printing from browsers?

Hi folks --

I've just had a request for a custom Merchant setup that needs to do
printouts. This is for in-house use by a bricks-and-mortar store that
wants to use Merchant as their POS software. They need to trigger a short
printout after every transaction, and of course they'd like to do it
without requiring the cashier to click a Print button.

Since this is for deployment on their own machines, not for general use by
the public, I think it's feasible; but I'm not expert on browser
security. I think it's possible to "unlock" a browser, so that JavaScript
could be used to open a pop-up window, trigger a printout, and close the
pop-up without the user clicking any extra buttons. Can someone tell me how?

Thanks --

Kent Multer | /| P.O.Box 701895, Dallas TX 75370
Magic Metal Productions | / | (214) 570 8264 voice/fax
| | [email protected]
* Web developer/designer http://TheMagicM.com
* E-commerce and Miva
* Author, The Official Miva Web Scripting Book -- available on-line:
<A HREF ="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA</A>

printing from browsers?



Hello Kent,

Here's a thought, merely a brainstorm, if you have no luck with Javascript.

You might try to find a print spooler. I used to use one many years
ago, a DOS program, that would run prints from AutoCad to a pen plotter anytime a
file with the correct extension was placed in a specific folder.

Heck, they may even exist with the printer software utilities that
come with the printer. Or,
there may even be a Java App out there that will do something like
this.

Or, just let your client know they'll just need to click an extra button or
two at the end of a checkout to print a receipt.

Scott
IDS

Saturday, May 7, 2005, 11:49:25 PM, you wrote:

KM> Hi folks --

KM> I've just had a request for a custom Merchant setup that needs to do
KM> printouts. This is for in-house use by a bricks-and-mortar store that
KM> wants to use Merchant as their POS software. They need to trigger a short
KM> printout after every transaction, and of course they'd like to do it
KM> without requiring the cashier to click a Print button.

KM> Since this is for deployment on their own machines, not for general use by
KM> the public, I think it's feasible; but I'm not expert on browser
KM> security. I think it's possible to "unlock" a browser, so that JavaScript
KM> could be used to open a pop-up window, trigger a printout, and close the
KM> pop-up without the user clicking any extra buttons. Can someone tell me how?

KM> Thanks --

KM> Kent Multer | /| P.O.Box 701895, Dallas TX 75370
KM> Magic Metal Productions | / | (214) 570 8264 voice/fax
KM> | | [email protected]
KM> * Web developer/designer http://TheMagicM.com
KM> * E-commerce and Miva
KM> * Author, The Official Miva Web Scripting Book -- available on-line:
KM> <A HREF ="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA</A>

printing from browsers?



You cannot launch unattended printing from JavaScript. In some browsers (so
far I know only about MSIE, but did not test with the latest versions of NS,
Opera, Firefox), you can only open the printing dialogue window, but that's
about all. For more control over the printing, you would need to use
Active-X - you will find detailed info in the knowledgebase at microsft.com.

Another (and probably easier) solution is sending the documents to print
with MvSMTP to a dedicated mailbox, and setting up a rule in that specific
mailbox to print all incoming email automatically.

Ivo Truxa

| http://miva.truxoft.com
| Advanced Miva Merchant modules



-----Original Message-----
From: Kent Multer


Hi folks --

I've just had a request for a custom Merchant setup that needs to do
printouts. This is for in-house use by a bricks-and-mortar store that
wants to use Merchant as their POS software. They need to trigger a short
printout after every transaction, and of course they'd like to do it
without requiring the cashier to click a Print button.

Since this is for deployment on their own machines, not for general use by
the public, I think it's feasible; but I'm not expert on browser
security. I think it's possible to "unlock" a browser, so that JavaScript
could be used to open a pop-up window, trigger a printout, and close the
pop-up without the user clicking any extra buttons. Can someone tell me
how?

Thanks --

Kent Multer | /| P.O.Box 701895, Dallas TX 75370
Magic Metal Productions | / | (214) 570 8264 voice/fax
| | [email protected]
* Web developer/designer http://TheMagicM.com
* E-commerce and Miva
* Author, The Official Miva Web Scripting Book -- available on-line:
<A HREF ="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA">http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0966103211/magicmetalproducA</A>