Printing complex reports

[TOPSie]

I have posted several questions both here and elsewhere regarding issues I have had printing complex reports. I have finally got a working solution so I want to share it here to help others.
The scenario is that this report has a very complex structure, including 3 sub reports. And all has to fit on a sheet of A5 paper. Depending on the contents, particularly the sub reports then sometimes the report stretches to 2 pages, which must be printed double sided.
To further complicate matters my development system is off-site and cannot "see" the large "enterprise" printers on site, of which there are two different models. The development system has its own "desktop" printer.

MS Access cannot cope with having multiple printers associated with a report. You can get away with this if the report's printing requirements are simple and "standard". But if they are complex you hit various issues.
If I update the report design on the development machine, when it is deployed to production the report prints incorrectly (wrong paper size, wrong tray and not double sided - in various combinations)



The answer I have found is to do any necessary development. Load the developed .accdb file to each production PC (fortunately only 2 of them) and before running the application enter design mode for the report and configure the report (Page Setup) to match the printer attached to the PC (printer are on the network - but each PC has its own Default printer). Then save the .accdb where it will be picked each time the app is loaded on the PC.

As the application is getting frequent updates - rarely for this particular report - it makes deployment of updates more complicated - but at least I have a happy customer as far as printing is concerned.

[Welshgasman]

Really should not be issuing .accdb to production environment.

I am sure you could have two reports and you use whatever fits that particular PC.

I had an issue once where a user wanted a different layout as his eyesight was poor. So I tested for his username and amended to suit.

'
' Show different layout if using wide screen due to eysesight problems
'
    If Me.txtFull_Name = "Gareth Cross" Then
        intwidth = 50
        intTop = 6000
        Me.Payments_Subform.Visible = False
        Me.Payments_Subform2.Visible = True
    Else
        intwidth = 30
        intTop = 8500
        Me.Payments_Subform.Visible = True
        Me.Payments_Subform2.Visible = False
    End If
    
' Adjust the buttons now. Measument is in twips, 6000 = 10cm & 8500 = 15 cms approx


        Me.cmdCopy.Top = intTop
        Me.cmdSave.Top = intTop
        Me.cmdCaseFlow.Top = intTop
        Me.cmdRequery.Top = intTop
        Me.cmdClose.Top = intTop

[Micron]

Really should not be issuing .accdb to production environment

Except that if you're stuck with this method, you can't edit objects in mde or accde files?
I would have thought there were vba options to control printer settings/options but have to admit I've never had to do so.

[Welshgasman]

Yes, and that is the main reason I thought, for their existence?