Compatibility for Printing

Background:
I have a serious problem using Printer Object for Printing a report. The report is generated dynamically that contain Boxes, Pictures, Text, Lines, so on. The printing is done by using methods of Printer Object like Line, Print, PaintPicture. When I coded the application to print report, I was also printing the same to a picture box for preview.

The Problem:
Now, when I am printing the same on different printers, the printout is coming on two pages instead of one with graphics on one page and text on another page. This means that the compatibility for printing is not there accross various printers (devices). Can any one please let me know how to achieve this either using VB code or a set of API's. Can I find some examples regarding this on any site ?

This is very urgent please.

Thanks & Regards
B. J. Sarma

[Dr_Michael]

Why don't you capture the entire form, copy it to clipboard and then just print the picture. If you are interested, I have the code for the whole procedure and I can post it here. :-)

Michael Vlastos
Company MODUS SA
Development Department
Tel: +3-01-9414900

Could you please post the code.

Thanks
Sarma

[Dr_Michael]

First, you create a picture on your form (Picture1). Then you set it's visible property to false. You add the next fragment of code at the cmdPrint_click() event:


set Picture1.Picture = CaptureForm(me)
PrintPicture Printer, Picture2.Picture
Printer.EndDoc




You have also to create a module1 and add there the following fragment of code:


option Explicit

Global Const INVERSE = 6
Const SOLID = 0
Const DOT = 2

Global HoldX as Single
Global HoldY as Single
Global StartX as Single
Global StartY as Single
Global SavedDrawStyle
Global SavedMode


option Base 0

private Type PALETTEENTRY
peRed as Byte
peGreen as Byte
peBlue as Byte
peFlags as Byte
End Type

private Type LOGPALETTE
palVersion as Integer
palNumEntries as Integer
'Enough for 256 colors
palPalEntry(255) as PALETTEENTRY
End Type

private Type GUID
Data1 as Long
Data2 as Integer
Data3 as Integer
Data4(7) as Byte
End Type


private Const RASTERCAPS as Long = 38
private Const RC_PALETTE as Long = &H100
private Const SIZEPALETTE as Long = 104

private Type RECT
Left as Long
Top as Long
Right as Long
Bottom as Long
End Type

private Type PicBmp
Size as Long
Type as Long
hBmp as Long
hPal as Long
Reserved as Long
End Type

private Declare Function BitBlt Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDCDest as Long, byval XDest as Long, _
byval YDest as Long, byval nWidth as Long, _
byval nHeight as Long, byval hDCSrc as Long, _
byval XSrc as Long, byval YSrc as Long, byval dwRop as Long) _
as Long
private Declare Function CreateCompatibleBitmap Lib _
"GDI32" (byval hDC as Long, byval nWidth as Long, _
byval nHeight as Long) as Long
private Declare Function CreateCompatibleDC Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long) as Long
private Declare Function CreatePalette Lib "GDI32" ( _
lpLogPalette as LOGPALETTE) as Long
private Declare Function DeleteDC Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long) as Long
private Declare Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "USER32" () as Long
private Declare Function GetDeviceCaps Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long, byval iCapabilitiy as Long) as Long
private Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "USER32" () _
as Long
private Declare Function GetSystemPaletteEntries Lib _
"GDI32" (byval hDC as Long, byval wStartIndex as Long, _
byval wNumEntries as Long, lpPaletteEntries _
as PALETTEENTRY) as Long
private Declare Function GetWindowDC Lib "USER32" ( _
byval hWnd as Long) as Long
private Declare Function GetDC Lib "USER32" ( _
byval hWnd as Long) as Long
private Declare Function GetWindowRect Lib "USER32" ( _
byval hWnd as Long, lpRect as RECT) as Long
private Declare Function OleCreatePictureIndirect _
Lib "olepro32.dll" (PicDesc as PicBmp, RefIID as GUID, _
byval fPictureOwnsHandle as Long, IPic as IPicture) as Long
private Declare Function RealizePalette Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long) as Long
private Declare Function ReleaseDC Lib "USER32" ( _
byval hWnd as Long, byval hDC as Long) as Long
private Declare Function SelectObject Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long, byval hObject as Long) as Long
private Declare Function SelectPalette Lib "GDI32" ( _
byval hDC as Long, byval hPalette as Long, _
byval bForceBackground as Long) as Long

public Function CaptureForm(frmSrc as Form) as Picture
on error GoTo ErrorRoutineErr

'Call CaptureWindow to capture the entire form
'given it's window
'handle and then return the resulting Picture object
set CaptureForm = CaptureWindow(frmSrc.hWnd, 0, 0, _
frmSrc.ScaleX(frmSrc.Width, vbTwips, vbPixels), _
frmSrc.ScaleY(frmSrc.Height, vbTwips, vbPixels))

ErrorRoutineResume:
Exit Function
ErrorRoutineErr:
MsgBox "Project1.Module1.CaptureForm" & Err & error
resume next
End Function

public Function CreateBitmapPicture(byval hBmp as Long, _
byval hPal as Long) as Picture

on error GoTo ErrorRoutineErr

Dim r as Long
Dim Pic as PicBmp
'IPicture requires a reference to "Standard OLE Types"
Dim IPic as IPicture
Dim IID_IDispatch as GUID

'Fill in with IDispatch Interface ID
With IID_IDispatch
.Data1 = &H20400
.Data4(0) = &HC0
.Data4(7) = &H46
End With

'Fill Pic with necessary parts
With Pic
'Length of structure
.Size = len(Pic)
'Type of Picture (bitmap)
.Type = vbPicTypeBitmap
'Handle to bitmap
.hBmp = hBmp
'Handle to palette (may be null)
.hPal = hPal
End With

'Create Picture object
r = OleCreatePictureIndirect(Pic, IID_IDispatch, 1, IPic)

'Return the new Picture object
set CreateBitmapPicture = IPic

ErrorRoutineResume:
Exit Function
ErrorRoutineErr:
MsgBox "Project1.Module1.CreateBitmapPicture" & Err & error
resume next
End Function

public Function CaptureWindow(byval hWndSrc as Long, _
byval LeftSrc as Long, _
byval TopSrc as Long, byval WidthSrc as Long, _
byval HeightSrc as Long) as Picture

on error GoTo ErrorRoutineErr

Dim hDCMemory as Long
Dim hBmp as Long
Dim hBmpPrev as Long
Dim rc as Long
Dim hDCSrc as Long
Dim hPal as Long
Dim hPalPrev as Long
Dim RasterCapsScrn as Long
Dim HasPaletteScrn as Long
Dim PaletteSizeScrn as Long

Dim LogPal as LOGPALETTE

'get device context for the window
hDCSrc = GetWindowDC(hWndSrc)

'Create a memory device context for the copy process
hDCMemory = CreateCompatibleDC(hDCSrc)
'Create a bitmap and place it in the memory DC
hBmp = CreateCompatibleBitmap(hDCSrc, WidthSrc, HeightSrc)
hBmpPrev = SelectObject(hDCMemory, hBmp)

'get screen properties
'Raster capabilities
RasterCapsScrn = GetDeviceCaps(hDCSrc, RASTERCAPS)
'Palette support
HasPaletteScrn = RasterCapsScrn And RC_PALETTE
'Size of palette
PaletteSizeScrn = GetDeviceCaps(hDCSrc, SIZEPALETTE)

'If the screen has a palette, make a copy
If HasPaletteScrn And (PaletteSizeScrn = 256) then
'Create a copy of the system palette
LogPal.palVersion = &H300
LogPal.palNumEntries = 256
rc = GetSystemPaletteEntries(hDCSrc, 0, 256, _
LogPal.palPalEntry(0))
hPal = CreatePalette(LogPal)
'Select the new palette into the memory
'DC and realize it
hPalPrev = SelectPalette(hDCMemory, hPal, 0)
rc = RealizePalette(hDCMemory)
End If

'Copy the image into the memory DC
rc = BitBlt(hDCMemory, 0, 0, WidthSrc, HeightSrc, _
hDCSrc, LeftSrc, TopSrc, vbSrcCopy)

'Remove the new copy of the on-screen image
'hBmp = SelectObject(hDCMemory, hBmpPrev)

'If the screen has a palette get back the palette that was
'selected in previously
If HasPaletteScrn And (PaletteSizeScrn = 256) then
hPal = SelectPalette(hDCMemory, hPalPrev, 0)
End If

'Release the device context resources back to the system
rc = DeleteDC(hDCMemory)
rc = ReleaseDC(hWndSrc, hDCSrc)

'Call CreateBitmapPicture to create a picture
'object from the bitmap and palette handles.
'then return the resulting picture object.
set CaptureWindow = CreateBitmapPicture(hBmp, hPal)

ErrorRoutineResume:
Exit Function
ErrorRoutineErr:
MsgBox "Project1.Module1.CaptureWindow" & Err & error
resume next
End Function

public Sub PrintPicture(Prn as Printer, Pic as Picture)
on error GoTo ErrorRoutineErr

Prn.PaintPicture Pic, 0, 0

ErrorRoutineResume:
Exit Sub
ErrorRoutineErr:
MsgBox "Project1.Module1.PrintPicture" & Err & error
resume next
End Sub




Michael Vlastos
Company MODUS SA
Development Department
Tel: +3-01-9414900

[Chris Eastwood]

Hi

Nice coding - do you want me to put it onto the site ?



Chris Eastwood

CodeGuru - the website for developers
http://www.codeguru.com/vb

[Dr_Michael]

To tell you the truth it was not my own code. I just found it on a book and customised it for my purposes. I don't know if it is legal to put it onto the site. You have MY permission, but I don't know if you have the author's. Do what you think! :-)

Michael Vlastos
Company MODUS SA
Development Department
Athens, Greece
Tel: +3-01-9414900

[Chris Eastwood]

I think that it'll be ok - I'll try and post it today.


Chris Eastwood

CodeGuru - the website for developers
http://www.codeguru.com/vb

[Dr_Michael]

I would really appreciate if you could send me (by email possibly) the link after you post it. Thanx!

Michael Vlastos
Company MODUS SA
Development Department
Athens, Greece
Tel: +3-01-9414900

Thanks for the code Dr_Michael. It is really very useful.

Sarma