PRINT SELECTION
PRINT SELECTION ( {aTable}{;}{* | >} )
| Parameter | Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|
| aTable | Table | → | Table for which to print the selection, or Default table, if omitted |
| * | > | Operator | → | * to suppress the printing dialog box, or > to not reinitialize print settings |
This command is not thread-safe, it cannot be used in preemptive code.
Description
PRINT SELECTION prints the current selection of aTable. The records are printed with the current output form of the table in the current process. PRINT SELECTION performs the same action as the Print menu command in the Design environment. If the selection is empty, PRINT SELECTION does nothing.
By default, PRINT SELECTION displays the Print job dialog box before printing. If the user cancels the dialog box, the command is canceled and the report is not printed. You can suppress this dialog box by using either the optional asterisk (*) parameter or the optional “greater than” (>) parameter:
- The * parameter causes a print job using the current print parameters (default parameters or those defined by the _o_PAGE SETUP and/or SET PRINT OPTION commands).
- Furthermore, the > parameter causes a print job without reinitializing the current print parameters. This setting is useful for executing several successive calls to PRINT SELECTION (e.g., inside a loop) while maintaining previously set customized print parameters. For an example of the use of this parameter, refer to the PRINT RECORD command description.
During printing, the output form method and/or the form’s object methods are executed depending on the events that are enabled for the form and objects using the Property List window in the Design environment, as well as on the events actually occurring:
- An On Header event is generated just before a header area is printed.
- An On Printing Detail event is generated just before a record is printed.
- An On Printing Break event is generated just before a break area is printed.
- An On Printing Footer event is generated just before a footer is printed.
You can check whether PRINT SELECTION is printing the first header by testing Before selection during an On Header event. You can also check for the last footer, by testing End selection during an On Printing Footer event. For more information, see the description of these commands, as well as those of Form event code and Level.
To print a sorted selection with subtotals or breaks using PRINT SELECTION, you must first sort the selection. Then, in each Break area of the report, include a variable with an object method that assigns the subtotal to the variable. You can also use statistical and arithmetical functions like Sum and Average to assign values to variables. For more information, see the descriptions of Subtotal, BREAK LEVEL and ACCUMULATE.
Warning: Do not use the PAGE BREAK command with the PRINT SELECTION command. PAGE BREAK is to be used with the Print form command.
After a call to PRINT SELECTION, the OK variable is set to 1 if the printing has been completed. If the printing was interrupted, the OK variable is set to 0 (zero) (i.e., the user clicked Cancel in the printing dialog box).
4D Server: This command can be executed on 4D Server in a stored procedure. In this context:
- Make sure that no dialog box appears on the server machine (except for a specific requirement). To do this, it is necessary to call the command with the * or > parameter.
- In the case of a problem concerning the printer (out of paper, printer disconnected, etc.), no error message is generated.
Example
The following example selects all the records in the [People] table. It then uses the DISPLAY SELECTION command to display the records and allows the user to highlight the records to print. Finally, it uses the selected records with the USE SET command, and prints them with PRINT SELECTION:
ALL RECORDS([People]) // Select all records
DISPLAY SELECTION([People];*) // Display the records
USE SET("UserSet") // Use only records picked by user
PRINT SELECTION([People]) // Print the records that the user picked
See also
_o_PAGE SETUP
ACCUMULATE
BREAK LEVEL
Level
Subtotal