Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-tis!ames!oliveb!sun!halff@nprdc.arpa
From: halff@nprdc.arpa (Henry Halff)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.hypercard
Subject: Re: Re: Re: Reports (tm) for HyperCard
Message-ID: <51896@sun.uucp>
Date: 4 May 88 04:35:59 GMT
Sender: news@sun.uucp
Distribution: comp
Lines: 46
Approved: hyper-hackers%plaid@sun.com

> Wade Blomgren, in a private mail writes; Might it be possible to leave
> the "report card" in another otherwise empty (separate) stack until it
> is actually needed to produce a report in your main stack, then have
> your stack go get the "report card" and paste it into itself, deleting
> it when the the report process is complete?

Or have the report card paste itself into your main stack; see below.

> 
> I think so, but didn't think of it and haven't tried it.  Does someone
> have an answer?

I might.  Make a stack (say "Reports Master") with one or more report cards in 
it.  Design layouts for these cards that generate reports for any of the 
backgrounds in any of your data stacks.  (You needn't install a report card in 
any of your data stacks to do this.)  Then add a button to the ReportCard 
background.  The button (call it "External Print") should have the following 
script.

on mouseUp
  put "Report on what stack?"
  get sfgetfile("STAK")
  if it is empty then
    hide message
    exit mouseUp
  end if
  push this card
  domenu "Copy Card"
  go to it
  domenu "Paste Card"
  send mouseUp to background button Print
  domenu "Delete Card"
  pop card
end mouseUp

To use the beast, first select a layout (as usual).  Then push the External 
Print button with the above script.  You will be asked to choose a stack, and 
can choose any data stack that has a background for the selected layout.  
The script will paste a report card into the target stack, print the report, 
delete the report card from the target stack, and return to the original 
stack.

You'll never need to install a report card in any other stacks.  All layouts 
can be designed in the Master Reports stack as long as their backgrounds are 
set to the appropriate data stacks.

Thanks to Wade & Eugene for coming up with this idea.