format text for printing

[happyme]

I'm planning to print the contents of a csv text file

The data is in a number of rows and columns and I've put the whole lot into a 2 dimensional array, and found out which are the widest columns.

Now I want to print my array.

I need to left align text and right align numbers. I can work out which one I need using isNumeric().

How can I get my columns to align how I want them to?

H

[jmcilhinney]

Do you know anything about printing in .NET? Everything goes exactly where you tell it to. You measure your strings to determine how wide the columns are then you call DrawString to print it exactly where you want. You can specify alignment when calling DrawString. I suggest that you take a look at the printing example in the 2003 101 samples from Microsoft and once you have the basics post back with specific questions about the bits that are giving you grief.

[aniskhan]

You can get the contents of cxv file into a dataTable.

        Dim dt2 As New DataTable("tb2")

        Dim oCon As Odbc.OdbcConnection
        Dim oDA As Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter
        Dim sConString As String

        Dim sFolder As String = "C:\"
        Dim sFile As String = "test1.csv"

        sConString = "Driver={Microsoft Text Driver (*.txt; *.csv)};Dbq=" & sFolder & ";"
        oCon = New Odbc.OdbcConnection(sConString)

        oDA = New Odbc.OdbcDataAdapter("Select * From [" + sFile + "]", oCon)
        oDA.Fill(dt2)
        DataGridView1.DataSource = dt2.DefaultView

then Print the dataTable

[aniskhan]

Sample prints datatable with 3 columns.
Delcaration

    Dim record As Integer 'row counter

Print Button

    Private Sub Button1_Click_1(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        printDialog1 = New PrintDialog
        pDoc = New PrintDocument()

        printDialog1.Document = pDoc

        If printDialog1.ShowDialog() = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
            pDoc.Print()
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub mdoc_BeginPrint(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Drawing.Printing.PrintEventArgs) Handles pDoc.BeginPrint
        record = 0
    End Sub

    Private Sub mdoc_PrintPage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs) Handles pDoc.PrintPage
        'line counter
        Dim count As Integer = 0
        'set margins
        Dim leftMargin As Single = e.MarginBounds.Left
        Dim topMargin As Single = e.MarginBounds.Top
        'font first set bold for column names
        Dim printFont As Font = New Font("Times New Roman", 12, FontStyle.Bold)
        'xposition for column change
        'yposition for line change
        Dim yPosition As Single = (topMargin + (count * printFont.GetHeight(e.Graphics))) 'initial position
        Dim xposition As Single = e.MarginBounds.Width / dt.Columns.Count
        'draw columnNames
        For i As Integer = 0 To dt.Columns.Count - 1
            e.Graphics.DrawString(dt.Columns.Item(i).ToString, printFont, Brushes.Black, leftMargin, yPosition, New StringFormat())
            leftMargin += xposition
        Next

        count += 1
        yPosition = (topMargin + (count * printFont.GetHeight(e.Graphics)))
        leftMargin = e.MarginBounds.Left
        'draw separating line
        e.Graphics.DrawLine(Pens.Black, leftMargin, yPosition, e.MarginBounds.Width, yPosition)

        count += 1

        printFont = New Font("Times New Roman", 12)
        Dim linesPerPage As Single = e.MarginBounds.Height / printFont.GetHeight(e.Graphics)

        While count < linesPerPage And record < dt.Rows.Count

            yPosition = (topMargin + (count * printFont.GetHeight(e.Graphics)))
            'draw Row from datatable
            For i As Integer = 0 To dt.Columns.Count - 1
                e.Graphics.DrawString(dt.Rows(record).Item(i).ToString, printFont, Brushes.Black, leftMargin, yPosition, New StringFormat())
                leftMargin += xposition
            Next

            leftMargin = e.MarginBounds.Left
            count += 1
            record += 1
        End While

        If record < dt.Rows.Count Then
            e.HasMorePages = True
        Else
            e.HasMorePages = False
        End If
    End Sub

[happyme]

Thank you aniskhan for coming to my aid again. Unfortunately I've falled at the first hurdle as I don't have the System.Data.Odbc namespace which I suspect I need. I'm using .net version 1.0.

I think I can create a datatable and fill it from the 2 dimensional array I've created using the data from my csv file instead, a less elegant solution, but a workable one!

I can then adapt your excellent printing code to print my datatable and my problem is solved.

[aniskhan]

u can also use oledb

  Dim strconn As String = "Provider=Microsoft.Jet.OLEDB.4.0;Data Source=C:\;Extended Properties=Text;"
        Dim Conn As New OleDb.OleDbConnection(strconn)

        Dim adapter As New OleDb.OleDbDataAdapter("SELECT * FROM a1.csv", Conn)

        Dim dt As New DataTable("TableName")
        Conn.Open()
        adapter.Fill(dt)
        DataGridView1.DataSource = dt.DefaultView
        Conn.Close()