URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-19-2010, 12:31 PM
There appears to be a problem with the Interop.SystemPrinter object. When I try to change paper sources between pages while printing a large report, I eventually get an ExecutionEngineException error. I get this on the line where I am assigning the SystemPrinter.PaperSource. I cannot even catch this exception. The program crashes and the debugger will not let me continue. This only happens after assigning paper sources more than a few hundred times. This occurs regardless of the computer, printer, or report used. The only way to prevent it that I know of currently is to not change paper sources.
I am currently using the original ActiveReports 6 release build and am forced to do so until some other issues are resolved. I have modified a previous sample posted in this forum to generate the error. This program now generates a large amount of random data in order to create a large 900+ page report. While printing, it alternates between two paper sources. After several hundred pages have been sent to the printer, the exception occurs.
The new modified sample is attached to this post. The original sample can be found at:
http://www.datadynamics.com/forums/129598/ShowPost.aspx

THIS IS AN URGENT ISSUE. I will appreciate your quick response for a solution.

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-19-2010, 11:25 PM
ExecutionEngineExceptions are typically caused by fatal errors in the CLR. This exception cannot be caught in managed code.

Did this issue occur when using previous builds of ActiveReports? Did you run into this issue after upgrading your application to a new version of the .NET Framework?

Can you attach WinDBG to the process and capture a crash dump? When you get the crash dump, please send it to support@grapecity.us.com


-Jon


Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-20-2010, 5:45 AM
I think it was working in ActiveReports 3, but this is a new project so I am not sure. I didn't do extensive testing in the early development before AR6. This is going into production soon and I need a solution. I don't know how to attach WinDBG.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE ATTACHED SAMPLE. IT WILL REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM FOR YOU.
(I forgot to attach it to my last post; Here it is now)

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-20-2010, 8:56 AM
Thank you for the sample. I have been able to replicate the issue and have entered case 141869 to have this issue addressed.


-Jon

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-20-2010, 9:44 AM
Do you think it is a simple issue that could be fixed quickly? This has to be fixed as soon as possible or it will delay my project. If it can't be fixed soon, do you have any suggestions for workarounds?

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-20-2010, 10:24 PM
The development team will be investigating this issue, however, at this point we have not yet determined the complexity and do not have an estimated time frame for a fix.

A possible workaround would be to create a separate print job for each of your paper sources. I have tested this with the sample and have confirmed that the issue does not occur.


-Jon

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-21-2010, 5:29 AM
The nature of my project does not allow me to use separate print jobs for different paper sources.

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-21-2010, 7:01 AM
The only other workaround I can think of would be to use the Interop assembly from ActiveReports for .NET 3.0 build 1436.2. This issue has been raised to the highest priority, so our development team will be looking into this soon.


-Jon

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-21-2010, 12:15 PM
Once this problem is fixed, would it be possible to get a new version of ActiveReports.Interop.dll instead of a whole build? As mentioned before, I am still forced to use the original AR6 build until I have time to work with issues caused by the latest hotfix.

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-22-2010, 8:37 AM
Hello,

You cannot use the ActiveReports.Interop.dll of the version other than the one which is installed on your computer. As you have mentioned that you cannot upgrade to the newer version until other issues get resolved. Could you please let us what are issue that are forcing you not upgrade to the latest hotfix so that we can try to help you in resolving those issues?

Regards,
Ankit Nigam

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-22-2010, 8:48 AM
The main issue I was having trouble with is PDF export not working with my specific report (I have a previous forum posting). It contains sensitive data and I don't have time to work up an example for you to debug, nor do I have time to try different solutions. In the meantime, the tray switching is the only issue I really have using the original build.

I have managed to solve the problem by using .NET printing (PrintDocument) in place of the Interop. It works perfectly except it is 3-4 times slower.

I am currently experimenting with using ActiveReport3 Interop along side ActiveReports 6. It is printing except so far I have been unable to get tray switching to work at all. I'll experiment with it a little while longer, but if I can't get it to work, I'll just use .NET PrintDocument.

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-25-2010, 9:00 AM
Thank you for the feedback. Priority of Case 141869 has been raised to the highest. We may provide you with a interim build once it is released.

Regards,
Aashish

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-27-2010, 7:49 AM
I've inserted the ActiveReports 3 Interop DLL (latest build) in place of the ActiveReports 6 version. It is printing successfully, but seems to be ignoring the papersource switching. The printer just uses one source. I'm using the exact same code as I was in ActiveReports 6 and it was working with papersource switching (except for the error that I got with larger documents).
Is there something different about the Activereports 3 version?

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-28-2010, 5:43 AM
I don't think printer tray switching works at all in ActiveReports3 Interop. Upon searching the forums, I found this post:
http://www.datadynamics.com/forums/122141/ShowPost.aspx
It seems to indicate that this issue was never fixed in ActiveReports3.

If the original problem in version 6 is not fixed soon, my company may be forced to switch products and not use Activereports.

Re: URGENT! Printing Problem - Paper Source / Tray / Bin switching is not working

01-28-2010, 11:01 PM
jboyter,

The issue appears to have been addressed internally, however, we are still waiting on a few more steps in our development process in order to close the case. When that's done, I will verify and post the build for you.


-Jon