spectrum48k

Been asked to modify an existing coldfusion application (original dev has disappeared)

Question - the mod includes the ability to pull data out of the database and print it onto pre-printed stationery (ie. a person's name, address, etc...) Won't this be a pain, considering its an HTML / web based application ?

I thought of using tables, where I can at least I can set cell width and heights, to help alignment with the stationery ?

judgejules

I worked in CF for about ten years until I moved jobs two years ago.

I guess they want the print outs to happen server side, rather than having the "web user" view the report page then print it?

If they are using CF8 on the server then check out <CFPRINT>, if not get your thinking cap on

If they want it "client" side then its easy, just use tables as you suggest.

spectrum48k

Thanks. Unfortunately we're on MX6.1, so we're limited. I could use CSS, but I'm not convinced I can get it pixel perfect-ish. Still, the customer's printer won't change, so it's not as if it has to work across the board.

What do you use instead of CF now, out of curiosity ?

judgejules

Tables will be fine. If you want to do multi pages look at:

page-break-after: always;

put an encompassing table around each page, put this on your per page table and it'll page break after every "page".

I had pages printing out with tiny fold marks on them so it would all line up for a windowed envelope. Its easy to do if you have the patience to line it all up.

As for printing server side on 6.1. You'll probably need to pay for a component that'll do it or whip one up in VB/C++/. Dump the raw html out to the file system somewhere then <CFEXECUTE> your program at the end of all that and you're sorted.

I was forced to learn CF in a few days at the job I had as it was the companies weapon of choice at the time. However I have a gripe with having to pay for it so I'm currently using asp.net as I've been using asp on an off since it was launched.

spectrum48k

I did it the other way around - learned ASP (thanks to WROX press's big red books!) and migrated to CF.

Thanks for the tips - will give them a whirl

judgejules

Na same here, had the old red 1.0 wrox book. My first major site was written in asp which is what I used to get my first job.