Thanks Mr. Srinivasan for the clarification.
Let me give you a simple example - printing on small format printers
or on continuous sheet printing - managing the width and height is
very difficult from a web application.
I was wondering if there is a java based solution that can process the
html in the page and send to the printer directly without depending on
the browser print functionality. Another aspect I missed in the
previous mail is the ease of use. In a VB application you just click
on print and whoosh it prints. But from a browser you click on print
then the print pops up - you set page size, select pages, remove
header footer and finally you print. Even the pdf method has the same
disadvantage in that you click print, pdf opens in popup then you
click on print and then in the print dialog you click on print to
print the page.
I think Anant mistook me for a VB developer/fan. I used to work for a
company developing using M$ technologies. Now I run my own company and
we have linux as the development environment and PHP and MySQL as the
technologies. But the point is - to create a space in the VB+Access
market it is very tough. I can fight if I have the right weapons.
Printing seems to be a chink in the armor right now.
It doesnt make sense for a government organization to pay M$ 6000 Rs
each for each system just because they want to use VB+Access
applications. The sad thing is the companies dont normally look at
such aspects when then sell their VB application. Who cares if govt
has to send Billions to M$ as licensing fees.
Yes there is an alternative approach using wxWidgets but the cost of
development is much higher given the lack of skilled workforce and the
premiums I will have to pay to get them. PHP+MySQL seems do-able with
the workforce available in the market.
Another reason why I would like to push the web based approach is that
- possibly that would be the most scalable approach for applications
that need to be accessed from across the country. Also it would
possibly be the cheapest for the government.
I am sure somebody must have thought of and implemented a solution to
the above problem.
Cheers
Anoop
www.zyxware.com
