printout problem

[vanashree]

while taking printouts with printform method on a laser printer. the ms-flexgrid with the contents are displayed completely black.

[elvagonumero1]

I have the same problem... I'm still looking for an answer. Please let me know if you find the way to solve it

... Well, if you still there

[Shuja Ali]

I have the same problem... I'm still looking for an answer. Please let me know if you find the way to solve it

... Well, if you still there

Please don't post the same question in multiple threads. This way you are not helping yourself.

[Twodogs]

I'm in the process of doing this myself - this is working, but not for maximised forms (ie this is still a work in progress - see the original links for further clarification)

' Print an image of the form
' Code Source:
'   http://vb-helper.com/howto_print_picturebox.html
'   http://www.codeproject.com/system/keyboard.asp

Private Sub PrintPictureBoxImage( _
    ByVal oForm As Form, _
    ByVal picHidden As PictureBox, _
    Optional ByVal fit_to_printer = False)
    
    Dim FormPosition As POINTAPI
' NB 11 Oct 2006 - Use oForm.WindowState to figure out if the form is maximised (WindowState = 2)
' or is not maximised.

' If oForm.WindowState = 2 then ' form is maximised

' else
' and put the endif somewhere.


   ' On Error Resume Next
   On Error GoTo ErrTrap
   Screen.MousePointer = vbHourglass

'    '' Copy the form's image to the clipboard by sending an 'Alt' key press.
    Clipboard.Clear
   keybd_event VK_MENU, 0, 0, 0
    'keybd_event VK_MENU, &H45, VK_SNAPSHOT, 0
    DoEvents

    ' Press Print Scrn.
'    keybd_event VK_SNAPSHOT, 1, 0, 0
    keybd_event VK_SNAPSHOT, 0, 0, 0
    DoEvents

    '' Release Alt.
    keybd_event VK_SNAPSHOT, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    DoEvents
    keybd_event VK_MENU, 0, KEYEVENTF_KEYUP, 0
    DoEvents

    ' Copy the image into the hidden PictureBox:
    'need to reference the clipboard first
    Dim X As Boolean
        X = Clipboard.GetFormat(vbCFBitmap)
    DoEvents
    On Error Resume Next
    picHidden.Picture = Clipboard.GetData(vbCFBitmap)
    DoEvents
    On Error GoTo 0
    ' Get the form's location on the screen (in pixels)
    FormPosition.X = 0
    FormPosition.Y = 0
    ClientToScreen oForm.hwnd, FormPosition

    Dim ScaleModeX As Single, ScaleModeY As Single
    
    ' Convert into the printer's scale mode.
    ScaleModeX = oForm.ScaleX(FormPosition.X, vbPixels, picHidden.ScaleMode)
    ScaleModeY = oForm.ScaleY(FormPosition.Y, vbPixels, picHidden.ScaleMode)
    If Err <> 0 Then
        ' the main form is an MDIForm.  For some reason ScaleX/ScaleY are not supported
        ' in MDIForms. So just print the whole screen
        ScaleModeX = 0
        ScaleModeY = 0
        Err.Clear
    End If
    
    ' We've screen grabbed the entire screen.  Now clip out and print only the active form
    Dim ClipX As Single, ClipY As Single, ClipWidth As Single, ClipHeight As Single
    
    ClipX = ScaleModeX - 40 ' Magic number to include form left side border
    ClipY = ScaleModeY - 330 ' Magic number to include the Title bar into the clipped region
    ClipWidth = oForm.Width 'oForm.ScaleX(oForm.Width, vbPixels, picHidden.ScaleMode)
    ClipHeight = oForm.Height ' oForm.ScaleY(oForm.Height, vbPixels, picHidden.ScaleMode)
    
    Dim LeftMargin As Single, TopMargin As Single, RightMargin As Single
    LeftMargin = 1440 / 3 ' 1440 Twips = 1 inch
    RightMargin = LeftMargin
    TopMargin = 1440 / 3
    
    ' Print image to printer:
    
    Printer.Orientation = vbPRORLandscape ' 2
    
    Printer.Font.Size = 10
    Printer.CurrentY = TopMargin
    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    Printer.Print "Date: " & Now
'    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    'Printer.Print "Form: " & oForm.Caption & " (" & oForm.Name & ")"
'    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    'Printer.Print "App Version: " & gsAppVersion
'    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    'Printer.Print "Server: " & gsServer
'    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    'Printer.Print "Database: " & gsDatabase
'    Printer.CurrentX = LeftMargin
'    'Printer.Print "Database Version: " & gsDBVersion
    
    Dim PrintX As Single, PrintY As Single, PrintWidth As Single, PrintHeight As Single
    If (oForm.Width + LeftMargin + RightMargin) > Printer.Width Then
        ' Need to scale down the image to fit within the side margins
        PrintX = LeftMargin
        PrintY = TopMargin + Printer.CurrentY ' Print to top of page, allowing a small margin
        Dim AspectRatio As Single
        PrintWidth = (Printer.Width - LeftMargin - RightMargin) ' Adjust width to printer's page width
        AspectRatio = oForm.Width / PrintWidth
        PrintHeight = oForm.Height / AspectRatio
    Else
        ' No need to scale if the form width is narrower than the area within the side margins
        'PrintX = (Printer.Width - oForm.Width - LeftMargin) / 2 ' centre image horizontally on page
        PrintX = LeftMargin ' align left
        PrintY = (TopMargin / 2) + Printer.CurrentY ' Print after the text, allowing 1/2 a "top margin" amount of space
        PrintWidth = oForm.Width
        PrintHeight = oForm.Height
    End If
    
    Printer.PaintPicture picHidden.Picture, PrintX, PrintY, PrintWidth, PrintHeight, ClipX, ClipY, ClipWidth, ClipHeight
    Printer.EndDoc
    Screen.MousePointer = vbDefault
    If Err <> 0 Then
        MsgBox ("Error while printing (" & Err.Number & "): " & Err.Description)
    End If
    On Error GoTo 0
Exit Sub
ErrTrap:
MsgBox "Error: " & Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description
On Error GoTo 0

End Sub

[dglienna]

I used to have to run this DOS command back in the Laser Printer days. Produced grey-scale automatically from color screen prints.
Just loading it before my app started was good enough.

Loads a program that can print graphics.

GRAPHICS [type] [[drive:][path]filename] [/R] [/B] [/LCD]
[/PRINTBOX:STD | /PRINTBOX:LCD]

type Specifies a printer type (see User's Guide and Reference).
[drive:][path]filename
Specifies the file containing information on supported printers.
/R Prints white on black as seen on the screen.
/B Prints the background in color for COLOR4 and COLOR8 printers.
/LCD Prints using LCD aspect ratio.
/PRINTBOX:STD | /PRINTBOX:LCD
Specifies the print-box size, either STD or LCD.