Printing Dialog Box

[Trancedified]

What's up?


I'm trying to find a way for VB to open up a printer dialogbox within the application, so I can choose which printer I want to use to print up the entire VB form that I'm currently viewing. Any suggestions? THanks!


Chris

[Andrex]

Below is how to invoke the Print common dialog, in which I assume you can freely select a printer.

Private Sub Command1_Click()
With Cdlg
   .Flags = cdlOFNFileMustExist Or cdlOFNHideReadOnly
   .ShowOpen
End With
End Sub

Flags possible values have different meaning and effect 
depending on which dialog are you showing
(ie: OpenFile, Print, Font,...)

Have a nice day,
Cesare Imperiali


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From msdn: flag possible values
CommonDialog Control Constants


File Open/Save Dialog Box Flags

Constant Value Description 
cdlOFNAllowMultiselect = &H200 
Specifies that the File Namelist box allows multiple selections.
The user can select more than one file atrun time by pressing the 
SHIFT key and using the UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW keys to 
select the desired files. When this is done, the FileName property 
returns a string containing the names of all selected files. The 
names in the string are delimited by spaces.
 
cdlOFNCreatePrompt = &H2000 
Specifies that the dialog box prompts the user to create a file 
that doesn't currently exist. This flag automatically sets the 
cdlOFNPathMustExist and cdlOFNFileMustExist flags. 

cdlOFNExplorer =&H80000 
Use the Explorer-like Open A File dialog box template. Common 
dialogs that use this flag do not work under Windows NT using 
the Windows 95 shell.
 
CdlOFNExtensionDifferent = &H400 
Indicates that the extension of the returned filename is different 
from the extension specified by the DefaultExt property. This flag 
isn't set if the DefaultExt property is Null, if the extensions match, 
or if the file has no extension. This flag value can be checked 
upon closing the dialog box. 

cdlOFNFileMustExist = &H1000 
Specifies that the user can enter only names of existing files in 
the File Name text box. If this flag is set and the user enters an 
invalid filename, a warning is displayed. This flag automatically 
sets the cdlOFNPathMustExist flag. 

cdlOFNHelpButton =&H10 
Causes the dialog box to display the Help button. 

cdlOFNHideReadOnly = &H4 
Hides the Read Onlycheck box. 

cdlOFNLongNames =&H200000 
Use long filenames. 

cdlOFNNoChangeDir= &H8 
Forces the dialog box to set the current directory to what it was 
when the dialog box was opened. 

CdlOFNNoDereferenceLinks = &H100000
Do not dereference shell links (also known as shortcuts). By 
default, choosing a shell link causes it to be dereferenced by the 
shell. 

cdlOFNNoLongNames =  &H40000 
Do not use long file names. 

CdlOFNNoReadOnlyReturn = &H8000  
Specifies that the returned file won't have the Read Only 
attribute set and won't be in a write-protected directory. 

cdlOFNNoValidate = &H100 
Specifies that the common dialog box allows invalid characters in 
the returned filename. 

cdlOFNOverwritePrompt=  &H2 
Causes the Save As dialog box to generate a message box if the 
selected file already exists. The user must confirm whether to 
overwrite the file. 

cdlOFNPathMustExist = &H800 
Specifies that the user can enter only validpaths. If this flag is set 
and the user enters an invalid path, a warning message is 
displayed. 

cdlOFNReadOnly = &H1 
Causes the Read Only check box to be initially checked when the 
dialog box is created. This flag also indicates the state of the 
Read Only check box when the dialog box is closed. 

CdlOFNShareAware =&H4000 
Specifies that sharing violation errors will be ignored. 



Color Dialog Box Flags

Constant Value Description 

cdlCCFullOpen= &H2 
Entire dialog box is displayed, including the Define Custom Colors 
section 

cdlCCShowHelp = &H8 
Causes the dialog box to display a Help button 

cdlCCPreventFullOpen = &H4 
Disables the Define Custom Colors command button and prevents 
the user from defining custom colors 

cdlCCRGBInit = &H1 
Sets the initial color value for the dialog box 


Fonts Dialog Box Flags

Constant Value Description 
cdlCFANSIOnly =&H400 
Specifies that the dialog box allows only a selection of the fonts 
that use the Windows character set. If this flag is set, the user 
won't be able to select a font that contains only symbols. 

cdlCFApply = &H200 
Enables the Apply button on the dialog box. 

cdlCFBoth = &H3 
Causes the dialog box to list the available printer and screen 
fonts. The hDC property identifies thedevice context associated 
with the printer. 

cdlCFEffects = &H100 
Specifies that the dialog box enables strikethrough, underline, 
and color effects. 

cdlCFFixedPitchOnly = &H4000 
Specifies that the dialog box selects only fixed-pitch fonts. 

cdlCFForceFontExist = &H10000 
Specifies that an error message box is displayed if the user
attempts to select a font or style that doesn't exist. 

cdlCFHelpButton = &H4 
Causes the dialog box to display a Help button. 

cdlCFLimitSize = &H2000 
Specifies that the dialog box selects only font sizes within the 
range specified by the Min and Max properties. 

cdlCFNoFaceSel = &H80000 
No font name selected. 

cdlCFNoSimulations = &H1000 
Specifies that the dialog box doesn't allow graphic device 
interface (GDI) font simulations. 

cdlCFNoSizeSel = &H200000 
No font size selected. 

cdlCFNoStyleSel = &H100000 
No style was selected. 

cdlCFNoVectorFonts = &H800 
Specifies that the dialog box doesn't allow vector-font selections. 

cdlCFPrinterFonts = &H2 
Causes the dialog box to list only the fonts supported by the 
printer, specified by the hDC property. 

cdlCFScalableOnly = &H20000 
Specifies that the dialog box allows only the selection of fonts 
that can be scaled.  

cdlCFScreenFonts = &H1 
Causes the dialog box to list only the screen fonts supported by 
the system. 

cdlCFTTOnly = &H40000 
Specifies that the dialog box allows only the selection of TrueType 
fonts. 

cdlCFWYSIWYG = &H8000 
Specifies that the dialog box allows only the selection of fonts 
that are available on both the printer and on screen. If this flag is 
set, the cdlCFBoth and cdlCFScalableOnly flags should also be 
set. 


Printer Dialog Box Flags

Constant Value Description 

cdlPDAllPages = &H0 
Returns or sets the state of the All Pagesoption button. 

cdlPDCollate =&H10 
Returns or sets the state of the Collatecheck box. 

cdlPDDisablePrintToFile =  &H80000 
Disables the Print To File check box. 

cdlPDHelpButton = &H800 
Causes the dialog box to display the Help button. 

cdlPDHidePrintToFile =&H100000 
Hides the Print To File check box. 

cdlPDNoPageNums =&H8 
Disables the Pages option button and the associated edit control. 

cdlPDNoSelection = &H4 
Disables the Selection option button. 

cdlPDNoWarning = &H80 
Prevents a warning message from being displayed when there is 
no default printer. 

cdlPDPageNums = &H2 
Returns or sets the state of the Pages option button. 

cdlPDPrintSetup = &H40 
Causes the system to display the Print Setup dialog box rather 
than the Print dialog box. 

cdlPDPrintToFile = &H20 
Returns or sets the state of the Print To File check box. 

cdlPDReturnDC = &H100 
Returns adevice context for the printer selection made in the 
dialog box. The device context is returned in the dialog box's hDC 
property. 

cdlPDReturnDefault = &H400 
Returns default printer name. 

cdlPDReturnIC = &H200 
Returns an information context for the printer selection made in 
the dialog box. An information context provides a fast way to get 
information about the device without creating a device context. 
The information context is returned in the dialog box's hDC 
property. 

cdlPDSelection = &H1 
Returns or sets the state of the Selection option button. If 
neither cdlPDPageNums nor cdlPDSelection is specified, the All 
option button is in the selected state. 

cdlPDUseDevModeCopies = &H40000 
If a printer driver doesn't support multiple copies, setting this flag 
disables the copies edit control. If a driver does support multiple 
copies, setting this flag indicates that the dialog box stores the 
requested number of copies in the Copies property. 



Help Constants


Constant Value Description 

cdlHelpCommandHelp = &H102 
Displays Help for a particular command 

cdlHelpContents =&H3 
Displays the contents topic in the current Help file 

cdlHelpContext =&H1
Displays Help for a particular topic 

cdlHelpContextPopup = &H8 
Displays a topic identified by a context number 

cdlHelpForceFile = &H9 
Creates a Help file that displays text in only one font 

cdlHelpHelpOnHelp = &H4 
Displays Help for using the Help application itself 

cdlHelpIndex =  &H3 
Displays the index of the specified Help file 

cdlHelpKey = &H101 
Displays Help for a particular keyword 

cdlHelpPartialKey = &H105 
Calls the search engine in Windows Help 

cdlHelpQuit =  &H2 
Notifies the Help application that the specified Help file is no 
longer in use 

cdlHelpSetContents =  &H5 
Designates a specific topic as the contents topic 

cdlHelpSetIndex = &H5 
Sets the current index for multi-index Help

The name of the required component in your project is "Microsoft Common Dialog Control".

[Trancedified]

So where does the code after the dotted line

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go?

also what variable type should name Cdlg?

chris

[meh999]

If you look at my website you can download my program, if you print the labels you get the option to select the printer you require.

If this is the type of thing you are looking for let me know and I will email you the code.

www.dispatch-labels.com

Regards,
Mark.