How do I get a print dialog window ?

[Act 3]

Question 1: Where would I find the Print Dialog VI, so that a user has the access to select his desired printer, no of copies for printout and so on...

Question 2 : How would I print a Graph on the front panel without using Report Generation VIs ?

Hope I get the answer to these questions.


Thanks.

[Joe_Guo]

Someone might have better answers, however, here is my 2c.

To Q1, I use an application called "fine print", when it set as default, it will popup everytime when there is a print opeartion and you can choose what printer to print to and set other settings as well. You can preview the print content as well. It is not free, but a very good tool.

If the report generated is a word or Excel file, I believe you can use print function in either word or Excel to print. You will have more options as well.

To Q2: Programetically it is not possible to directly print a graph to printer in Labview, but there are other ways. Whenever we want print lots of graphs or plots, we use a very powerful graph tool called "ProEssencials". You can select which printer to
use, you can export the graph to different images (jpg, bmp and emf). When plot is sent directly to a printer, you can maximize the plot without loosing details (unlike labview graph, which you capture a piture of the graph but the picture is not scalable)

Hope this helps,

-Joe

[Act 3]

Are you talking about Labview Tools here or something else ?

[Joe_Guo]

both tools are external applications.

-Joe

[Act 3]

I want Labview functions Joe, any suggestions ?

[Joe_Guo]

Unfortunently there aren't many options except using windows API.

-Joe

[Dennis_Knutson]

The LabVIEW tool for printing is the report generation functions. Why do you not want to use that. It can easily handle printing a single indicator. The other option is the transfer all data to a subVI that only has the single indicator and is set to print upon completion. This is settable from VI Properties>Print Options.

As far as the printer dialog, there are a couple of examples here and here.


Message Edited by Support on 01-07-2008 02:49 PM

[Act 3]

Thanks for the info Dennis.

How do I interface with C-code through Call Library Function?

And what is the difference between Call Library Function and Call Interface Node ?


Thanks.

[Dennis_Knutson]

In the examples, all of that has already been done for you. All you have to do is use the provided VIs. However, if you wish to learn about calling DLLs and using CINs, Open the LabVIEW Bookshelf from the hlpe menu and open "Using External Code in LabVIEW".

[Act 3]

Dennis,

You have given me links to a Print VI that prints the whole front panel. How would I make this VI functional for printing just a graph or table in the front panel ? Also, the Print Dialog VI that you pointed at, does not have the option of selecting number of copies for print. How would I bring that on, do you have one ready ? Or I should be adding extra lines in the code for it ? Please let me know.

I am having problem printing something, let me tell you the scenario here. I have to print a graph that's on a Tab Page. I want to print both the Tab page and the graph. What I am doing is, I convert the Tab Page Image to a JPEG file and then pass this file for print. The problem, sometimes this
JPEG gets printed and sometimes not. Why is this happening? Please Advise.


Thanks.