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I have given up on A4V7!!

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    #31
    RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

    Bill

    Linda is not the only developer who is having these type of problems. If her case was isolated I would agree with you but in this case I think Linda is right this product upgrade needs more work. My upgrade has also been returned.

    Malcolm Ransom

    Comment


      #32
      RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

      Hi all.

      I have just picked up an HP1220. This is a laserjet unit. Before I purchased, I called HP to ensure this unit would run a dos program. I was assured it would. At the end of the conversation, I asked for the "case number". I was given a 10 or 12 didgit number (which I kept). This case number allows me to take the unit back for a refund if it does not do what HP says it will do. At HP every conversation is recorded.

      I set up the new 1220 and then called HP. It would not print (because of that printer support program that works between as Tom had mentioned). The tech support person had me mouse click in a couple of spots, and now it works fine.

      I cannot really comment on ink jet printers. They are used more for graphics and pictures, where lasers are used more for an office environment.

      It would be very simple to call HP and give them some background of what you need (such as speed, price range, Inkjet or laser, etc), and ask them what printer would work under DOS. They will even give you the closest dealer to where you live.

      If you want to use an ink jet printer, I would advise calling HP before you buy. It could save you alot of time. Lasers though? If if it says PCL5 or PCL6 it will work with DOS. Even if your trusted computer dealer assures you it will work in DOS, I would still call HP and get that case number. It makes for easier returns.

      Regards to all

      RS.

      Comment


        #33
        RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

        Miike,

        Just read your comments in the ongoing pissing contest re: A4V7. Specifically, I'm interested in how you set up your HP 970Cse. The app I wrote for one of my clients is presently running under A4V6, but they changed from an older laser printer that worked fine to the HP 970Cse, and now there are random printing problems, mostly when printing labels.

        Any info on how you married the HP to A4 (even though you are addressing V7 and my client's problem is V6) would really be appreciated. I initially thought the fix would be to upgrade them to V7, but I'm having second thoughts, since they are VERY high maintenance.

        Dave Jampole
        Dave Jampole
        www.customalpha.com

        Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

        Comment


          #34
          RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

          Hi Dave,

          I too am using the DeskJet 970 Cse with Alpha Four Version 6. I believe I mentioned that. Anyway, I can offer no assistance when printing labels as a label from A4V6. Currently we use and print many 4? x 6? labels from A4V6 to place on packages of parts we manufacture. When we print a label, it?s a REPORT that we print (not a LABEL) to the printer that has 4? x 6? labels fed in from the bottom with a ?perf? between each label to allow each label to be torn individually. And in this case, we are printing to a Dot-Matrix Printer.

          I do print various reports as reports on 8-1/2? x 11? white paper. To use the DeskJet I connected the printer to my PC and installed the printer driver in windows printer setup. It?s connected to LPT1. I then went into Alpha Four and created a new printer configuration using HP DESKJET SERIES LANDSCAPE. At that point I could easily print from A4. Using CONTROL CODE?S from an old HP Laserjet Users Manual, I began experimenting with sending these code?s to the printer from Alpha?s printer configuration for this printer. Some don?t work, many do. I think the BIGGEST problem that I have found with sending control code?s to the printer via the printer configuration is what I believe I must do to get the new/changed printer configuration made current and be used.

          It seems if I simply change/adjust a printer configuration, the change won?t take and I?ll think the control code change doesn?t work with that printer. However, I have found that if after I make changes to a printer configuration and then open a report that will use that printer configuration, I have to put the report in Edit Mode, press F7, go to record selection and print settings, go to printer, ?RE-SELECT? (this is key) the same printer (if printer is printer K, select K again), save, and exit. It seems that only then will the newly changed/adjusted control codes work correctly.

          I?ll try printing some labels from A4 and see what I encounter. Though, typically when I want to print labels using data from A4 (not often) I?ll use Avery?s LabelPro software. It will read A4 DBF?s.

          Please let me know if I?ve confused you even more or have helped answer any of your questions.

          Thanks,
          Mike
          Thank you,
          Mike Konoff

          Comment


            #35
            RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

            Mike,

            Thanks for the info. I'll get over to my client's office and see what trouble I can cause. Of course, if I'm unsuccessful, I can reinforce the point that I wasn't consulted when they changed printers.

            Dave
            Dave Jampole
            www.customalpha.com

            Women and cats will do whatever they want. The sooner men and dogs realize that, the happier they will be.

            Comment


              #36
              RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

              To just about anyone with the problem of A4V7 not working. I do consulting for this very problem for three companies. and they all use a combination of enviroments. so send me your specific setup problems (IE OS, PRINTER, and dbf size, field count, and relational map) I can see if there is a workable solution, but most of you are being a bit vague about the problems you are having. So it is hard to address the issue.

              Randy

              Comment


                #37
                RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                Randy,

                Have you had any success with getting the typeset printers to work properly? If so, I'd be interested in whatever solutions you can offer. Also, I'm having some huge problems with my memo fields. Let me know what information you need. Thanks.

                Linda

                Comment


                  #38
                  RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                  linda-
                  alpha4v7 is not designed (yet) to work in typeset mode, only in standard print mode. if you need typeset mode and have DOS print drivers, use version 6. bill salter

                  Comment


                    #39
                    RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                    Linda;
                    Version 7 works in typeset mode exactly as version 6. So, if your printer works with v6, you should have no problems with v7. V7 is printing perfectly for me in "regular mode" with "Windows printers", and through DOS in typeset (both on a local HP Laser and to a networked HP Laser. I am, however, using Win 98 on a Win peer-to-peer network, which may be quite different from your situation.

                    Duncan

                    Comment


                      #40
                      RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                      DUNCAN-
                      you're right. i should have added to my first sentence "in windows mode". also, i use w98. bill

                      Comment


                        #41
                        RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                        Thanks Duncan,

                        We have a Windows 2000 network (I don't know if it's peer to peer - I'll have to ask the network guy). What's happening is that when I have those windows drivers set up, and I try to print in typeset mode, A4 defaults to the windows driver. You know the big window that comes up when you're printing in typeset mode - the one that asks about the bin and the characters per inch? That doesn't even come up - it looks like I'm printing in standard mode. I've solved the problem somewhat by getting rid of those windows printers and just sticking with DOS printers, which are all printing strangly now too. I had to change the settings on all those reports. My biggest problem is that I can only print my typeset reports from the one workstation that actually has the network printer attached to it. I've set the LPT on every typeset report to LPT1, which is the only way I can get it to work. For some reason, if I set the LPT to anything else, it changes back to standard mode. It works, but certainly not the way it used to.

                        Judging from what everyone's said, I'm either going to live with things the way they are now, or change the server back to Windows 98 and go back to V.6. Sorry choice, I have to say.

                        Linda

                        Comment


                          #42
                          RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                          Linda;
                          It almost sounds like the report you are sending to print does not have a typeset printer set up. Can you check this? If you go to "Layouts", "Reports", "Create/Edit Report", "Select Report", select your report, and then push "F7 GOTO", and select "Typeset Printing Defaults", is the DOS printer there and to the "correct" LPT? This sounds like it might be the problem.

                          Duncan

                          Comment


                            #43
                            RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                            Randy,
                            I read you message on the A4V7 forum.
                            I have used A4 since ver 2 or so. So long ago now, I've forgotten where I came in but around dos3.1 before 3.11 I believe. I'm a physician and wrote an application to manage my prescriptions including printing them out and handing them to my patient at the time of visit. A4 has worke well except reliability problems> I found and use a program P/mode dos extender or something like that which seed to stabilize A4 rinning in a windoe in WIN98se. It still crashes 2-3 x'x week but recovery usually dosent entail rebooting 5-6 times. I'm migrating to Win XP so bought V7 which I installed 3 weeks ago. I can't get it to run my application properly and haven't tried printing yet. Specifically, I get and error while entering data "Lock Error Un-locking" with the choices of "Continue Retry Escape Main menu" I've never seen this before. Any ideas? I'f I fire up V6 all is well again. But my XP machine is waiting.
                            Thanks for any help you may have to offer.
                            Bob Slayden, M.D.
                            Atlanta, GA

                            Comment


                              #44
                              RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                              Linda,

                              Sorry for the rebuke, but the lack of best-practices you have just described are simply another reminder that there is no substitute for a real, solid IT background. Comverted to 2000 for 4 months before you knew your memo data was disappearing? Installed V7 with no retreat plan in place? WOW!

                              You never, never, never upgrade an OS, or an application version without FULLY TESTING IT and having a road home in the event Mr. Murphy rears his ugly head! This seems simple to those with an IT background, but it is merely another indicator of the problem one runs into in creating an application "for non-programmers".

                              I suggest to all of you that there is a major difference between running a home system to keep track of your receipes and running a business system. GET SOME BASICS under your belt before bemoaning the package. While it is easier and more tempting, it usually (but not always) pilot error, not the plane.

                              I apologize for the elitist tone, but when I read these whinney notes about returning a truly remarkable product like the one we use, it simply brings home the awesome chore associated with developing and supporting this product.

                              If there is one thing I have learned in my 25 years as a programmer and IT manager it is this :

                              99% of the time, the problem is BTCK!

                              (Between the chair and the keyboard)!

                              Good Luck

                              Comment


                                #45
                                RE: I have given up on A4V7!!

                                The easiest way to correct the printer problems is to deactivate the new windows printing in A6v7, edit it out of the start up batch file and use the old printer definitions that you used in a6. You may not be able to use some of the new printers but almost all of the laser will run on a hp II setup. We did this and it works fine our reprots print in typeset mode with no problems, we cant use our ink jets but we don't care, we have a brand new Kyocera 17ppm networked laser that prints great, no problems.......If you need special reports using window drivers use a5 or access just as a report printer, I have done that too.

                                Comment

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