BUG: @...SAY Prints Gray Background (154170)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0b
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 5.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 5.0a
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows 7.0
  • Microsoft FoxPro for Windows 2.6a
This article was previously published under Q154170

SYMPTOMS

It is possible that @...SAYs print with a gray or dark-shaded background when printed from Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 using either Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows or FoxPro for Windows 2.6. You may experience this problem with all versions of Windows. However, it appears more frequently under Windows 95 and Windows NT 4.0.

CAUSE

There are several reasons why @...SAYs may print a shaded background. One reason may be that the window color is set to a color other than white in the Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 Display Properties. In Microsoft Visual FoxPro and FoxPro for Windows 2.6, the background color of the desktop will affect the @...SAYs used in programs. Also, if the @...SAY code is executed from a form in Microsoft Visual FoxPro or a screen in Microsoft FoxPro for Windows 2.6, the background color of these objects will affect printout

RESOLUTION

To change the background color of all windows under Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, you must change the Window color on the Appearance tab of the Display Properties. To change this property, right-click the Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 desktop, and then click Properties. Click the Appearance tab, click Window under the Item drop-down list, and then click white.

This option may not be desirable because users must keep the window color white whenever they print in @..SAYs from FoxPro under Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0. A better way to implement this is to check the background color of the window or desktop from the code, the form, or the screen before you issue the @...SAY. To implement this with Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3.0 and Microsoft FoxPro for Windows 2.6., follow these steps:

If the @...SAY code is executed from a program in Visual FoxPro for Windows, the window color can be changed with the following code: 
 IF _Screen.BackColor != 16777215    &&Is color value white?
       _Screen.LockScreen = .T.         &&Keep screen from flashing
       cOldbackcolor = _Screen.BackColor      &&Save background color
       cOldForecolor = _Screen.ForeColor&& Save foreground color
       _Screen.ForeColor = Rgb(0,0,0)  &&Set ForeColor to RGB Black -
       _Screen.BackColor = RGB(255,255,255) &&Set BackColor to RGB white
       SET DEVICE TO PRINTER
       @1,1 say 'This is a test.'
       SET DEVICE TO SCREEN
       SET PRINTER TO
       _Screen.BackColor = cOldbackcolor
       _Screen.ForeColor = cOldForecolor
       _Screen.LockScreen = .F.
ENDIF
If the @...SAY code is executed from a form in Visual FoxPro for Windows, the background color of the form can be modified with the following code: 
IF ThisForm.BackColor != 16777215
        ThisForm.LockScreen = .T.
        SET DEVICE TO PRINTER
        cOldbackcolor = ThisForm.BackColor
        cOldForecolor = ThisForm.ForeColor
        ThisForm.BackColor = RGB(255,255,255)
        ThisForm.ForeColor = RGB(0,0,0)
        @1,1 SAY 'This is a test'
        SET DEVICE TO SCREEN
        SET PRINTER TO
        ThisForm.BackColor = cOldbackcolor
ThisForm.ForeColor = cOldForecolor
        ThisForm.LockScreen = .F.
ENDIF
NOTE: This code may be placed in the Click event of a Command button.

In FoxPro for Windows 2.6, use the following code to change the window color: 
   cOldscheme = SET('Color of Scheme 1')        &&Obtain old color
   MODIFY WINDOW SCREEN COLOR RGB(0,0,0,255,255,255)  &&Set color white
   SET DEVICE TO PRINTER
   @1,1 say ' This is a test.'
   SET DEVICE TO SCREEN
   SET PRINTER TO
   MODIFY WINDOW SCREEN COLOR &cOldscheme
NOTE: In FoxPro 2.6a for Windows, issue the following command after the SET DEVICE TO PRINTER command to prevent the gray background: 
   SET PRINT FONT "some font name", 10

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

If the @...SAY code is executed from Visual FoxPro for Windows with Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0 as the operating system, all printed pages will be shaded.

Using FoxPro for Windows 2.6 and Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, only the first page is shaded. All others print as you expect.

Steps to Reproduce the Behavior

  1. In Windows 95 or Windows NT 4.0, right-click the desktop, and then click Properties.
  2. Click the Appearance tab, and then click Window on the Item drop-down list.
  3. Click the Color drop-down list, and then change the color to gray or any color other than white.
  4. Open Visual FoxPro for Windows or FoxPro for Windows 2.6, and then create a program with the following code: 
       SET DEVICE TO PRINTER
   FOR i = 1 TO 2       &&Loop shows different output from VFP &FPW26
      @1,1 SAY 'This is a printing test' FONT 'Arial',14
      @3,1 SAY 'From '+VERSION() + ' under ' + OS(1) FONT 'Courier New'
   ENDFOR
   SET DEVICE TO SCREEN
   SET PRINTER TO
    NOTE: This code can be executed in a FoxPro for Windows 2.6 screen, and in a Visual FoxPro for Windows 3.0 form.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/12/2003
Keywords:kbBug kbprb kbprint KB154170
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