Printing a URL - possible?

[Kris Eiben]

Hello all,

We're trying to find a way to print multiple complex HTML pages (actually
DHTML reports customized using ASP, but that shouldn't make a difference).
Have tried IFrames, ILayers, client-side Javascript -- only thing that's
worked well has been an ActiveX control, and some of our users now say they
aren't allowed to use ActiveX controls, and others only use Netscape so they
aren't served at all by this solution. We're thinking a Java applet is the
way to go. So, before I take the time to learn the language and try writing
one ...

Can Java do this? It would be perfect if it could also change printer
settings (landscape, no header/footer, margins, background images), but just
being able to send a series of URLs to an applet and having it print them
without the user having to deal with a print dialog for each one would be a
major victory at this point.

Please reply, even if your answer is "clueless newbie, it's too simple to
even show an example." I checked this and the java.general newsgroups, and
questions about printing tend to go unanswered. So please do share, even if
you don't think you have much to share. Thanks!

Kris Eiben
Automation Creations, Inc.

BTW If there's an applet (doesn't have to be free, or even cheap) already
out there that does this, please point the way. I've looked everywhere I
know to look (including JARS) and haven't seen even one that does anything
like this.

[John Timney (MVP)]

if your on about printing from an applet then you will need to sign your
applet, this needs to be done differently for netscape and ie applets to get
out of whats known as the security sandbox. Sun did a really useful article
on signing but I cant recall the url, you should be able to find it
though...then you should have no problems controlling the client
environment - including print. You will struggle to find much information
on it though, Ivor Hortons Java 2 from wrox has a good section on printing
in the revised edition that will help with the code for controlling the
printer ...but getting the applet to work is an entirely more difficult
thing....

Regards

John Timney (MVP)


Kris Eiben <kris@matls.com> wrote in message news:3912eb9e@news.devx.com...
> Hello all,
>
> We're trying to find a way to print multiple complex HTML pages (actually
> DHTML reports customized using ASP, but that shouldn't make a difference).
> Have tried IFrames, ILayers, client-side Javascript -- only thing that's
> worked well has been an ActiveX control, and some of our users now say
they
> aren't allowed to use ActiveX controls, and others only use Netscape so
they
> aren't served at all by this solution. We're thinking a Java applet is
the
> way to go. So, before I take the time to learn the language and try
writing
> one ...
>
> Can Java do this? It would be perfect if it could also change printer
> settings (landscape, no header/footer, margins, background images), but
just
> being able to send a series of URLs to an applet and having it print them
> without the user having to deal with a print dialog for each one would be
a
> major victory at this point.
>
> Please reply, even if your answer is "clueless newbie, it's too simple to
> even show an example." I checked this and the java.general newsgroups,
and
> questions about printing tend to go unanswered. So please do share, even
if
> you don't think you have much to share. Thanks!
>
> Kris Eiben
> Automation Creations, Inc.
>
> BTW If there's an applet (doesn't have to be free, or even cheap) already
> out there that does this, please point the way. I've looked everywhere I
> know to look (including JARS) and haven't seen even one that does anything
> like this.
>
>

[Kris Eiben]

Thank you. I'll find that book (I've got his Beginning Java book now).

John Timney (MVP) wrote in message <39145aa3@news.devx.com>...
>if your on about printing from an applet then you will need to sign your
>applet, this needs to be done differently for netscape and ie applets to
get
>out of whats known as the security sandbox. Sun did a really useful
article
>on signing but I cant recall the url, you should be able to find it
>though...then you should have no problems controlling the client
>environment - including print. You will struggle to find much information
>on it though, Ivor Hortons Java 2 from wrox has a good section on printing
>in the revised edition that will help with the code for controlling the
>printer ...but getting the applet to work is an entirely more difficult
>thing....
>
>Regards
>
>John Timney (MVP)
>
>
>Kris Eiben <kris@matls.com> wrote in message news:3912eb9e@news.devx.com...
>> Hello all,
>>
>> We're trying to find a way to print multiple complex HTML pages (actually
>> DHTML reports customized using ASP, but that shouldn't make a
difference).
>> Have tried IFrames, ILayers, client-side Javascript -- only thing that's
>> worked well has been an ActiveX control, and some of our users now say
>they
>> aren't allowed to use ActiveX controls, and others only use Netscape so
>they
>> aren't served at all by this solution. We're thinking a Java applet is
>the
>> way to go. So, before I take the time to learn the language and try
>writing
>> one ...
>>
>> Can Java do this? It would be perfect if it could also change printer
>> settings (landscape, no header/footer, margins, background images), but
>just
>> being able to send a series of URLs to an applet and having it print them
>> without the user having to deal with a print dialog for each one would be
>a
>> major victory at this point.
>>
>> Please reply, even if your answer is "clueless newbie, it's too simple to
>> even show an example." I checked this and the java.general newsgroups,
>and
>> questions about printing tend to go unanswered. So please do share, even
>if
>> you don't think you have much to share. Thanks!
>>
>> Kris Eiben
>> Automation Creations, Inc.
>>
>> BTW If there's an applet (doesn't have to be free, or even cheap) already
>> out there that does this, please point the way. I've looked everywhere I
>> know to look (including JARS) and haven't seen even one that does
anything
>> like this.

[Jerry Rodgers]

Hi Kris,

I am in the same situation. I have been hunting everywhere for a similar
solution. I just want to be able to call a couple of urls and print them
wihtout the print dialog appearing.

What did you end up doing? Did you find an applet? I would rather have just
a plain JavaScript solution.

Thanks,
Jerry


"Kris Eiben" <kris@matls.com> wrote:
>Thank you. I'll find that book (I've got his Beginning Java book now).
>
>John Timney (MVP) wrote in message <39145aa3@news.devx.com>...
>>if your on about printing from an applet then you will need to sign your
>>applet, this needs to be done differently for netscape and ie applets to
>get
>>out of whats known as the security sandbox. Sun did a really useful
>article
>>on signing but I cant recall the url, you should be able to find it
>>though...then you should have no problems controlling the client
>>environment - including print. You will struggle to find much information
>>on it though, Ivor Hortons Java 2 from wrox has a good section on printing
>>in the revised edition that will help with the code for controlling the
>>printer ...but getting the applet to work is an entirely more difficult
>>thing....
>>
>>Regards
>>
>>John Timney (MVP)
>>
>>
>>Kris Eiben <kris@matls.com> wrote in message news:3912eb9e@news.devx.com...
>>> Hello all,
>>>
>>> We're trying to find a way to print multiple complex HTML pages (actually
>>> DHTML reports customized using ASP, but that shouldn't make a
>difference).
>>> Have tried IFrames, ILayers, client-side Javascript -- only thing that's
>>> worked well has been an ActiveX control, and some of our users now say
>>they
>>> aren't allowed to use ActiveX controls, and others only use Netscape
so
>>they
>>> aren't served at all by this solution. We're thinking a Java applet
is
>>the
>>> way to go. So, before I take the time to learn the language and try
>>writing
>>> one ...
>>>
>>> Can Java do this? It would be perfect if it could also change printer
>>> settings (landscape, no header/footer, margins, background images), but
>>just
>>> being able to send a series of URLs to an applet and having it print
them
>>> without the user having to deal with a print dialog for each one would
be
>>a
>>> major victory at this point.
>>>
>>> Please reply, even if your answer is "clueless newbie, it's too simple
to
>>> even show an example." I checked this and the java.general newsgroups,
>>and
>>> questions about printing tend to go unanswered. So please do share,
even
>>if
>>> you don't think you have much to share. Thanks!
>>>
>>> Kris Eiben
>>> Automation Creations, Inc.
>>>
>>> BTW If there's an applet (doesn't have to be free, or even cheap) already
>>> out there that does this, please point the way. I've looked everywhere
I
>>> know to look (including JARS) and haven't seen even one that does
>anything
>>> like this.
>
>