Print Attributes (Magic xpa 3.x)
The Magic xpa logical print attributes are defined using the Print Attribute repository.
The Print Attribute repository is used to construct logical print styles that can be used to enhance the appearance of a text-mode report form. Colors are used to represent the print attributes that you select. The logical print style is resolved in runtime to actual printer control codes. Because the resolution of the logical style is done in runtime, the application can be written without any prior knowledge of the physical printers in a specific installation. The print styles are translated to actual printer control codes that are defined in the Printer Commands file.
Several print styles can be combined to create one logical Magic print style.
The settings you edit in the repository are saved in the Print Attributes file.
Each entry in this repository corresponds to a particular Magic xpa logical print style.
Note: You can use the print attributes from the Color property of Text-based controls by zooming from the property to the Print Attributes list.
The Print Attribute repository can be accessed by selecting Options>Settings>Print Attributes.
The Print Attribute repository includes the following columns:
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#
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The print attribute identifier (#) used in the project. Magic xpa sets this column automatically. You cannot edit this column.
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Name
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A description of the logical print attribute. This description will be displayed in the Print Attributes list when selecting a logical Print Attribute for a designated form area.
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Print Command
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The Print Command is a collection of one or more printer print styles that make up the Magic xpa logical print attribute. Each printer print style represents a font or a print typeface of a physical printer. By combining several Printer Commands into one logical print attribute, it is possible to create custom print styles for use in the project.
The values for this setting are chosen by zooming to the Printer Commands list. The Printer Commands list contains a collection of style-names read from the Printer Commands files assigned to each Magic xpa printer in the Printer repository. This list is generated from the total set of printer commands contained in all of the various commands files within the Magic xpa system.
Style-names that appear in more than one command file appear only once in the Printer Commands list.
In runtime, when the logical print attribute is resolved to the actual printer control codes, Magic xpa will send to the printer, the prefix part of all the Printer Commands that are defined for the print attribute according to their order of appearance in the Print Command setting. Then the form item will be sent to the printer. After the form item, Magic xpa will send all the suffix parts (if any) of all the Printer Commands that are defined for the print attribute according to their order of appearance in the Print Command setting.
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Color
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Specifies the number of the color associated with the logical print attribute. Zoom from this column into the Color file specified in the Environment dialog box to choose a color.
The color is used to assign the print attribute to the form or to the form areas. The color will not be printed. It only serves as a visual indicator of the usage of print attributes.
Note: Color is used for visual indication because it occupies no form "real estate".
See also Specifying a Print Style for a Section of Output Text.
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Printing Report Forms
