Character mode Report in Landscape Format

Question

Hi All,
I want to print my character mode report in landscape format. But I am not getting it. Everytime I get print as Portrait. I am printing from live previewer of report builder.
I am using Oracle 9i and Report builder 6i (6.0.8.11.3).
I have done following settings:
System Parameter ORIENTATION=Landscape
DESFORMAT=DECLAND.PRT (Given by Oracle)
In the object navigator I have set following properties for Main Section
Width=11
Height=8.5
Orientation=Landscape
Char Mode Width=132
Char Mode height=66
I have done same settings for Header Section and Trailer Section. Please help me.
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Mona

Answer 1

You will need to edit prt files to add the printer escape sequences to change the page orientation to landscape. Printer escape sequences can be obtained from the printer manual, or the printer vendor.
For instance, HP printer escape codes can be obtained from the HP website under the printer support links.
The steps below describe how to print a landscape, character mode report from a Windows NT PC on an HP 4100N Printer. The 4100N is a dual mode printer that can use either PCL or Postscript printer language.
1. Use a web browser to navigate to the HP website and obtain the printer escape codes for the HP 4100N. If you are unable to locate the HP4100N printer, look for generic PCL information. The HP site also includes detailed information on the printer command syntax.
2. The HP4100N printer command for landscape page orientation is "ESC&l1O" - where ESC indicates escape, '&' (ampersand) is the parameterized character, 'l'(lower case letter l) is the group character, '1' (number one) is the printer value character and 'O' (upper case letter O) is the termination character.
NOTE: The HP documentation uses "EC" to signify the escape character.
It also suggests pressing CTRL and the letter P together, then
releasing both keys and pressing the ESC key. If this is done in
a dos editor, a left arrow will actually be displayed on screen.
This character cannot be interpreted by Oracle Reports and will
cause printing errors if used in a .prt file. Instead, just use
the letters "ESC" to indicate that the code that follows is a printer
escape sequence.
3. Make a copy of the wide.prt file and rename it to "mywide.prt."
4. Add the page orientation escapes to mywide.prt file:
printer "mywide"
height 66
width 132
before report esc "&l1O" *** Puts Page in Landscape Orientation***
after page control(L)
after report esc "&l0O" *** Resets page orientation to Portrait ***
return control(M)
linefeed control(J)
SYNTAX NOTES: The escape sequence must be enclosed in double quotes ("). The above comments regarding page orientation are used to clarify where the escape codes gets added, but they should NOT be used when editing
the actual .prt file.
5. Save mywide.prt file to the $ORACLE_HOME\report60\printers\ directory.
6. Go to Windows PC -> Start -> Settings -> Printers and open the properties for the HP printer. Ensure that the option to "Always Spool Raw Data" is checked. This option is usually under the General Printer
Options, or Spool Options. On Windows NT, you must have Administrator privileges to change this setting.
7. Test running the report to the printer and specify desformat mywide. It is not necessary to include the file extension (.prt).
8. The report will now print in landscape orientation.