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Print a HTML-document just once

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:12 pm
by cmuebro
Hey wise coders,

I have a web-site on which users can print vouchers and delivery-labels (with which they pay for parcel-services).

My PROBLEM is:
How can I prevent users from printing one formular (or voucher) more than one time?
The forms have certain series-numbers and if someone would print a form with one number several times,
s/he would only have to pay once to the parcel-service, which our client doesn't like too much, i.e. wants us to prohibit.
If not- we're going to have to cancel contracts, for which I have invested lots of time and my boss his money....

So far I have been using the JavaScript-function print() for printing because it was the easiest way ;-)

In the window (which opens the browser) you use for printing it is possible to choose the number of copies you want to print = not good...
Is it possible to set the number of possible copies fix? or do you have/know a possibility to print out online-forms
without having to open this certain window?
I'm looking (desperately) for a way to at least prevent that users print out several same forms directly from the web-site.

I don't think that I'm the first with this problem.

I would be very grateful for ideas and heeelp.
thank you very much
cmuebro

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:59 pm
by programmermatt
Even if you could limit the number of copies they could make (which I don't believe that you can), all they would need is a scanner or photocopier to make duplicates. In short, I don't believe that it is possible/practical to force printing out only one copy. As a possible solution to your problem you could give each one a specific serial number with a large number of permutations so that you could expire a serial number after a use and then allow its use again (if running low on good serial numbers) after a few months when you know they wouldn't try to cheat the system anymore.

Posted: Sat Jun 04, 2005 1:13 pm
by cmuebro
Yes - I can't stop anyone to copy it.

But it's a (very silly) restraint of the parcel-service.
AND - I don't understand it too ;-)

We just want to integrate the service for our customers to print the parcel-labels for GLS (German Logistic Service). And we've got a requirement specification from GLS.

Our problem -- as it seems we are the first who tried it -- and yesterday they put up the new rule *mmmmmh*

I think we have to start new negotiations now.

Greetz
cmuebro