Skip to main content
Version: 20 R7 BETA

GET PRINT OPTION

GET PRINT OPTION ( option ; value1 {; value2} )

ParameterTypeDescription
optionIntegerOption number or PDF option code
value1Integer, TextValue 1 of the option
value2Integer, TextValue 2 of the option

This command is not thread-safe, it cannot be used in preemptive code.

Description

The GET PRINT OPTION command returns the current value(s) of a print option.

The option parameter enables you to specify the option to get. You can either get a standard option (longint), or a PDF option code (string). The command returns, in the value1 and (optionally) value2 parameters, the current value(s) of the specified option.

To specify a standard printing option, you can use of the following predefined constants, located in the “Print Options” theme:

ConstantTypeValueComment
Paper optionLongint1If you use only value1, it contains the name of the paper. If you use both parameters, value1 contains the paper width and value2 contains the paper height. The width and height are expressed in screen pixels. Use the PRINT OPTION VALUES command to get the name, height and width of all the paper formats offered by the printer.
Orientation optionLongint2value1 only: 1=Portrait, 2=Landscape. If a different orientation option is used, GET PRINT OPTION returns 0 in value1. This option can be called within a print job, which means that you can switch from portrait to landscape, or vice versa, during the same print job.
Scale optionLongint3value1 only: scale value in percentage. Be careful, some printers do not allow you to modify the scale. If you pass an invalid value, the property is reset to 100% at the time of printing.
Number of copies optionLongint4value1 only: number of copies to be printed.
Paper source optionLongint5(Windows only) value1 only: number corresponding to the index, in the array of trays returned by the PRINT OPTION VALUES command, of the paper tray to be used. This option can only be used under Windows.
Destination optionLongint9value1: code specifying the type of print destination: 1=Printer, 2=File (PS on Mac), 3=PDF file, 5=Screen (OS X driver option).
If value1 is different from 1 or 5, value2 contains pathname for resulting document. This path will be used until another path is specified. If a file with the same name already exists at the destination location, it will be replaced. With GET PRINT OPTION, if the current value is not in the predefined list, value1 contains -1 and the system variable OK is set to 1. If an error occurs, value1 and the system variable OK are set to 0.
Note (Windows)
: To print PDF on Windows, you have to call SET CURRENT PRINTER(Generic PDF driver) and set the printing destination to 2 (File) or 3 (PDF File). Setting 3 lets you write multi-platform code. In addition, if the PDF Creator driver has been installed and if a regular printer is selected, when the (9;3;path) values are passed, 4D automatically starts a "silent" PDF printing which takes into account any option codes that are passed (note that if you pass an empty string in value2 or omit this parameter, a file saving dialog appears at the time of printing.) After printing, the current settings are restored.
Double sided optionLongint11value1: 0=Single-sided or standard, 1=Double-sided. If value1=1, value2 contains the binding: 0=Left binding (default value), 1=Top binding.
Spooler document name optionLongint12value1 only: name of the current print document, which appears in the list of spooler documents. The name defined by this statement will be used for all the print documents of the session for as long as a new name or an empty string is not passed. To use or restore standard operation (using the method name in the case of a method, the table name for a record, etc.), pass an empty string in value1.
Page range optionLongint15value1=first page to print (default value is 1) and (optional) value2=number of the last page to print (default value -1 = end of document).
Legacy printing layer optionLongint16(Windows only) value1 only: 1=select the GDI-based legacy printing layer for the subsequent printing jobs. 0=select the D2D printing layer (default). This selector is mainly intended to allow legacy plug-ins to print inside 4D jobs in 4D applications on Windows.
Print preview optionLongint18(Windows only) value1: Format to use for print previews on Windows. Available values: kp preview automatic (default): Use XPS printer and viewer if available, otherwise use PDF printer or viewer if available, otherwise generate an error. kp preview XPS: Use XPS printer and viewer if available, otherwise generate an error. kp preview PDF: Use PDF printer and viewer if available, otherwise generate an error. value2 (can be used with GET PRINT OPTION only): Print preview format actually used on Windows (can differ from value1 depending on the configuration). Available values: kp preview none: No format available. kp preview XPS: XPS printer and viewer used. kp preview PDF: PDF printer and viewer used.

A PDF option code consists of two parts, OptionType and OptionName, combined together as "OptionType:OptionName". For more information on PDF option codes and possible values, refer to the description of the SET PRINT OPTION command.

Note: The GET PRINT OPTION command mainly supports PostScript printers. You can use this command with other types of printers, such as PCL or Ink, but in this case, it is possible that some options may not be available.

System variables and sets

The system variable OK is set to 1 if the command has been executed correctly; otherwise, it is set to 0.

See also

PRINT OPTION VALUES
SET PRINT OPTION