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Q173074: PRB: Multiple Visual Basic Printouts Are Not the Same

Article: Q173074
Product(s): Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbGrpDSVB
Last Modified: 11-JAN-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 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you print what should be identical copies of the same print job, the pages
do not print the same. Different fonts, text in the wrong place, and multiple
blank pages are typical.

CAUSE
=====

The primary cause of differences between print jobs is that the Visual Basic
Printer Object is not fully reset by the EndDoc method. The values of the
ScaleMode and a few other properties are inherited by subsequent documents
unless the application is restarted. The most common source of problems is that
new values are assigned to the Scale properties: (ScaleMode, ScaleHeight,
ScaleLeft, ScaleTop, and ScaleWidth). These properties are not reset by the
NewPage or EndDoc method and should be reset by the programmer to ensure correct
behavior.

Another cause is that changing some printer properties changes other printer
properties in ways that are not necessarily intuitive. Changing the ScaleMode
property affects the other Scale properties and CurrentX/Y, which need to be
converted to the new coordinate system. Similarly, changing the ScaleLeft/Top
properties affects the values of CurrentX/CurrentY, respectively.

RESOLUTION
==========

To work around this behavior, reset the ScaleMode and other properties to their
original values. The code below enumerates all of the properties of the printer
object and displays their values on the Immediate pane. During your debug cycle,
call the code before each print job and compare the results. You can then modify
your code to correctly reset the appropriate property values:

     Sub PrntProp()
         Debug.Print "ColorMode   ", Printer.ColorMode
         Debug.Print "Copies   ", Printer.Copies
         Debug.Print "CurrentX   ", Printer.CurrentX
         Debug.Print "CurrentY   ", Printer.CurrentY
         Debug.Print "DeviceName   ", Printer.DeviceName
         Debug.Print "DrawMode   ", Printer.DrawMode
         Debug.Print "DrawStyle   ", Printer.DrawStyle
         Debug.Print "DrawWidth   ", Printer.DrawWidth
         Debug.Print "DriverName   ", Printer.DriverName
         Debug.Print "Duplex   ", Printer.Duplex
         Debug.Print "FillColor   ", Printer.FillColor
         Debug.Print "FillStyle   ", Printer.FillStyle
         Debug.Print "Font.Bold", Printer.Font.Bold
         Debug.Print "Font.Charset", Printer.Font.Charset
         Debug.Print "Font.Italic", Printer.Font.Italic
         Debug.Print "Font.Name", Printer.Font.Name
         Debug.Print "Font.Size", Printer.Font.Size
         Debug.Print "Font.Strikethr "; Printer.Font.Strikethrough
         Debug.Print "Font.Underline "; Printer.Font.Underline
         Debug.Print "Font.Weight", Printer.Font.Weight
         Debug.Print "hDC   ", Printer.hDC
         Debug.Print "Height   ", Printer.Height
         Debug.Print "Orientation", Printer.Orientation
         Debug.Print "Page   ", Printer.Page
         Debug.Print "PaperBin   ", Printer.PaperBin
         Debug.Print "PaperSize   ", Printer.PaperSize
         Debug.Print "Port   ", Printer.Port
         Debug.Print "PrintQuality", Printer.PrintQuality
         Debug.Print "RightToLeft", Printer.RightToLeft
         Debug.Print "ScaleHeight", Printer.ScaleHeight
         Debug.Print "ScaleLeft   ", Printer.ScaleLeft
         Debug.Print "ScaleTop   ", Printer.ScaleTop
         Debug.Print "ScaleWidth   ", Printer.ScaleWidth
         Debug.Print "ScaleMode   ", Printer.ScaleMode
         Debug.Print "TrackDefault", Printer.TrackDefault
         Debug.Print "TwipsPerPixelX"; Printer.TwipsPerPixelX
         Debug.Print "TwipsPerPixelY"; Printer.TwipsPerPixelY
         Debug.Print "Width   ", Printer.Width
         Debug.Print "Zoom   ", Printer.Zoom
     End Sub

MORE INFORMATION
================

Steps to Reproduce Behavior
---------------------------

The following code is based on the example in the Visual Basic Help file. Note
that after the Printer.EndDoc, the Printer Object Properties are not reset:

      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleTop
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleLeft
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleWidth
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleHeight

      Printer.ScaleTop = -1  ' Set scale for top of grid.
      Printer.ScaleLeft = -1 ' Set scale for left of grid.
      Printer.ScaleWidth = 2 ' Set scale (-1 to 1).
      Printer.ScaleHeight = 2
      Printer.Line (-1, 0)-(1, 0)    ' Draw horizontal line.
      Printer.Line (0, -1)-(0, 1)    ' Draw vertical line.
      For I = -1 To 1 Step 0.05
          Printer.PSet (I * Rnd, I * Rnd)    ' Draw a point.
      Next I
      Printer.EndDoc

      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleTop
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleLeft
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleWidth
      Debug.Print Printer.ScaleHeight

Additional query words: kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport kbPrinting KBWIN32SDK KBAPI

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Keywords          : kbGrpDSVB 
Technology        : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600
Issue type        : kbprb

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