print external file in line with Nav report

jversusj

hello!

as usual, i searched the forum for this and did not see an answer to my particular question.

using the forum, i have been able to successfully call an external PDF file and print it from NAV without user interface. Now, the user request here is as such:
When pick ticket is printed, the system needs to look out at a customer requirements directory and look for a PDF for that customer and print this PDF directly after the pick ticket prints. The PDF includes special instructions for customer compliance (skid dimensions, plastic wrap color, labelling, etc.) The PDF is a standardized form.

i added a dataitem at the end of our modified Picking list report. this data item includes the automation control that uses Shell to print the file. in instances where a single pick ticket is created and printed, this works fine. the pick ticket prints, immediately followed by the PDF.

here is where i run into trouble - our warehouse spools all orders that need to ship on a given day to a shipment, and then create (and print) all picks from that shipment in what amounts to a batch process. They click Create Pick on the Warehouse Shipment and the system rolls through and creates/prints all the viable picks. When they print, i am finding that all the NAV pick tickets print, followed by all the Customer Requirement documents (so someone would have to manually pair up pick with requirements sheet). i suppose this makes sense - windows is receiving print commands from two applications, it would make sense that 1 finished before the other starts.

can anyone think of a solution to this (that does not involve building the customer requirements system application entirely in NAV)? i want to have the pick ticket print, followed by its PDF, followed by the next pick ticket and PDF, and so on. can this be done?

thank you!

matttrax

Kind of clugy, and I think there has to be a better way, but you could print the Pick Tickets to PDF and store them in a folder. Using BullZip PDF or another PDF printer with built in automation. Then alternate printing the Pick Ticket from PDF then the Customer Document from PDF. This would assure that they all go to the printer in the correct order...I think.

Maybe even some built in automation to Print to PDF and then append the customer document to the end of the Pick Ticket. Delete the PDF Pick Tickets when you're done.

Just thinking out loud.