Frequently Asked Question
How to use X. Export Printer and setup default application for .tab files in Windows 7
Last Updated 9 years ago
Due to popular demand, there are now a number of reports that you can print to the ‘X’ Export printer and we keep adding more.
In order to open reports printed to the ‘X’ printer, the user must have access to their local directory. If you are a Thin Client® user, you must identify the directory in System Functions Ò Company data. The default is C:\SSIDOCS\.
Each report printed to the ‘X’ printer is assigned a default file name. After you select the ‘X’ printer, a pop-up window will prompt [F1] to accept the default filename displayed or enter your own filename. Remember to assign a unique filename to each report that you wish to keep as filenames can be reused and the data over-written.
Note: A report printed to disk cannot be later printed to the ‘X’ printer.
The first time that you select the ‘X’ Export “printer” from the pop-up Printer Selection window, the system may prompt you to identify which program should be used to open the file. The export files are designed to be opened with Excel. However, they can be opened with any software that can access tab delimited files (e.g. Windows, Thin Client®).
Please note that there may be a delay between the time the report has ‘finished printing’ and the time the Excel worksheet opens.This delay is dependent upon your system activity levels.
Enter the parameters for your report as you normally do.
When the Printer selection popup window is displayed, select the ‘X’ printer. As shown below:
Follow the system prompts to cancel the report request or accept the default file name
OR
Type a new file name.
If prompted, select the program that Windows is to use to open your Xport file(s).
Windows or Thin Client® will open the export file using the program that you selected. The following example is from Excel 2007.
You may need to setup Windows to open a tab file with your program of choice, this example will show you how to setup Microsoft Excel as the default program.
How to set the default for opening a .tab file in Windows 7
Begin by clicking on start/Windows Icon
Click on Default Programs
Click on "Associate a file type or protocol with a program".
Next find and click on .tab in the list of file types.
Next click on change program, and then select a program from the list, in this case Excel. Or, select browse to locate the program you want to use when opening .tab files.
In order to open reports printed to the ‘X’ printer, the user must have access to their local directory. If you are a Thin Client® user, you must identify the directory in System Functions Ò Company data. The default is C:\SSIDOCS\.
Each report printed to the ‘X’ printer is assigned a default file name. After you select the ‘X’ printer, a pop-up window will prompt [F1] to accept the default filename displayed or enter your own filename. Remember to assign a unique filename to each report that you wish to keep as filenames can be reused and the data over-written.
Note: A report printed to disk cannot be later printed to the ‘X’ printer.
The first time that you select the ‘X’ Export “printer” from the pop-up Printer Selection window, the system may prompt you to identify which program should be used to open the file. The export files are designed to be opened with Excel. However, they can be opened with any software that can access tab delimited files (e.g. Windows, Thin Client®).
Please note that there may be a delay between the time the report has ‘finished printing’ and the time the Excel worksheet opens.This delay is dependent upon your system activity levels.
Enter the parameters for your report as you normally do.
When the Printer selection popup window is displayed, select the ‘X’ printer. As shown below:
Follow the system prompts to cancel the report request or accept the default file name
OR
Type a new file name.
If prompted, select the program that Windows is to use to open your Xport file(s).
Windows or Thin Client® will open the export file using the program that you selected. The following example is from Excel 2007.
You may need to setup Windows to open a tab file with your program of choice, this example will show you how to setup Microsoft Excel as the default program.
How to set the default for opening a .tab file in Windows 7
Begin by clicking on start/Windows Icon
Click on Default Programs
Click on "Associate a file type or protocol with a program".
Next find and click on .tab in the list of file types.
Next click on change program, and then select a program from the list, in this case Excel. Or, select browse to locate the program you want to use when opening .tab files.