Helpers for ASP.NET MVC

The Helpers for ASP.NET MVC package contains helper classes and resources to simplify the implementation of common scenarios for providing a controlled printing experience within an ASP.NET MVC application/site:

• Installation of the ScriptX Add-on on the client PC by a sample controller and view page crafted to assist the user during the installation process with prompts and screen snips depending upon the version of Internet Explorer being used.
• Initialising print settings such as headers, footers, margins and the printer to use.
• Buttons to initiate printing.

Printing with Client-side ScriptX is entirely a client PC process and so the ScriptX helpers all emit html, javascript and client event handlers that are executed on the client PC. There is never a call back to the server (action execution).

This package is dependent upon the following packages:

1. MeadCo ScriptX - installers for web sites

   This package provides the installers for the ScriptX binaries and a custom configuration section that also allows you to specify any Advanced Printing publishing license you have purchased - or the evaluation license.

2. MeadCo ScriptX JS Simple Wrapper

   This packages provides convenient wrappers on some common ScriptX functionality.

3. Microsoft ASP.NET Web Optimization Framework.

   ASP.NET Optimization introduces a way to bundle and optimize CSS and JavaScript files.

There are no dependencies on any particular client side framework such as JQuery or Angular. The helpers output script in the global client side namespace with all function names starting with 'MeadCo_'. There are very few functions (one or two) and so there is little if any difference to wrapping the functions in a client side namespace.

All of the helper classes are provided in the namespace:

<meadco>
    <scriptx>
      <clientinstaller filename="~/content/meadco.scriptx/installers/smsx.cab" 
         version="8,3,0,4
" installhelper="~/ScriptXClientPrinting/Install" />
      <license 
         guid="{370000ED-D40C-43D4-B3D3-F2E7D2EFF47D}
" 
         revision="0" 
         filename="http://licenses.meadroid.com/
             download/{370000ED-D40C-43D4-B3D3-F2E7D2EFF47D}
/mlf" />
    </scriptx>
 </meadco>

The section 'Basic printing with ScriptX' illustrates how to do this and while not at all difficult there are tedious aspects such as neatly handling the case of the add-on needs to be installed.

@ClientPrinting.GetHtml(printSettings: new PrintSettings()
{
    Footer = "Hello there from ScriptX MVC: &p of &P",
    Header = "ScriptX Demonstration page printed on: &D".
    PageSetup = new PrintSettings.PaperSetup()
    {
        Orientation = PrintSettings.Orientation.Landscape,
        Margins = new PrintSettings.PrintMargins()
        {
            Left = "1",
            Right = "1"
        }
    }
},clientValidationAction:ClientPrinting.ValidationAction.Redirect)

class MeadCo.ScriptXClient.ClientPrinting

This class provides instance and static methods GetHtml() that return the required html and scripting to declare the MeadCo ScriptX objects on the page (the MeadCo Secruty Manager object will be included if a license is described in web.config).

A view may call the static method as illustrated above. Alternatively a controller may create an instance of the class and set properties with the instance then passed to the view via one of the standard mechanisms (ViewBag, View Model etc) and then the view calls GetHtml() on the instance.

For example, a controller action may use this code before calling the view:

ClientPrinting p = new ClientPrinting() { PrintSettings =
    {
        Header = "Report: &D",
        Footer = "Page &p of &P",        
    } };

p.PrintSettings.PageSetup = new PrintSettings.PaperSetup()
{
    Orientation = PrintSettings.Orientation.Landscape
};

p.ClientValidate = ClientPrinting.ValidationAction.None;     
p.HtmlPrintProcessor = ClientPrinting.ScriptXHtmlPrintProcessors.Default;
p.InstallHelperUrl = @Url.Action("InstallScriptX", "Home");
ViewBag.ScriptXClient = p;

and then the view may:

@((ClientPrinting) ViewBag.ScriptXClient).GetHtml()

class PrintSettings

Describes common settings to apply to the print.

class PaperSetup

Describes the paper to us - its size, orientation and source.

class PrintMargins

Describes the print margins to use. All margins are in the units specified in the parent PaperSetup class instance, or the users' default. Note that no margin value can be less than the printer's unprintable margin.

Print the current page with MeadCo.ScriptXClient.PrintButton

The MeadCo.ScriptXClient.PrintButton class provides a single static method GetHtml(). The method returns the html for a button element that when clicked will cause the current page to be printed according to the settings defined with MeadCo.ScriptXClient.ClientPrinting(.. settings ..).GetHtml().

For example:

@PrintButton.GetHtml(htmlAttributes: new { @class="btn btn-small"} )

PrintButton.GetHtml(string text = "Print", bool prompt = true, string frame = null, object htmlAttributes=null)

Preview the current page or frame with MeadCoScriptX:PrintPreviewButton

The MeadCo.ScriptXClient.PrintButton class provides a single static method GetHtml(). The method returns the html for a button element that when clicked will cause the current page to be printed according to the settings defined with MeadCo.ScriptXClient.ClientPrinting(.. settings ..).GetHtml().

For example:

@PrintPreviewButton.GetHtml(htmlAttributes: new { @class="btn btn-small"} )

PrintPreviewButton.GetHtml(string text = "Preview ...", string frame = null, object htmlAttributes = null)

Improvements and developments

What else would you like to see in the server controls package? Please use the Community Forum or Contact Us to send us your ideas.