Disable printing from a database

[cath]

Is it possible to disable the printing function of a
databse. I have written a database for our school
library to enable studetns to search for books but I
don't want them to be able to print out the information.
Any ideas gratefully received.

Many thanks
Cath

 

[Rick B]

Even if you could, they could cut and paste, capture the screen, etc.

It would be very difficult to stop them from printing the data some how.

To start, you can modify the menu bars. You might set the report properties
to print to a spscific printer and then remove that printer. I have never
tried it, but that seems like it would do the trick.

Rick B

 

[cath]

Thanks I will try the 2nd option. I know they will cut
and paste small sections of data etc, but one of the
reports is over a 1000 pages so I really don't want them
to be able to print that!

Cath

 

[Rob]

I'm not sure that option would work (setting to a ghost
printer). I know when I create DB's and test the report
prints, it remembers my printer. When I go out into the
company to distribute the DB's, they printers invariably
don't match...Access will tell you the printer doesn't
exist and ask you if you want to configure the report for
a different printer...I'd imagine the students would get
the same result, and could just point to another mapped
printer.

A better 'complete' solution might be to have the PC the
students are using for this DB to have a specific log in
that has no printers mapped. If the PC is shared for
other functions, you may be stuck since you probably need
the printers for the other applications. I know you can
set the form properties to display Screen Only. That
would stop the print action, but wouldn't stop them from
doing screen captures/prints or Reports.

Try looking into the On Print function of the Report.
This is the action that runs just prior to printing.
Maybe you can set that property to abort the print before
it sends it to the Printer/Queue.