Missing grids in the printouts

[alexbeylin]

Hi

I am displaying the acquired data using the Waveform Chart indicators. The grid lines displayed correctly while the program is running, however, they are disappearing from the window printouts.  I tried different print options (Standard, Postscript, bitmap) - no effect. The grids are missing on 2/3 of X scale of the chart, as shown in the attached figure. What should I do?

Thanks

Alex

[Megan B.]

Hi Alex,

I'm assuming you are using the Easy Print Panel or Documentation VI.  I haven't been able to replicate the behavior you are seeing (my chart grid lines are printing fine) so do you think you could post a small VI which we can use to replicate the issue?

Thank you Alex!
Megan B.
National Instruments

[alexbeylin]

Dear Megan,

Thanks for trying to help me.
Please see the vi which demonstrates the grid problem.
The gridlines are visible on the screen, but missing on the printout.
Generally speaking, is it possible to change programmatically the width and style of the grid lines?

Thanks
Alex

[alexbeylin]

Hi Megan
I am sorry, in my previous example the data buffer of the chart did not save the data points and therefore, when you run it, the entire chart will be empty.  Please see the other example where the plot is updated and the grid lines in the printouts are missing.

Thank you Megan!
Alex

[Megan B.]

Hi Alex,

Thanks so much for the VI.  After playing with it for a while, I determined that the grid lines failed to print ONLY when the Chart Update Mode (in the chart's Properties) was set to Sweep Chart.  Charts set with Scope or Strip Update Modes will print correctly with the gridlines (in my experience.

I can't think of a reason why this would be the expected behavior so I've set the issue on up to R&D.  I'll certainly post if I find out anything further 🙂

In the meantime, will one of the other update modes work for you?  You actually can still run the VI in Sweep mode. If you change the property before you print, and then change it back after you print, it should work correctly (you do not even have to RUN the VI with the property changed).

Please let me know if you have any questions!
Megan B.
National Instruments

[alexbeylin]

Hi Megan,

Thank you for your advice. 

As you suggested, I want to change the graph update property  before and after the printing the window. Therefore,  the standard Print Window menu item has to be modified.

The standard Easy Print vi does not display the printer selection dialog, which is important for me. When I tried the ActiveX method of popping up the printer window described in

http://forums.ni.com/ni/board/message?board.id=170&message.id=138629&query.id=99410#M138629

 neither example posted by Jarrod S. , nor my simple vi (attached) did not work under LV 7.1. 

Should I call the MSDN PrintDlg function from comdlg32.dll or I can call it using ActiveX?

Thank you for your help,

Alex

[JLS]

Hello,

I have attached a simple VI (see the top-level VI named "Print VI Front Panel.vi in the attached zip file) which will print a VI you specify by path, optionally in a chosen greyscale (specified by lightest and darkest shades of grey to use... from white to black).  If you leave the "Printer" string empty, you will be promted with a dialog to select from the printers you have added to your system (ie. your currently available printers).

[JLS]

Just forgot to sign it 🙂

Best Regards,

JLS

[alexbeylin]

Hello,

I am sorry it took me so long to thank you for your example. Your examples work perfectly and I learned a lot from it.
Also, on NI forum I found a nice vi calling the standard windows dialog window for setting up the default printer.


Best Regards,
Alex

[JLS]

Hello,

No problem, and that's great news!  So by combining the windows printer dialog, you can add an option to "add a printer" to your system (if it doesn't already exist) and then do the printing!  Thanks for posting it as well - others will surely see this stream and make use of it!

Best Regards,

JLS