>>>I really don't see a normal solution to this problem. PDF idea is also quite complicated and would not work for printers, which don't allow graphics (Matrix printers)...

They do allow for graphics, but our lifespan doesn't match... anything bigger than just a page or two would last forever and drive everyone nuts with the noise. Besides, it looks awful, the ribbon goes thin really fast with graphics, and you get horizontal stripes. Nobody will like it.

>>Use the CREATE VIEW command [this is not the SQL CREATE VIEW command] to create a snapshot of the Environment to a file. Use FileToStr() to then store this file to a memo field in your Log file. Use another memo field to store SQL query. Other fields to store UserID, ReportName.
>>
>>When you are ready to distribute the report, use the SET VIEW TO command in a [private] SESSION class to restore that environment.
>>
>>Other than that, I would say you and your organization need to have a conversation about modifying some business rules.
>
>I think, we need to agree with my manager's proposition. He, BTW, doesn't see here a serious problem at all. All reports are predefined, each designed for specific printer and user just should choose it correctly (or don't have this option at all). I don't like this idea, since it contradicts generality principle, but this is the situation, which doesn't have a correct way of solving it... :(


You can also store the prepared-for-specific-printer version of the report in another memo of the same record where you store the .vue file, and based on information stored in the .vue allow or don't allow printing, depending on the chosen printer. I know this is bulky, but keeping .prn files around is the same thing. If you confine them into memo fields, you can manipulate them more easily than if they were just files.

Actually you don't need the .vue file if you store the .prn file, because at the moment when the report is generated, you know which printer it is for, right? Just store the list of allowable printers with it and that's it. If a user wants to print this later, show them a list of just these printers, not all printers.