revPrintText Answers

[Rob Cozens]

Hi All,

Here's my solution:

on printTable 
theTable,theHeader,theFontSize,theLineLength,extraMargin,addedSpaceWidth,addedSpaceLocations
   if theLineLength < 1 then put offset(return,theTable)-1 into theLineLength
   if extraMargin is empty then put 36 into extraMargin else add 36 to 
extraMargin
   set cursor to watch
   push card
   lock screen
   lock messages
   go to card 1 of stack "Serendipity Library.rev"
   if addedSpaceWidth is not empty then put justifyString(" 
",addedSpaceWidth) into theSpacer
   put empty into newTable
   repeat for each line tableLine in theTable
     put char 1 to theLineLength of tableLine into tableLine
     if addedSpaceWidth > 0 then
       repeat with x = the number of lines of addedSpaceLocations down to 1
         put theSpacer after char (line x of addedSpaceLocations) of tableLine
       end repeat
     end if
     put tableLine&return after newTable
   end repeat
   put newTable into field "Text Formatter"
   set the textFont of char 1 to -1 of field "Text Formatter" to "Courier New"
   set the textSize of char 1 to -1 of field "Text Formatter" to theFontSize
   put theHeader into field "Header Formatter"
   set the textFont of char 1 to -1 of field "Header Formatter" to "Courier New"
   set the textSize of char 1 to -1 of field "Header Formatter" to theFontSize
   set the textStyle of char 1 to -1 of field "Header Formatter" to bold
   put "<%pagenumber%>" into field "Footer Formatter"
   set the textFont of char 1 to -1 of field "Footer Formatter" to "Courier New"
   set the textSize of char 1 to -1 of field "Footer Formatter" to theFontSize
   put the short date into field "Date Formatter"
   set the textFont of char 1 to -1 of field "Date Formatter" to "Courier New"
   set the textSize of char 1 to -1 of field "Date Formatter" to theFontSize
   set the printMargins to extraMargin,108,extraMargin,36
   revShowPrintDialog true,true
   revPrintText (the htmlText of field "Text Formatter"),(the htmlText 
of field "Date Formatter")&tab&(the htmlText of field "Header 
Formatter"),tab&(the htmlText of field "Footer Formatter")
   put empty into field "Text Formatter"
   put empty into field "Header Formatter"
   put empty into field "Footer Formatter"
   put empty into field "Date Formatter"
   pop card
   unlock messages
   unlock screen
   set cursor to hand
end printTable

The resulting output meets my needs; so that's how it will appear 
when my library is released.  Maybe someday in my old age I'll 
rewrite it to calculate the proper printMargins instead of forcing 
the user to pass it.

Notes:

* I'm dealing with the "early cutoff" of lines at the bottom of the 
page by setting a bigger top printMargin so the text is centered.  I 
hope someday revPrintText will do a better job of setting the bottom 
of the text close to the top of the footer

* Since all lines of a table are the same length and the tables are 
printed in a monoproportional font, I can center the table by 
adjusting the left printMargin (and the right printMargin as well to 
keep header & page #s centered).

* I tried putting the date in the same field with the header; but 
that did not produce the correct output when the header had multiple 
lines.

* At least 30% of this handler could be eliminated if I could find a 
way to set the font & size Transcript uses when printing plain text. 
I tried changing the stack's default text; but the revPrintText 
output didn't change.

* If revPrintField allowed one to specify a header & footer al la 
revPrintText, that would be a much easier way to go.

Special thanks to Jan Decroos for private suggestions & examples.
-- 

Rob Cozens
CCW, Serendipity Software Company
http://www.oenolog.com/who.htm

"And I, which was two fooles, do so grow three;
Who are a little wise, the best fooles bee."

from "The Triple Foole" by John Donne (1572-1631)