onbeforeprint Event

Fires on the object before its associated document prints.

Syntax

Inline HTML	<ELEMENT onbeforeprint = "handler" ... >	All platforms
Event property	object.onbeforeprint = handler	JScript (compatible with ECMA 262 language specification) only
Named script	<SCRIPT FOR = object EVENT = onbeforeprint>	Internet Explorer only

Remarks

Bubbles	No
Cancels	No
To invoke	Choose Print from the File menu in Internet Explorer. Press CTRL + P. Right-click anywhere on a page, and choose Print. Right-click on a link on a page, and choose Print. From Windows Explorer, select an .htm file and choose Print from the File menu. From Windows Explorer, right-click on an .htm file and choose Print.
Default action	Prints the document associated with the object for which the event is specified.

Use this event to modify the document just before it prints. In most cases it is used to make all the information on the page visible just before printing.

Use the event in conjunction with the onafterprint event to undo the changes made to the document in the onbeforeprint event.

Event Object Properties

Although event handlers in the document object model do not receive parameters directly, the handler can query the event object for data.

Event Object Properties

altKey	Retrieves the current state of the ALT key.
button	Retrieves which mouse button, if any, is pressed.
cancelBubble	Sets or retrieves whether the current event should bubble up the hierarchy of event handlers.
clientX	Retrieves the x-coordinate of the mouse cursor relative to the client area of the window, excluding window decorations or scroll bars.
clientY	Retrieves the y-coordinate of the mouse cursor relative to the client area of the window, excluding window decorations or scroll bars.
ctrlKey	Retrieves the state of the CTRL key.
returnValue	Sets or retrieves the return value from the event.
screenX	Retrieves the horizontal position of the mouse, in pixels, relative to the user's screen.
screenY	Retrieves the vertical position of the mouse, in pixels, relative to the user's screen.
shiftKey	Retrieves the state of the SHIFT key.
srcElement	Retrieves the object that fired the event.
type	Retrieves the event name from the event object.
x	Retrieves the x-coordinate of the mouse cursor relative to the parent element.
y	Retrieves the y-coordinate of the mouse cursor relative to the parent element.

Example

This example uses the onbeforeprint to make all hidden sections of the page visible just before the page prints. The onafterprint event is processed after the page prints to return the document to its original state.

Sample Code

function window.onbeforeprint()
{
    // Walk through all the elements in the document with
    // CLASS="collapsed" and set it to "expanded" just for printing.
   var coll = document.all.tags("DIV");
   if (coll!=null)
   {
      for (i=0; i<coll.length; i++) 
     if (coll[i].className == "collapsed")
 {  
           coll[i].className = "expanded";
   
        // After printing, make sure to set CLASS="collapsed" 
        // only for those that were expanded just for printing.
   coll[i].bExpandedForPrinting = true;
 }

 else if (coll[i].className == "expanded")
    coll[i].bExpandedForPrinting = false;
   }
}

function window.onafterprint()
{
   // Walk through all the elements in the doc with CLASS="expanded"
   // and set it to "collapsed" if expanded just for 
   // printing.
   var coll = document.all.tags("DIV");
   if (coll!=null)
   {
      for (i=0; i < coll.length; i++) 
     if ((coll[i].className == "expanded") &&
     (coll[i].bExpandedForPrinting))
 {  
           coll[i].className = "collapsed";
   coll[i].bExpandedForPrinting = false;
 }
   }
}

This feature requires Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5 or later. Click the icon below to install the latest version. Then reload this page to view the sample.

Applies To

[ Object Name ] Platform Version Win16: Win32: Mac: Unix: WinCE: Version data is listed when the mouse hovers over a link, or the link has focus.	window, BODY, FRAMESET

See Also

onafterprint, print