page is condensed to a ~80x50-character-matrix ?

"highly praised" not that I know off. the actuall matrix size is again highly variable depending on the selected letter size and the printing form but yes in most cases a 2 dimensional ascii character matrix will do the job provided that everything is correctly place based on report design and more than one pages are printed properly with out loosing the page positioning after each page.
That of course is the minimum requirements a more elaborate support will be able to change fonts and sizes selecting from the ones in the printer, print graphics and barcodes utializing the printers internal barcode engine if it has any or printing them as graphic if it has not.

[taazz]

Grrr. can't try zreport... Sourceforge is still not up (all the way).

sorry didn't found anything in my archives as well I haven't used a dot matrix printer for a few years now (more than 5) mainly because my current reporting needs stop at disposable one or two pieces of paper that get refresh daily or 3 times a week so anything low cost and quality including in most cases only grayscale reports from laser printers. there is one external disk I haven't looked yet that might have a copy of it on but it requires an lpt port to connect it to the computer and those haven't been part of computers for a couple of years already 

[jc99]

If i remember correctly, you don't need a dot-matrix-printer to test. Try just to output plain text (encoded in ASCII not Unicode)
at the end of the text just print a FF (Formfeed ctrl-<L>) any modern printer (except maybe the GDI-idis) could/should interpret these.

[elidorio]

Hello,

Answering the questions!
I want to use type of continuous paper forms.
Please find attached, reports the models, how should leave it as it is continuous form.
My OS I'm using is Windows 7 32 and 64.
Responding:
So the question remains: why the default print option does not fit your needs?
A: I have projects that I use dot matrix printers and Termicas and standard laser printers.
My system needs to be prepared for the third type.

Fastreport supports Dot-matrix
https://www.fast-report.com/documentation/UserMan/index.html?dot_matrix_reports.htm

Examples of printers 300 Lx
http://informatica.mercadolivre.com.br/impressoras-e-copiadoras/fiscais/epson/matriciais/impressora-matricial-epson-lx-300


Matrix MECAF Diebold printer
http://www.frtautomacao.com.br/impressoras-nao-fiscais/impressora-matricial-autenticadora-para-caixa-bematech-mp20-mi/

Thermal Printers

http://www.frtautomacao.com.br/impressoras-fiscais/impressora-fiscal-termica-mp4000-th-fi/

[taazz]

well in your case I don't think I have come across any reporting tool that can help every reporting engine will send a form feed character when it reaches the page height declared even fortes report and fast report. So the only solution for continues printing is for you to write a custom reporting library. Again try the zreport engine I do not recall if it supports continues none page ware printing.

[jc99]

well in your case I don't think I have come across any reporting tool that can help every reporting engine will send a form feed character when it reaches the page height declared even fortes report and fast report. So the only solution for continues printing is for you to write a custom reporting library. Again try the zreport engine I do not recall if it supports continues none page ware printing.

If it's really only the Form-feed ? That could be filtered.
Take the text-export, and send anything to the printer except the #12 (FF).
You will (slowly) getting out of sync to your perforation, but it'll do.

Using (modern) Laser-Printer and Termical-Printer you really should use the shipped (included) drivers.
Sometimes Termical printer have an internal report-engine.
You just send the data, header, logo, formatting, and footer and cutting is done by the printer-engine, (or the printer-driver)

But still, did you try to print on these printers ?
If so, what happened ?
What was coming out other than expected ?

[taazz]

well in your case I don't think I have come across any reporting tool that can help every reporting engine will send a form feed character when it reaches the page height declared even fortes report and fast report. So the only solution for continues printing is for you to write a custom reporting library. Again try the zreport engine I do not recall if it supports continues none page ware printing.

If it's really only the Form-feed ? That could be filtered.
Take the text-export, and send anything to the printer except the #12 (FF).
You will (slowly) getting out of sync to your perforation, but it'll do.

Its not that simple.
1) the export does not support font size the engine can simple print the text that overflows on the right as a new page. In continues printing that is not possible they must be trimmed.
2) in case of box drawing using ascii chars then the export will close one box and start an other after the form feed character.

there are a lot of issues here and since we do not know what is used or how we really can not make any assumptions.

[jc99]

there are a lot of issues here and since we do not know what is used or how we really can not make any assumptions.

Big Yeah (Y) on that one.
That's why I am asking Questions

But the FF-Filter really works, because you have (nearly-) endless paper, and you are only printing visible characters + Space+ CRLF  (#10,#13,#32 .. #127)
No Font-Switching, no graphics.
If you print graphics, that's a whole other story, but therefor you have to know Printer-codes, but if you know Printer-codes you could do a whole bunch of other stuff.

BTW. the only thing i saw in elidorios pictures was blank single-layered endless-paper, no CC, no preprint. So why does he want to go through hell, working with these ?
PPS: If you want impact printing and speed, buy a line-matrix-printer ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_matrix_printer

[elidorio]

Hello,

I try to make an example and print with LazReport in a dot matrix printer and thermal, and see what happens?
Wait I post the results ...