[RESOLVED] Printer settings not working???

[i00]

I am having an issue where printer settings are not working correctly, i.e. they have no effect when output to the printer.

Basically I am setting a heap of options but only these work:

• Printer
• Tray
• Page range
• Copies
• Collate

But I cannot get these working:

• Resolution (PrintQuality is a selection from Document.PrinterSettings.PrinterResolutions): Document.DefaultPageSettings.PrinterResolution = PrintQuality.Resolution
• Color (Document.PrinterSettings.SupportsColor reports correctly): Document.DefaultPageSettings.Color = chkColor.Checked
• Duplex (Document.PrinterSettings.CanDuplex reports correctly): Document.PrinterSettings.Duplex = If(chkDuplex.Checked, Printing.Duplex.Simplex, Printing.Duplex.Default)

What am I doing wrong??

Thanks in advance,
Kris

[jmcilhinney]

It might be worth your while to send a PM to Merrion and asking whether he has time to view this thread. He's the local printing expert and is the most likely to be able to address your issue. Not to say that others won't be able to but he's your best bet and he might not see the thread otherwise.

[i00]

Thanks ... have sent him a PM ... fingers crossed

[Merrion]

Hmm - mysterious. What printer are you using and where are you setting the properties?
Maybe (long shot) try setting these settings in the QueryPageSettings event?

Have a read of Printing - a .NET developer's guide to see if that helps.

[i00]

Hi thanks for the reply ... and sorry about the delay...

the printer is a Epson Workforce 633

Code is as follows:

Private Sub ApplyPrintSettings()
        Document.PrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.PrinterSettings.PrintToFile = False
 
        'Printer
        'printer is already set...
        'tray:
        Dim PaperSource = TryCast(cboSource.SelectedItem, Printing.PaperSource)
        If PaperSource IsNot Nothing Then
            Document.DefaultPageSettings.PaperSource = PaperSource
        End If
 
        'Quality
        Dim PrintQuality = TryCast(cboQuality.SelectedItem, PrintQuality)
        If PrintQuality IsNot Nothing Then
            Document.DefaultPageSettings.PrinterResolution = PrintQuality.Resolution 'qwertyuiop - not working
        End If
        Document.DefaultPageSettings.Color = chkColor.Checked 'qwertyuiop - not working
 
        'Page Range
        If rbPageAll.Checked Then
            Document.PrinterSettings.PrintRange = Printing.PrintRange.AllPages
        ElseIf rbPageRange.Checked Then
            Document.PrinterSettings.PrintRange = Printing.PrintRange.SomePages
            Document.PrinterSettings.FromPage = Math.Min(CInt(nudPageFrom.Value), CInt(nudPageTo.Value))
            Document.PrinterSettings.ToPage = Math.Max(CInt(nudPageFrom.Value), CInt(nudPageTo.Value))
        ElseIf rbPageSelection.Checked Then
            If SelectionPageRange IsNot Nothing Then
                Document.PrinterSettings.PrintRange = Printing.PrintRange.SomePages
                Document.PrinterSettings.FromPage = SelectionPageRange.From
                Document.PrinterSettings.ToPage = SelectionPageRange.To
            Else
                'shouldn't happen as rbPageSelection will be disabled... but just incase...
                Document.PrinterSettings.PrintRange = Printing.PrintRange.AllPages
            End If
        End If
 
        'Copies
        Document.PrinterSettings.Copies = CShort(nudCopies.Value)
        Document.PrinterSettings.Collate = chkCollate.Checked
        Document.PrinterSettings.Duplex = If(chkDuplex.Checked, Printing.Duplex.Simplex, Printing.Duplex.Default) 'qwertyuiop - not working
 
    End Sub

Thanks,
Kris

[Merrion]

very curious - I can't see where (in the PrinterSettings) you would specify the actual resolution if you choose PrinterResolution.Custom ??

(I do most of this kind of thing with API calls as I had written them before the PrinterSettings class came along)

[i00]

very curious - I can't see where (in the PrinterSettings) you would specify the actual resolution if you choose PrinterResolution.Custom ??

(I do most of this kind of thing with API calls as I had written them before the PrinterSettings class came along)

They appear to be pre-sets I think ... Have a look at the one-note printer below:

[Merrion]

I notice that the settings you are having trouble with come from the DeviceMode ... I wonder if that is not saving correctly.

[i00]

Sorry ... I don't quite get what you mean???

This is my code to load the Quality settings:

Private Class PrintQuality
        Public Property Resolution As Printing.PrinterResolution
 
        Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
            If Resolution.Kind = Printing.PrinterResolutionKind.Custom Then
                Return "Custom (" & Resolution.X & " x " & Resolution.Y & " DPI)"
            Else
                Return Resolution.Kind.ToString
            End If
        End Function
 
        Public Sub New(Resolution As Printing.PrinterResolution)
            Me.Resolution = Resolution
        End Sub
    End Class
 
'....
'This happens on printer change:
 
        cboQuality.DataSource = Document.PrinterSettings.PrinterResolutions.OfType(Of Printing.PrinterResolution).Select(Function(x) New PrintQuality(x)).ToArray
        cboQuality.Enabled = cboQuality.Items.Count > 0
        cboQuality.SelectedItem = cboQuality.Items.OfType(Of PrintQuality).FirstOrDefault

... and still doesn't explain why colors not working, may be an issue with my printer driver (is that what you meant)??

Thanks,
Kris

[Merrion]

Yes - it may well be an issue with the printer driver or rather the way that the System.Drawing.Printing library is coded against it.

Maybe try using the PrintQueueWatch component to set the .Colour setting for the printer and see if that works?

[Merrion]

Or maybe try using the PrinterSettings.GetHDevMode and SetHDevMode functions?

/// <summary>
    /// Creates a handle to a DEVMODE structure that corresponds to the printer and the page settings specified through the <paramref name="pageSettings"/> parameter.
    /// </summary>
    /// 
    /// <returns>
    /// A handle to a DEVMODE structure.
    /// </returns>
    /// <param name="pageSettings">The <see cref="T:System.Drawing.Printing.PageSettings"/> object that the DEVMODE structure's handle corresponds to. </param><exception cref="T:System.Drawing.Printing.InvalidPrinterException">The printer named in the <see cref="P:System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName"/> property does not exist. </exception><exception cref="T:System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception">The printer's initialization information could not be retrieved. </exception><PermissionSet><IPermission class="System.Drawing.Printing.PrintingPermission, System.Drawing, Version=2.0.3600.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" version="1" Unrestricted="true"/></PermissionSet>
    public IntPtr GetHdevmode(PageSettings pageSettings);
 
    /// <summary>
    /// Copies the relevant information out of the given handle and into the <see cref="T:System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings"/>.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="hdevmode">The handle to a Win32 DEVMODE structure. </param><exception cref="T:System.ArgumentException">The printer handle is not valid. </exception>
    public void SetHdevmode(IntPtr hdevmode);

?

[i00]

Got it working .. was actually working originally... just not on my printer ... tried it on another and all working w/o problems

Kris