Print button

[Dennis Allen]

Hi. On one particular web page I want to offer the user a print button.
Question. How do I create one? Something compatible with most browsers
would be nice. Appreciate any advice...Dennis

[Mick White]

Dennis Allen wrote:

Hi. On one particular web page I want to offer the user a print button.
Question. How do I create one? Something compatible with most browsers
would be nice. Appreciate any advice...Dennis

Printing is the function of the OS, although some UA's provide the
print method.
Mick

[RobG]

Dennis Allen wrote:

Hi. On one particular web page I want to offer the user a print button.
Question. How do I create one? Something compatible with most browsers
would be nice. Appreciate any advice...Dennis

You can add a button selectively for those browsers that support
window.print() by putting the following where you want the print
button to (optionally) appear:

<script type="text/javascript">
if(window.print){
document.write(
'<input type="button" value="Print this page"',
' onclick="window.print();">'
);
}
</script>

Browsers have a print button already, and keyboard shortcuts, so what
has been added?
--
Rob

[rich]

In article <43***********************@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>, RobG
says...

Dennis Allen wrote:

Hi. On one particular web page I want to offer the user a print button.
Question. How do I create one? Something compatible with most browsers
would be nice. Appreciate any advice...Dennis

You can add a button selectively for those browsers that support
window.print() by putting the following where you want the print
button to (optionally) appear:

<script type="text/javascript">
if(window.print){
document.write(
'<input type="button" value="Print this page"',
' onclick="window.print();">'
);
}
</script>

Browsers have a print button already, and keyboard shortcuts, so what
has been added?

With a pop-up window you can control if a toolbar displays or not. While some
people have enough experience to use a keyboard shortcut, it's a nice way of
presenting the print option without having to pull up the whole toolbar.

Rich
--
Newsguy -- http://newsguy.com

[Dennis Allen]

Thanks...Dennis

"RobG" <rg***@iinet.net.auau> wrote in message
news:43***********************@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

Dennis Allen wrote:

Hi. On one particular web page I want to offer the user a print
button. Question. How do I create one? Something compatible with
most browsers would be nice. Appreciate any advice...Dennis

You can add a button selectively for those browsers that support
window.print() by putting the following where you want the print
button to (optionally) appear:

<script type="text/javascript">
if(window.print){
document.write(
'<input type="button" value="Print this page"',
' onclick="window.print();">'
);
}
</script>

Browsers have a print button already, and keyboard shortcuts, so what
has been added?
--
Rob

[RobG]

ri**@newsguy.com wrote:

In article <43***********************@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>, RobG
says...
[...]

Browsers have a print button already, and keyboard shortcuts, so what
has been added?

With a pop-up window you can control if a toolbar displays or not. While some

You can try, but you will likely fail at least some of the time.
people have enough experience to use a keyboard shortcut, it's a nice way of
presenting the print option without having to pull up the whole toolbar.

Some may question the logic of adding an unreliable UI element because
you deliberately removed the tool bar that may possibly have provided a
reliable one (I've chosen to remove the print button on mine).

The purpose of challenging logic is not necessarily to defeat it, but to
make whoever proposes it think the matter through thoroughly.

A print button in the page, if presented appropriately, will encourage
users to use it in preference to however else they may have attempted to
print the page. Many will do so in the belief that the button provides
some additional functionality that is not provided by the standard
browser print method (tool bar button, menu, keyboard shortcut,
whatever).

Having used your print button, should the print not actually gurgle
forth, the user may well believe the failure is your fault whether it is
or not.

In some browsers (IE at least), the tool bar print button sends the
print directly to the printer without presenting the print dialog - a
user who uses such a button in preference to, say, the file menu
probably likes that. By removing the tool bar button, you have denied
them the opportunity of using their preferred method and foisted yours
upon them.

If you have removed the tool bar but the browser doesn't support
window.print, you have removed a useful UI feature and not replaced it.

If, after thinking through the above (and whatever else you feel worth
considering on the subject), you still wish to remove the tool bar and
use an unreliable 'print' button that actually removes useful
functionality, at least you may have available more logical supporting
arguments. :-)
--
Rob

[rich]

In article <rl*****************@news.optus.net.au>, RobG says...

ri**@newsguy.com wrote:

In article <43***********************@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au>, RobG
says...

[...]

Browsers have a print button already, and keyboard shortcuts, so what
has been added?

With a pop-up window you can control if a toolbar displays or not. While some

You can try, but you will likely fail at least some of the time.

people have enough experience to use a keyboard shortcut, it's a nice way of
presenting the print option without having to pull up the whole toolbar.

Some may question the logic of adding an unreliable UI element because
you deliberately removed the tool bar that may possibly have provided a
reliable one (I've chosen to remove the print button on mine).

The purpose of challenging logic is not necessarily to defeat it, but to
make whoever proposes it think the matter through thoroughly.

A print button in the page, if presented appropriately, will encourage
users to use it in preference to however else they may have attempted to
print the page. Many will do so in the belief that the button provides
some additional functionality that is not provided by the standard
browser print method (tool bar button, menu, keyboard shortcut,
whatever).

Having used your print button, should the print not actually gurgle
forth, the user may well believe the failure is your fault whether it is
or not.

In some browsers (IE at least), the tool bar print button sends the
print directly to the printer without presenting the print dialog - a
user who uses such a button in preference to, say, the file menu
probably likes that. By removing the tool bar button, you have denied
them the opportunity of using their preferred method and foisted yours
upon them.

If you have removed the tool bar but the browser doesn't support
window.print, you have removed a useful UI feature and not replaced it.

If, after thinking through the above (and whatever else you feel worth
considering on the subject), you still wish to remove the tool bar and
use an unreliable 'print' button that actually removes useful
functionality, at least you may have available more logical supporting
arguments. :-)

Thanks for the feedback RobG. With Javascript it's a bit difficult being
completely cross browser
compliant. It's unfortunate that UI features like print or scroll bar colors are
not consistently supported
across browsers. Can have a site that looks really nice on one and really crappy
on another.

I don't use pop up windows very often because of the obvious negative
connotations, but in instance
that I do, I prefer to use a "scaled" down window so only the necessary
information is displayed.
Aesthetically speaking it's a shame to have to load a complete toolbar when the
print button itself may
rarely be used. Appreciate your feedback.

Rich
--
Newsguy - http://newsguy.com