Database Reference
In-Depth Information
databases even when your computer crashes. It's even more rare, and even inadvisable,
to do this on the same database so often you'd need a script to do it for you.
Printing
Printing typically involves two specific commands on Windows or Mac: File→Print Setup
(or File→Page Setup) and File→Print. The Edit Script window gives you those same two
choices.
You'll use these steps often, since they're the meat-and-potatoes part of printing a report. Use
the
Print Setup
script step to set the options in the Print Setup or Page Setup dialog box.
Turn on “Specify page setup” to see the standard dialog box. Pick the option you want to as-
sociate with the script step. When the script runs, FileMaker restores the options you chose.
You can also turn on a “Perform without dialog” checkbox. When this option is off, a person
sees—and gets a chance to configure—the dialog box when the script runs. If you just want
to set the options without user intervention, turn on “Perform without dialog.”
The Print script step works very similarly. You can specify which printer to use, the number
of pages, and so forth or let people make the choice. Either way, when the step runs,
FileMaker prints. Remember, though, you get to control which records are printed. In the
Print dialog box, if you select “Records being browsed,” “Current record,” or “Blank record,
showing fields,” FileMaker remembers this setting along with all the other options. So be
sure you make the right choice for people.
NOTE
Many of the options you can set in the Print dialog box are specific to a particular printer model. For
example, some printers let you pick color or black-and-white printing or have settings for different
kinds of paper. Be careful about setting these proprietary options, though. When someone uses your
database and script on a different printer, then these options won't work.
Other Script Steps
You've now seen most of the often-used script steps (and a few of the not-so-often-used
ones). You'll see even more as they come up in the next few chapters. The rest of this chapter
covers a few oddball steps that don't seem to fit in anywhere.
