Spooling Problems while using WritePrinter() functions on to Dot Matrix Printers

We are using the following code for sending printing instructions to the Dot Matrix Printers, but we are not able to spool on to the printer on converting to executable.
Running .VBP through VB we able spool on to the printer.
Please suggest, what would be reason on why the executable is unable to spool.

******** VB CODE **********

Option Explicit

Private Type DOCINFO
cbSize As Long
lpszDocName As String
lpszOutput 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, 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 StartDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "StartDocPrinterA" (ByVal hPrinter As Long, ByVal Level As Long, pDocInfo As Byte) 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 Declare Function GetLastError Lib "kernel32" () As Long
Private Declare Function GetDC Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Sub SetLastError Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwErrCode As Long)

Private Declare Function StartDoc Lib "gdi32" Alias "StartDocA" (ByVal hDC As Long, lpdi As DOCINFO) As Long
Private Declare Function EndDoc Lib "gdi32" (ByVal hDC As Long) As Long

Public cnnPrintTest As New ADODB.Connection 'Connection Object

Private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim lhprinter As Long
Dim lReturn As Long
Dim lpcWritten As Long
Dim strData As String
Dim lDoc As Long
Dim MyDocInfo As DOCINFO
Dim lngI As Long

Dim recPrintTest As New ADODB.Recordset
Dim recGetDtl As New ADODB.Recordset

Dim strPrintName As String

lReturn = OpenPrinter("\\sys-70\EPSON FX-80+", lhprinter, 0)

If lReturn = 0 Then
MsgBox "Error, while opening printer", vbCritical
End
End If

MyDocInfo.cbSize = Len(MyDocInfo)
MyDocInfo.lpszDocName = "BILL Print"
MyDocInfo.lpszOutput = vbNullString

lDoc = StartDocPrinter(lhprinter, 1, 0)
If lDoc <= 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot Spool to the file", vbCritical
End If
Call StartPagePrinter(lhprinter)

strData = "This is to be printed" & vbNewLine
'strData = vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "-"
lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, ByVal strData, Len(strData), 1)

strData = "This is to be printed" & vbNewLine
'strData = vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & "-"
lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, ByVal strData, Len(strData), 1)
lReturn = EndDocPrinter(lhprinter)
lReturn = ClosePrinter(lhprinter)

End Sub

If the printer is directly connected to your computer this problems occur!!!

The problem is not in WritePrinter it is in StartDocPrinter.

This doesnot occur while the printer is in Network!!!

Try

Open "LPT1" for Output As #1
instead of Spooling.



Muraleedharan K.S.
Project Leader
Apollo Tyres Ltd.

[Private Declare Function WritePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal hPrinter As Long, pBuf As Any, ByVal cdBuf As Long, pcWritten As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function OpenPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "OpenPrinterA" (ByVal pPrinterName As String, phPrinter As Long, pDefault As Any) As Long
Private Declare Function ClosePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal hPrinter As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function StartDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "StartDocPrinterA" (ByVal hPrinter As Long, ByVal Level As Long, pDocInfo As Byte) As Long
Private Declare Function EndDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" (ByVal hPrinter As Long) As Long

Private Sub Print_File(FName As String)
Dim StrToPrint As String
Dim LngPrinted As Long
Dim lhPrinter As Long
Dim PrntErr As Long

If (FName = "") Then
MsgBox "Nothing to Print", vbCritical, "Error"
Exit Sub
End If

' Me.Tag = FName

Shell "Edit.com " + Me.Tag, vbMaximizedFocus

Call setDefaultPrinter

PrntErr = OpenPrinter(Printer.DeviceName, lhPrinter, 0&)
If (PrntErr = 0) Then
MsgBox "Error in Printing ", vbCritical, "Error"
Exit Sub
End If

PrntErr = StartDocPrinter(lhPrinter, 1, 0&)
If (PrntErr = 0) Then
'MsgBox "Error in Spooling ", vbCritical, "Error"
'Printer is Directly connected to the Machine
Call Prnt_2_Port(FName)
Exit Sub
End If

Open FName For Input As #1
StrToPrint = ""
While Not EOF(1)
Line Input #1, StrToPrint
StrToPrint = StrToPrint + Chr(13) + Chr(10)
WritePrinter lhPrinter, ByVal StrToPrint, Len(StrToPrint), LngPrinted
Wend

EndDocPrinter lhPrinter
ClosePrinter lhPrinter
Close #1
End Sub

Private Sub Prnt_2_Port(FName As String)
Open FName For Input As #1
Open "LPT1" For Output As #2
StrToPrint = ""
While Not EOF(1)
Line Input #1, StrToPrint
StrToPrint = StrToPrint
Print #2, StrToPrint
Wend
Close #2
Close #1
End Sub

Private Sub CmdPrint_Click()
Call Print_File(Me.Tag)
End Sub

Private Sub CmdView_Click()
Shell "Edit.com " + Me.Tag, vbMaximizedFocus
End Sub
]

Muraleedharan K.S.
Project Leader
Apollo Tyres Ltd.

Fixed Problem in your code.


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, pDefault as Any) as Long
private Declare Function StartDocPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "StartDocPrinterA" (byval hPrinter as Long, byval Level as Long, pDocInfo as DOC_INFO_1) 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 Declare Function GetLastError Lib "kernel32" () as Long
private Type DOC_INFO_1
pDocName as string
pOutputFile as string
pDatatype as string
End Type

private Sub Command1_Click()
Dim lhprinter as Long
Dim lReturn as Long
Dim lpcWritten as Long
Dim strData as string
Dim lDoc as Long
Dim di as DOC_INFO_1
Dim lngI as Long
Dim delay as Long
Dim strPrintName as string
Dim strJunkToPrint as string

'Junk to print
strJunkToPrint = "Gannet Technologies Inc. Your partner in TECH." & vbCrLf
strJunkToPrint = strJunkToPrint & "1-800-555-12345 more junk"


'set up the printer
'Network
lReturn = OpenPrinter("\\ServerName\PrinterName", lhprinter, byval 0&)
'Local or network mapped printer
'lReturn = OpenPrinter("HP LaserJet", lhprinter, byval 0&)
'lReturn = OpenPrinter("Local Printer Name", lhprinter, byval 0&)


If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, while opening printer", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0

di.pOutputFile = vbNullString
di.pDatatype = "RAW"
di.pDocName = ""

lDoc = StartDocPrinter(lhprinter, 1, di)

If lDoc <= 0 then
MsgBox "Cannot Spool to the file" & lDoc, vbCritical
End If
Call StartPagePrinter(lhprinter)

strData = "This is to be printed ONE" & vbNewLine
lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, byval strData, len(strData), 1)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, Did not write Line ONE", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0


strData = "This is to be printed TWO" & vbNewLine
lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, byval strData, len(strData), 1)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, Did not write TWO", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0


lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, byval strJunkToPrint, len(strJunkToPrint), 1)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, Did not write Junk!" & vbCrLf & "Now they don't have my Phone Number", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0



strData = Chr(12) 'Form Feed
lReturn = WritePrinter(lhprinter, byval strData, len(strData), 1)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, WritePrinter Form Feed", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0

lReturn = EndDocPrinter(lhprinter)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, EndDocPrinter", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0

lReturn = ClosePrinter(lhprinter)
If lReturn = 0 then
MsgBox "error, ClosePrinter", vbCritical
End
End If
lReturn = 0

End Sub