Adding a printer

As part of the install to a project I need to create a Windows printer to print to a file that will then be faxed via a Linux server.

I have worked out that I need to use AddPrinterDriver first and then AddPrinter to create the printer but unfortunately I am a bit of a .NET newbie and can't get the following code for AddPrinter to work - it returns error 87 and the handle is some 16 digits long.

VB Code:

Private Overloads Declare Function AddPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "AddPrinterA" _
       (ByVal pName As String, ByVal Level As Long, _
       <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStruct)> ByVal pPrinter As PRINTER_INFO_2) As Long
    Private Overloads Declare Function ClosePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" _
       (ByVal hPrinter As Long) As Long
 
    <StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> Public Class PRINTER_INFO_2
        Public pServerName As String
        Public pPrinterName As String
        Public pShareName As String
        Public pPortName As String
        Public pDriverName As String
        Public pComment As String
        Public pLocation As String
        Public pDevMode As Long
        Public pSepFile As String
        Public pPrintProcessor As String
        Public pDatatype As String
        Public pParameters As String
        Public pSecurityDescriptor As Long
        Public Attributes As Long
        Public Priority As Long
        Public DefaultPriority As Long
        Public StartTime As Long
        Public UntilTime As Long
    End Class
 
    Function CreatePrinter(ByVal strPrinter As String, ByVal strPort As String, _
      ByVal strDriver As String) As Boolean
        Dim hPrinter As Long
        Dim PI2 As New PRINTER_INFO_2()
 
        With PI2
            .pServerName = ""
            .pPrinterName = strPrinter
            .pShareName = ""
            .pPortName = strPort
            .pDriverName = strDriver
            .pComment = ""
            .pLocation = ""
            .pDevMode = 0
            .pSepFile = ""
            .pPrintProcessor = "WinPrint"
            .pDatatype = ""
            .pParameters = ""
            .pSecurityDescriptor = 0
            .Attributes = 0
            .Priority = 0
            .DefaultPriority = 0
            .StartTime = 0
            .UntilTime = 0
        End With
 
        hPrinter = AddPrinter("", 2, PI2)
        If hPrinter <> 0 Then
            ClosePrinter(hPrinter)
            CreatePrinter = True
        Else
            CreatePrinter = False
        End If
    End Function

Any ideas on how to fix it?

chalkster

I think you have to replace 'Long' with "integer', in your APIs, and maybe in the PRINTER_INFO_2 class. Try and see if it addresses the issue.

did u ever resolve this? it would save me some time rather then manually adding my print to file printer

In the end I used the PrintUI.dll using the Shell command.

See www.robvanderwoude.com/2kprintcontrol.html - although this only works on NT based Windows - ie 2000 and XP.

chalkster