Knowledge Base

PRB: Printer Setup Is Disabled When Using _MFI_SETUP in Menu

Article ID: 126583

Article Last Modified on 12/3/2003

Microsoft Visual FoxPro 3.0 Standard Edition
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5b
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5a
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5b
Microsoft FoxPro 2.6 Standard Edition
Microsoft FoxPro 2.6a Standard Edition
Microsoft FoxPro 2.5b for Macintosh
Microsoft Visual FoxPro 2.5c for Macintosh
Microsoft FoxPro 2.6a Professional Edition for Macintosh

This article was previously published under Q126583

SYMPTOMS

The Printer Setup option of your menu is disabled.

CAUSE

The system menu option "_MFI_SETUP" exists as a menu command in your menu. When there is no text to be printed in the active window, FoxPro disables the Printer Setup option menu choice, and because the _MFI_SETUP variable is context-aware, it is enabled and disabled accordingly.

WORKAROUND

Use one of the following three workarounds:

Use the SYS(1037) function. This is the best workaround, but it works only if you are using version 2.6 or later of FoxPro for Windows or version 2.5 or later of FoxPro for Macintosh.

To invoke the printer setup dialog regardless of what is displayed on the screen, use the following code as a Command in your menu:

   ? SYS(1037)

The Help file for FoxPro version 2.6 and 2.6a, in both the MS-DOS and Windows versions, is partially incorrect in that it states that this command is Macintosh-specific and will be ignored in the Windows and MS-DOS Versions of FoxPro. SYS(1037) works in FoxPro versions 2.6 and 2.6a for Windows, but not in other versions. -or-

Issue the command Set PDSETUP TO '?' as the command for your menu pad. This invokes the MS-DOS printer driver setup without invoking the Windows Printer Setup. -or-

Issue the RUN command as in this example:
```
   RUN /N7 CONTROL MAIN.CPL PRINTERS
						
```
This invokes the Control Panel, Printers option. However this is a less desirable workaround because, as noted in article
101154, this causes the control panel to flash momentarily in the background. This command is specific to Windows only.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Create and run a program containing the following code:

   **---------------------------------------------------------**
   ** Place this code in a file called MENU.MPR               **
   **---------------------------------------------------------**
   SET SYSMENU TO
   SET SYSMENU AUTOMATIC
   DEFINE PAD testpad OF _msysmenu PROMPT "System" COLOR SCHEME 3
   ON PAD testpad OF _msysmenu ACTIVATE POPUP SYSTEM
   DEFINE POPUP SYSTEM MARGIN RELATIVE SHADOW COLOR SCHEME 4
   DEFINE BAR _mfi_setup OF SYSTEM PROMPT "Printer Setup..."

   **--------------------------------------------------------**
   ** Place this code in a file called MENU.PRG              **
   **--------------------------------------------------------**
   Terminate = .F.
   ON KEY LABEL f5 Do Stopit
   DO menu.mpr
   READ VALID terminate
   SET SYSMENU TO DEFAULT

   Procedure Stopit
   STORE .T. TO terminate
   clear Read

While running the program, you can access the menu pad labeled SYSTEM, but the Printer Setup option is disabled.

Additional query words: VFoxWin FoxWin 2.50 _MFI_SETUP PDSETUP print menu setup exe disabled

Keywords: kbprb KB126583