[RESOLVED] Print question

In line with my last question...

I have this code that looks at my inventory. If the item is active, it looks for a PDF file that starts with that product number. That works. However, if it finds the PDF, I need to be able to print it.

My code that works :

Code:

---

Dim msg As String
msg = ""

Dim foundit As String
Dim name As String
'==============================
Set rs1 = New ADODB.Recordset
'==============================
sql = "SELECT * FROM PRINTED WHERE LTRIM(RTRIM([CUST])) = " & "'" & "TRIA" & "'"
sql = sql & " ORDER BY [PRTD]"
rs1.Open sql, CnxnTechSQL, adOpenKeyset, adLockReadOnly, adCmdText
If Not rs1.BOF And Not rs1.EOF Then
    rs1.MoveFirst
    Do
        If rs1![actinact] = "A" Then
            name = "Z:\Junior\PDF\" & rs1![prtd] & "*.PDF"
            foundit = Dir(name)
            If foundit <> "" Then
                MsgBox name
            Else
                msg = msg & rs1![prtd] & vbCrLf
            End If
        End If
        rs1.MoveNext
    Loop While Not rs1.EOF
End If
rs1.Close
Set rs1 = Nothing
'=================


MsgBox "DONE" & vbCrLf & msg

---

There is some extra code for testing purposes right now.

When this is executed

Code:

---

MsgBox name

---

I get something like "Z:\Junior\PDF\1234567*.PDF"

What I want to see is the file's name, such as
"Z:\Junior\PDF\1234567 Brand new hair Conditioner 25 oz.PDF"

Maybe I don't need that. What I need to do, instead of the msgbox is to print the PDF file. Without the filename, how can I do that?

To print a file anyhow you need to get the full file name....
how do you find that this 1234567 is linked with a specific file name...do you have any database to fetch this details....

after finding the file name, I guess you can use ShellExecute to print the file....

you should use shellexecute with "Print" to print the file in the default pdf reading program

Hope this help: (You need to declare ShellExecute API function as westconn1 mentioned)

Code:

---

    Const PDFPath = "Z:\Junior\PDF"
    Dim Filename As String
    '... ...
   
        If rs1![actinact] = "A" Then
            Filename = Dir(PDFPath & "\" & rs1![prtd] & "*.PDF")
            If Filename <> "" Then
                MsgBox "This file will be printed: " & PDFPath & "\" & Filename
                ShellExecute 0, "print", Filename, "", PDFPath, 1
            Else
                msg = msg & rs1![prtd] & vbCrLf
            End If
        End If
    '... ...

---

In your code, the actual filename is the variable [foundit] (if not blank) while the variable [name] holds the file pattern and it is not a valid filename (contains "*")

I'm very close. This code will display the PDF file using Adobe Reader.

Code:

---

Dim msg As String
msg = ""

'==============================
Set rs1 = New ADODB.Recordset
'==============================
sql = "SELECT * FROM PRINTED WHERE LTRIM(RTRIM([CUST])) = " & "'" & "TRIA" & "'"
sql = sql & " ORDER BY [PRTD]"
rs1.Open sql, CnxnTechSQL, adOpenKeyset, adLockReadOnly, adCmdText
If Not rs1.BOF And Not rs1.EOF Then
    rs1.MoveFirst
    Dim FNAME As String
    Dim PDF As String
    Do
        If rs1![actinact] = "A" Then
            FNAME = "Z:\JUNIOR\PDF\" & rs1![prtd]
            PDF = Dir(FNAME & "*.PDF")
            If PDF <> "" Then
                Call Shell("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 8.0\Reader\ACRORD32.EXE " & FNAME & "*", vbNormalFocus)
            Else
                msg = msg & rs1![prtd] & vbCrLf
            End If
        End If
        rs1.MoveNext
    Loop While Not rs1.EOF
End If
rs1.Close
Set rs1 = Nothing
'=================


MsgBox "DONE" & vbCrLf & msg

---

Now, to get it to print automatically...

possibly /p at the end of the shell string

OK. I installed Acrobat pro (Reader can't print). The code now:

Code:

---

        If rs1![actinact] = "A" Then
            Fname = "Z:\JUNIOR\PDF\" & rs1![prtd]
            PDF = Dir(Fname & "*.PDF")
            If PDF <> "" Then
                Call Shell("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 8.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.EXE/p " & Fname & "*", vbNormalFocus)
            Else
                msg = msg & rs1![prtd] & vbCrLf
            End If
        End If

---

I think this might work. However, I get a "file not found" error. This takes me back to the start. How do I get the ENTIRE file name to use in the variable?

I am marking this thread as resolved because I can't spend any more time on it. There are only 113 files in question. I am writing their partial names to a text file and just printing them manually.

Thanks for all the replies, though.

file name strings passed to the shell as an argument can not have any spaces in them unless the entire file name string is enclosed in quotes
one reason why shell execute is a better option

to enclose string in quotes
fname = """" & fname & """"
where fname is a file name /path