[Resolved] Printer php/html/mysql

[hodge]

Coming from the C world into PHP I'm finding
the simple things are harder to do.
Need to print the output of my form to the HP
deskjet printer.
Seems as if this is not a simple task with PHP so could someone please advise as to the most direct route to take with examples. Please.
Thanks.
Hodge

[drew010]

if what you mean is you want a user to be able to click a button on their webpage and have it print out the form, you will need to use some client side code like javascript. if you want a php script to directly access your printer and make things print w/ php that is not as easy and you need to have a windows server to do it. http://www.php.net/printer
if you are on unix and you want to to do the above, you will need to access the actual printer port you will need to use directIO functions, http://www.php.net/dio.
hopefully 1 of the 3 things i mentioned is what you were going for

[hodge]

drew010;
Yep thats what I found with my search as well
but was maybe thinking I over looked something simple. LOL
Well the perl / Javascript area is looking more and more in line with my options.
Don't get me wrong php is good on some issues but for major App's it's lacking in the system arena and coming from the C world I was hoping for a magic wand attached with it.
Soooooo back to C or Perl or do the work around with php, thats the options at this stage.
Thanks for update and as well the fast reply to
my question.
Hodge

[drew010]

just curious what magic from c were you looking for. javascript is client side so it can do a lot that php and perl (asp as well) cannot do, because all the processing is done on the server. php can do much of what c can do, and then some. i may be able to point you in the right direction if there were some things you couldn't find.

[hodge]

Drew010;
Yes I agree with your selection as to the
javascript working with php. What I'm doing at this stage is moving a program from command line old style C into the newer Gui operation.
Now that being said I'm as well on the road of
bring myslef up to speed with the newer language's as well.
For the most part it's a simple operation in respect to the higher level 30,000 foot viewing and is not making to many demands on the system calls.
Listed below is the block outline of how the App would work and you will see the need for Server side operations for that overview.
Pause:
Sorry Drew I just had a ph call and will have to edit this post as I need to run over to a clients site and will be back soon to update this posting.
Hodge

Ps
how's the weather on that side of the world??
it's been rain rain rain here in the
Atlanta area.

[drew010]

weather is nice here. im looking out the window right now 8:49am and the sun is shining bright. probably another hot day here today. we have been in the high 80s and low 90s for the past few days. i, however, am a bigger fan of the cloudy, cool weather than i am for the hot, dry days.

[hodge]

Sorry for rush out in the middle but this dude
is a good paying client and I keep him real happy.LOL

Ok here is the 30,000 foot view of the App

1. It's a simple in house pay vendors and as well payroll program.
2. One master database called accounting
   with tables called vendors,payroll,customers,vendor_trans,code_numbers.
   The main key is the code_numbers section as this is what is handed off to the book keeper at the end of each 1/4.
   Now in it's simple design I query the master database and the table "code_numbers" and once that information comes back stuff it into
   a select tag.
   I only need the number but as well provide the
   client with this .

107 Payroll_account
Now the text to the right is just a handy fast lookup and the real power comes from the number in the reports section.
as well the vendors table has "If they have provided one" an account # so it as well is being place into a <select name=name> tag
now here is the first rub in doing a php app at least for me.
I bring in all the fields of the vendors table but for the select tag really only need to view the name. But once the submit button is hit I need to pass the whole value of the record off to the voucher section.
So my select option would read this:
my vendor name.
and you would select that from the options list.
then you push submit and off to the voucher
section and now I need the full data value of the selected vendor to read like this.

my vendor name
123 any ave
my citr, my st zip
now the reason for all this twice work is simple on my part the checks we have we use the vendor information in the window on the envelop to mail the check to.
At this time I have made up a HTML print form and placed the elements where I need them and then just push the print button on the browser to get the print out. Not the best of operations but at least it works for now.
Ok thats enough for this session I will let you address this bit of data and reply with as I'm sure some questions as to
Why are you doing this or That.
Again thanks for the help in your insight.
Ron / hodge

ps if you would like to take this off line and save the board space use this address to email
[e-mail]
it's just a slush address and once I get your personal email I will provide you with a good one.

[drew010]

ok i see what you are saying about the printer. php isnt the best for that kind of stuff. it is more of a web scripting languages for doing webpages and not really managing payroll checks etc...you would be able to query the db and all like you are doing, but you are right, you will need to do some weird thing like print from the browser and make everything that way instead of having your c prog just print the stuff as it runs.

[hodge]

Yep your on the mark with that statement.
This is not the right place but until I find a more general php/javascript App I'm looking into using the CGI.pm and maybe having that function as my printer output.
But I guess I could just keep as is it's just not setting correct with my idea of a polished system.
Anyway at least I'm getting my feet wet "up to my eyeballs" with learning a new way of doing things.LOL
Another day of rain here in Atlanta but at least I did get the back yard cut. hehe.
I have 3.5 Acres and my back yard is just under 1 . It was nice when I put it in but now that the grass is growing it's not so nice.
thanks for all your feedback and enjoy the Dry
weather in sunny Cal.
By the way I'm really from Boca Raton Fl so I know all about sun shine. Just moved up here two years aga and I'm ready to head back down.
Hodge