We are having a problem with APEX preview preferences when using MIAMEX,MX_GDICALC. We are using ATE/Linux and are using PROMPT: to get a printer context, but because of the preview preference settings APEX launches with a blank page and then closes, with "Just Exit" set. So, it doesn't prompt for a printer to select.

We're using an .sbx on the ATE side to set the preview preferences, so we could modify it to set the registry setting to "OFF" before a MX_GDICALC call. But it seems as though the preview preferences should be ignored in this case.

Good point. I'll fix that shortly.

Actually, I'm unable to reproduce this problem. If it happens on the MIAMEX, MX_GDICALC, MXGDI_OPENPTR call, can you get it to happen in the sample MMOGDI[908,37] program? (You should be able to just RUN MMOGDI, enter your printer choice, and hit RETURN until a few times until it makes the above call.)

Or, can you give me a Debug message window trace with the ATE flag turned on?

I've tested it with both 5.0.999.7 and 5.1.1121.4 on the server side, and 5.1.1121.4 on the ATE side.

To clarify, it is "Application Control, Default=On" that causes this issue. With this as the selected Preview on Print option, MIAMEX,MX_GDICALC using "Prompt:" does not prompt and APEX does not launch, so we are unable to select a printer for context.

Oh, I completely misunderstood the problem. I thought the issue was that APEX was grabbing the MX_GDICALC operation that opens the printer context.

That's still partly true, because when you print to APEX, the PROMPT: option is initially interpreted as whatever the default printer is (because it seemed rather goofy to prompt the user for a printer before previewing the file on the screen.)

But I guess I thought the "feature" applied almost as well to the MX_GDICALC case. Either way, you run the potential of a mismatch between the printer used to set up the GDI calculations and the printer which is actually used to output the report. (You can minimize that problem by using the printer returned from the MXGDI_OPENPTR function to construct a new printer init that you send the final report to. But, if they grab it with APEX, then they would get another chance to redirect it elsewhere.)

But, on balance, it's probably best that if the printer is PROMPT:, that MX_GDICALC in fact prompts before returning you a printer context. I'll get that cleared up today.

I've posted a 5.1.1121.6 which in fact does prompt now when MX_GDICALC requests the PROMPT: printer. However, a patch is needed for the server side as well, otherwise the ATE command that requests the printer context will time out while you are in the printer selection dialog.

If you're using 5.0 on the server side, please clarify which version you need and I'll post an updated 5.0.999.9 patch to treat that particular ATE command as one that has no time limit.

If you're using 5.1 on the server side, then there is another hurdle. I've already made the patch to 5.1, but the latest 5.1 version contains some new ISAM code which I'm still not 100% confident of. (It's had a lot of testing, but obviously we want to play it safe when updating production sites.) I could generate a hybrid version without the ISAM updates, but for equally obvious reasons I'd rather avoid creating yet another fork in the development release if it isn't necessary.

So let me know which way you want to go.
The ashw32 5.1.1121.6 update can be found at:
http://www.microsabio.net/dist/51dev/temphold/

A 5.0 rh8x update can be found at:
http://www.microsabio.net/dist/50rel/bin-linux-rh8x/ash-5.0.999.9-rh8x-upd.tz

(Note that since it also contains the updated ISAM code, it is only considered "safe" for ATE or other non-ISAM cases.)

We are not "dead in the water" without this fix. So I think will wait until the new isam stuff is fully tested...

FYI - I just posted a "final" update of 5.1 prior to the ISAM enhancements - 5.1.1121.9 - to the usual places (Update Center and http://www.microsabio.net/dist/51dev/ ). For anyone looking for recent patches but scared of the ISAM enhancements, this is your last chance to get up to date.