Printing reports

Reports produced by CANDAT can be sent to a printer, a file or, in the case of subject calculated data (task 340), to documented files. CANDAT is configured to print to LPT1 (or text files if you wish). The printer definition within CANDAT which ensures printing to LPT1 is called PRNTLPT1. It can be set in Activate System Utilities menu, under Activity Options menu. Activity Options is available as a menu item in each Module or Task selection menu as well as in the Task startup menu.

In order to use your Windows printers you need a software such as DOS2USP which captures the LPT1 port.  It can be obtained here as a trial version and as a permanent version for a very low cost. The advantage of printing to Windows printers is that you can create PDF files from CANDAT output and be better able to manage the large volumes of data produced by CANDAT.

Paper definitions

CANDAT uses paper size to layout reports for printing. Paper size is a menu item under Activity Options (see above). Paper size is always defined in portrait mode, even if you wish to print in landscape mode (sideways). CANDAT determines the size of the report in relation to the size of the paper available. A few reports cannot print on paper 8.5 in. wide. These reports need to be printed on wider paper or need to be printed in landscape mode. When CANDAT detects this situation, it prompts you to change your paper definition so that it can continue. You must then switch to landscape (if you have landscape capabilities on your printer) or specify wider paper.

Printer definitions

The DOS2USB program allows you to define the print device (which can be a .PDF file), the font and the font size to use for the report. This printer definition works in conjunction with CANDAT to provide the printed (or visual) representation of the reports. CANDAT defines the width of the report and the length of the pages based on its paper definition (see above). DOS2USB makes this definition fit on a page or on the screen.

Most of the reports in CANDAT are presented in a table form. A fixed font (such as Courier New) is preferable as it uses characters that are all the same width. An “M” has the same width as an “I”. A “1” has the same width as a “0”. This allows columns of data and numbers within these columns to line up properly and be easier to read.  Font size is set here too. Please note that these sizes are in CPI (Characters per inch) and not in dots per inch as in windows. A larger CPI results in smaller characters and vice versa.  A bit of experimenting with the paper setups of CANDAT and the printer setups of DOS2USB will have you producing beautiful reports very quickly. A suitable setting is shown here.