Customer Request I can't handle

[GCC Consulting]

From: filepro-list-bounces+gccconsulting=comcast.net at lists.celestial.com
[mailto:filepro-list-bounces+gccconsulting=comcast.net at lists.celestial.com]
On Behalf Of Del
Sent: Thursday, July 05, 2007 3:12 PM
To: filePro Mailing List
Subject: Customer Request I can't handle



	This customer is running FilePro on Windows XP.
	 
	They output a report to the laser printer that contains a print code
at the beginning of the page to print small (16 pitch).
	 
	The report prints in "portrait" mode, not landscape, and is wider
than 80 characters, but fits the page anyway because of the small print.
	 
	They called and asked if I could "make the report into a PDF" so
that they could view it onscreen and then distribute it to their clients.
	 
	However, they still want the ability to print it after viewing - and
they want their clients to be able to print it
	 
	After further analysis, I determined that what they want is to get
the same effect as if they printed the report to a laser printer and then
scanned in each page to make a PDF out of it (graphical image of page).  The
PDF could then be distributed and would print correctly on just about any
kind of laser printer.
	 
	I am not very knowledgeable about creating PDF, although I have
software (printwizard, paperport) that does it.
	 
	I did some experimenting, and, as far as I can determine, I can't do
what they want with any product at my disposal.
	 
	I put the report to a file and was able to view it with notepad.
Laser control characters then show up as strange symbols, which disturbed
them.  When viewed and then printed from notepad, the command string to
print condensed does not work, so the report lines wrap around and screw up
the formatting. If you just point to the output file and click on "print",
Windows launches notepad anyway and it prints the same way.
	 
	I tried creating a PDF using PrintWizard, but the same thing
happened
	 
	We were able to read the file with Word and then reformat to print
correctly, but it took a lot of editing which they don't want to do.
	 
	I almost got what I wanted with Monarch - the report looked good on
the screen, and was able to set the font for condensed print, but the
pagination was way off, with page headings creeping up and down the page.
Monarch does not have any controls for changing the page depth, as far as I
can tell.  
	 
	Before I tell the client I can't do it, I wanted to consult the list
members to see if someone knows of a product that will do this for them,
namely create a PDF file that has the same formatting as when the report is
printed on the laser printer.
	 
	Any help greatly appreciated.
	 
	Del Neroni

--------------------------------------

Del,

I am doing this currently for a client.  Separate reports are generated
weekly to pdf using Printwizard.  These are then emailed to the recipient.
My next step is to have Printwizard do both.

This is simple to set up.

Richard Kreiss
GCC Consulting