Q154078: HOWTO: Send Raw Data to a Printer Using the Win32 API from VB

Article: Q154078
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 4.0,5.0,6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbprint kbAPI kbPrinting kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB kbDSupport
Last Modified: 11-SEP-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Standard Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition, 32-bit, for Windows, version 4.0 
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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:

  Q138594 : HOWTO: Send Raw Data to a Printer by Using the Win32 API

Additional query words: raw receipt

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Keywords          : kbprint kbAPI kbPrinting kbVBp400 kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbGrpDSVB kbDSupport 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVB500 kbVB600 kbVB400Search kbVB400
Version           : :4.0,5.0,6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

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