Microsoft KB Archive/154078

Knowledge Base

How To Send Raw Data to a Printer Using the Win32 API from Visual Basic

Article ID: 154078

Article Last Modified on 8/30/2004

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APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Learning Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Learning Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Enterprise Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 Standard Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 Professional Edition
• Microsoft Visual Basic 4.0 32-Bit Enterprise Edition

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This article was previously published under Q154078

SUMMARY

The Visual Basic Printer object allows for printing through printer drivers, but there may be times when it is desirable to use the Win32 API to send information more directly to the printer. The code sample to follow shows how to achieve this by using API functions that bypass printer drivers to communicate directly with the print spooler.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.
2. Place a Command Button on the form.

3. Add the following code to the Form1 code window:
   

         Option Explicit
   
         Private Type DOCINFO
             pDocName As String
             pOutputFile As String
             pDatatype As String
         End Type
   
         Private Declare Function ClosePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal _
            hPrinter As Long) As Long
         Private Declare Function EndDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal _
            hPrinter As Long) As Long
         Private Declare Function EndPagePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal _
            hPrinter As Long) As Long
         Private Declare Function OpenPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias _
            "OpenPrinterA" (ByVal pPrinterName As String, phPrinter As Long, _
             ByVal pDefault As Long) As Long
         Private Declare Function StartDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias _
            "StartDocPrinterA" (ByVal hPrinter As Long, ByVal Level As Long, _
            pDocInfo As DOCINFO) As Long
         Private Declare Function StartPagePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal _
            hPrinter As Long) As Long
         Private Declare Function WritePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal _
            hPrinter As Long, pBuf As Any, ByVal cdBuf As Long,  _
            pcWritten As Long) As Long
   
         Private Sub Command1_Click()
             Dim lhPrinter As Long
             Dim lReturn As Long
             Dim lpcWritten As Long
             Dim lDoc As Long
             Dim sWrittenData As String
             Dim MyDocInfo As DOCINFO
             lReturn = OpenPrinter(Printer.DeviceName, lhPrinter, 0)
             If lReturn = 0 Then
                 MsgBox "The Printer Name you typed wasn't recognized."
                 Exit Sub
             End If
             MyDocInfo.pDocName = "AAAAAA"
             MyDocInfo.pOutputFile = vbNullString
             MyDocInfo.pDatatype = vbNullString
             lDoc = StartDocPrinter(lhPrinter, 1, MyDocInfo)
             Call StartPagePrinter(lhPrinter)
             sWrittenData = "How's that for Magic !!!!" & vbFormFeed
             lReturn = WritePrinter(lhPrinter, ByVal sWrittenData, _
                Len(sWrittenData), lpcWritten)
             lReturn = EndPagePrinter(lhPrinter)
             lReturn = EndDocPrinter(lhPrinter)
             lReturn = ClosePrinter(lhPrinter)
         End Sub
   
                           

REFERENCES

The Win32 SDK Help files give a more detailed description of the APIs used in the sample.

For information on the same procedure for VC++, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

138594 : How To Send Raw Data to a Printer by Using the Win32 API

Additional query words: raw receipt

Keywords: kbhowto kbprint kbapi KB154078

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