output from call (GRX)

[Bruce Easton]

Chris Sellitto wrote:
> Monday, December 18, 2006 12:00 PM
>
> > >Scott Nelson wrote:
> > >Is there limits to the call command from an input process?
> > >I am trying an output process and it does not seem to print.
> >
> > >Scott
> >
> > Scott,
>
> > Calling an output process from clerk will work just fine.  However, how
> > does it know what to print?
>
> > You will need to put a FORM "nameof form" command in the call table.
>
> > You can make it conditional by checking @sn ne "" to see if you are in
> > clerk or report.
>
> > Remember, it would also be possible to print different forms -
> one after
> > the other - in clerk using this.
>
> > You could print a sheet of mailing labels by using FORMM and repeating
> > it 40 times (or whatever fills a page).  Use FORM on the last label and
> > it will close the print job.
>
> > One feature I always hoped for in filePro would be an output process
> > that could print different forms, easily, in one pass.  It is a very
> > hard thing to do now and it would be so easy if you could just issue a
> > form command(s) as you passed each record.  Not sure why they
> never did it.
> >
> >Nancy
>
>   I would love to see this as an added feature as well Nancy, how
> about anyone else?
>   I could have used this feature last week as a matter of fact.
>
> Christopher Sellitto

That sounds very useful, but I wonder if this were allowable and even just
two different forms were present, how much slower the process becomes.  I
would think there must be some calulations/printer_driver_mappings/etc.
that are now done by d/rreport only once to prepare output of a "normal"
d/rreport print job that would have to be considered and done for each
record.  If this is true, then maybe this feature could be added, but would
only be exercised when some switch is turned on for it (and that you could
use this for small print jobs).

Also, being that you are suggesting different formats, would you expect them
to be available with the full set of options presently available?  For
example - a print job with varying destinations?

Bruce

Bruce Easton
STN, Inc.