HOWTO: Send Raw Data to a Printer Using the Win32 API from Visual Basic

ID: Q154078


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 6.0
  • Microsoft Visual Basic Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions, 32-bit only, for Windows, version 4.0


SUMMARY

Although the printer object under Visual Basic 4.0 has been greatly improved, there may still be times when it is desirable to use the Win 32 API to send information directly to the printer. Below is a code sample showing how to achieve this behavior.


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

Keywords : kbAPI kbPrinting kbVBp400 kbVBp600 kbGrpVB
Version : WINDOWS:4.0,6.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: January 27, 2000
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