printing a form

Hi Mark,

This is an old problem of mine, started back in VB3. I got a module that sorts it out which I've modified for VB5 & VB6.

to use it add this to a print screen command button or other event

vb Code:

Set picPrintScreen.Picture = CaptureForm(Me)
        Call PrintScreen.PrintPictureToFitPage(Printer, picPrintScreen.Picture)
        Printer.EndDoc
        Set picPrintScreen.Picture = Nothing

here is the code from my module PrintScr.bas. Hope it works for you. Sam

vb Code:

Attribute VB_Name = "PrintScreen"
Option Explicit
 
Option Base 0
 
Private Type PALETTEENTRY
        peRed As Byte
        peGreen As Byte
        peBlue As Byte
        peFlags As Byte
End Type
 
Private Type LOGPALETTE
   palVersion As Integer
   palNumEntries As Integer
   palPalEntry(255) As PALETTEENTRY  ' Enough for 256 colors
End Type
 
Private Type GUID
        Data1 As Long
        Data2 As Integer
        Data3 As Integer
        Data4(7) As Byte
End Type
 
 
Private Const RASTERCAPS As Long = 38
Private Const RC_PALETTE As Long = &H100
Private Const SIZEPALETTE As Long = 104
 
Private Type RECT
        Left As Long
        Top As Long
        Right As Long
        Bottom As Long
End Type
 
Private Declare Function CreateCompatibleDC Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function CreateCompatibleBitmap Lib "GDI32" ( _
    ByVal hDC As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, ByVal nHeight As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetDeviceCaps Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long, _
        ByVal iCapabilitiy As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetSystemPaletteEntries Lib "GDI32" ( _
        ByVal hDC As Long, ByVal wStartIndex As Long, _
        ByVal wNumEntries As Long, lpPaletteEntries As PALETTEENTRY) As Long
Private Declare Function CreatePalette Lib "GDI32" (lpLogPalette As LOGPALETTE) As Long
Private Declare Function SelectObject Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long, ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function BitBlt Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDCDest As Long, _
    ByVal XDest As Long, ByVal YDest As Long, ByVal nWidth As Long, _
    ByVal nHeight As Long, ByVal hDCSrc As Long, ByVal XSrc As Long, _
    ByVal YSrc As Long, ByVal dwRop As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function DeleteDC Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetForegroundWindow Lib "USER32" () As Long
Private Declare Function SelectPalette Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long, _
    ByVal hPalette As Long, ByVal bForceBackground As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RealizePalette Lib "GDI32" (ByVal hDC As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowDC Lib "USER32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetDC Lib "USER32" (ByVal hWnd As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetWindowRect Lib "USER32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, lpRect As RECT) As Long
Private Declare Function ReleaseDC Lib "USER32" (ByVal hWnd As Long, ByVal hDC As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function GetDesktopWindow Lib "USER32" () As Long
 
Private Type PicBmp
        Size As Long
        Type As Long
        hBmp As Long
        hPal As Long
        Reserved As Long
End Type
 
Private Declare Function OleCreatePictureIndirect Lib "olepro32.dll" ( _
  PicDesc As PicBmp, RefIID As GUID, _
  ByVal fPictureOwnsHandle As Long, IPic As IPicture) As Long
 
 
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
' CreateBitmapPicture
'    - Creates a bitmap type Picture object from a bitmap and palette
'
' hBmp
'    - Handle to a bitmap
'
' hPal
'    - Handle to a Palette
'    - Can be null if the bitmap doesn't use a palette
'
' Returns
'    - Returns a Picture object containing the bitmap
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
Public Function CreateBitmapPicture(ByVal hBmp As Long, ByVal hPal As Long) As Picture
 
    Dim r As Long
    Dim Pic As PicBmp
    ' IPicture requires a reference to "Standard OLE Types"
    Dim IPic As IPicture
    Dim IID_IDispatch As GUID
 
    ' Fill in with IDispatch Interface ID
    With IID_IDispatch
        .Data1 = &H20400
        .Data4(0) = &HC0
        .Data4(7) = &H46
    End With
    
    ' Fill Pic with necessary parts
    With Pic
        .Size = Len(Pic)          ' Length of structure
        .Type = vbPicTypeBitmap   ' Type of Picture (bitmap)
        .hBmp = hBmp              ' Handle to bitmap
        .hPal = hPal              ' Handle to palette (may be null)
    End With
    
    ' Create Picture object
    r = OleCreatePictureIndirect(Pic, IID_IDispatch, 1, IPic)
    
    ' Return the new Picture object
Set CreateBitmapPicture = IPic
End Function
 
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
' CaptureWindow
'    - Captures any portion of a window
'
' hWndSrc
'    - Handle to the window to be captured
'
' Client
'    - If True CaptureWindow captures from the client area of the window
'    - If False CaptureWindow captures from the entire window
'
' LeftSrc, TopSrc, WidthSrc, HeightSrc
'    - Specify the portion of the window to capture
'    - Dimensions need to be specified in pixels
'
' Returns
'    - Returns a Picture object containing a bitmap of the specified
'      portion of the window that was captured
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
Public Function CaptureWindow(ByVal hWndSrc As Long, _
      ByVal Client As Boolean, ByVal LeftSrc As Long, _
      ByVal TopSrc As Long, ByVal WidthSrc As Long, _
      ByVal HeightSrc As Long) As Picture
    
    Dim hDCMemory As Long
    Dim hBmp As Long
    Dim hBmpPrev As Long
    Dim r As Long
    Dim hDCSrc As Long
    Dim hPal As Long
    Dim hPalPrev As Long
    Dim RasterCapsScrn As Long
    Dim HasPaletteScrn As Long
    Dim PaletteSizeScrn As Long
    Dim LogPal As LOGPALETTE
 
    ' Depending on the value of Client get the proper device context
    If Client Then
      hDCSrc = GetDC(hWndSrc) ' Get device context for client area
    Else
      hDCSrc = GetWindowDC(hWndSrc) ' Get device context for entire window
    End If
    
    ' Create a memory device context for the copy process
    hDCMemory = CreateCompatibleDC(hDCSrc)
    ' Create a bitmap and place it in the memory DC
    hBmp = CreateCompatibleBitmap(hDCSrc, WidthSrc, HeightSrc)
    hBmpPrev = SelectObject(hDCMemory, hBmp)
    
    ' Get screen properties
    RasterCapsScrn = GetDeviceCaps(hDCSrc, RASTERCAPS)   ' Raster capabilities
    HasPaletteScrn = RasterCapsScrn And RC_PALETTE       ' Palette support
    PaletteSizeScrn = GetDeviceCaps(hDCSrc, SIZEPALETTE) ' Size of palette
    
    ' If the screen has a palette make a copy and realize it
    If HasPaletteScrn And (PaletteSizeScrn = 256) Then
        ' Create a copy of the system palette
        LogPal.palVersion = &H300
        LogPal.palNumEntries = 256
        r = GetSystemPaletteEntries(hDCSrc, 0, 256, LogPal.palPalEntry(0))
        hPal = CreatePalette(LogPal)
        ' Select the new palette into the memory DC and realize it
        hPalPrev = SelectPalette(hDCMemory, hPal, 0)
        r = RealizePalette(hDCMemory)
    End If
    
    ' Copy the on-screen image into the memory DC
    r = BitBlt(hDCMemory, 0, 0, WidthSrc, HeightSrc, hDCSrc, _
        LeftSrc, TopSrc, vbSrcCopy)
    
    ' Remove the new copy of the the on-screen image
    hBmp = SelectObject(hDCMemory, hBmpPrev)
    
    ' If the screen has a palette get back the palette that was selected
    ' in previously
    If HasPaletteScrn And (PaletteSizeScrn = 256) Then
      hPal = SelectPalette(hDCMemory, hPalPrev, 0)
    End If
    
    ' Release the device context resources back to the system
    r = DeleteDC(hDCMemory)
    r = ReleaseDC(hWndSrc, hDCSrc)
    
    ' Call CreateBitmapPicture to create a picture object from the bitmap
    ' and palette handles.  Then return the resulting picture object.
    Set CaptureWindow = CreateBitmapPicture(hBmp, hPal)
End Function
 
 
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
' CaptureForm
'    - Captures an entire form including title bar and border
'
' frmSrc
'    - The Form object to capture
'
' Returns
'    - Returns a Picture object containing a bitmap of the entire form
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
Public Function CaptureForm(frmSrc As Form) As Picture
    ' Call CaptureWindow to capture the entire form given it's window
    ' handle and then return the resulting Picture object
    Set CaptureForm = CaptureWindow(frmSrc.hWnd, False, 0, 0, _
        frmSrc.ScaleX(frmSrc.Width, vbTwips, vbPixels), _
        frmSrc.ScaleY(frmSrc.Height, vbTwips, vbPixels))
End Function
 
 
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
' PrintPictureToFitPage
'    - Prints a Picture object as big as possible
'
' Prn
'    - Destination Printer object
'
' Pic
'    - Source Picture object
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
'
Public Sub PrintPictureToFitPage(Prn As Printer, Pic As Picture)
    Const vbHiMetric As Integer = 8
    Dim Pic_height As Double
    Dim Pic_width As Double
    Dim PicRatio As Double
    Dim PrnWidth As Double
    Dim PrnHeight As Double
    Dim PrnRatio As Double
    Dim PrnPicWidth As Double
    Dim PrnPicHeight As Double
    Dim PicStartX As Double
    Dim PicStartY As Double
   
 
    ' Determine if picture should be printed in landscape or portrait and
    ' set the orientation
    If Pic.Height >= Pic.Width Then
        Prn.Orientation = vbPRORPortrait   ' Taller than wide
    Else
        Prn.Orientation = vbPRORLandscape  ' Wider than tall
    End If
    
    ' Calculate device independent Width to Height ratio for picture
    Pic_width = Pic.Width
    Pic_height = Pic.Height
    PicRatio = Pic_width / Pic_height
    
    ' Calculate the dimentions of the printable area in HiMetric
    PrnWidth = Prn.Width
    PrnHeight = Prn.Height
    ' Calculate device independent Width to Height ratio for printer
    PrnRatio = PrnWidth / PrnHeight
    
    ' Scale the output to the printable area
    If PicRatio >= PrnRatio Then
        ' Scale picture to fit full width of printable area
        PrnPicWidth = 0.8 * Prn.Width
        PrnPicHeight = 0.8 * Prn.Height * PrnRatio / PicRatio
        PicStartX = (PrnWidth - PrnPicWidth) / 2
        PicStartY = (PrnHeight - PrnPicHeight) / 2
    
    Else
        ' Scale picture to fit full height of printable area
        PrnPicWidth = 0.8 * Prn.Width * PicRatio / PrnRatio
        PrnPicHeight = 0.8 * Prn.Height
        PicStartX = (PrnWidth - PrnPicWidth) / 2
        PicStartY = (PrnHeight - PrnPicHeight) / 2
    End If
    
    Prn.PaintPicture Pic, PicStartX, PicStartY, PrnPicWidth, PrnPicHeight
 
End Sub
 
 
Public Sub PrintPicturePortrait(Prn As Printer, Pic As Picture, sngFraction As Single)
    Const vbHiMetric As Integer = 8
    Dim Pic_height As Double
    Dim Pic_width As Double
    Dim PicRatio As Double
    Dim PrnWidth As Double
    Dim PrnHeight As Double
    Dim PrnRatio As Double
    Dim PrnPicWidth As Double
    Dim PrnPicHeight As Double
    Dim PicStartX As Double
    Dim PicStartY As Double
    
    Prn.Orientation = vbPRORPortrait   ' Taller than wide
    
    ' Calculate device independent Width to Height ratio for picture
    Pic_width = Pic.Width
    Pic_height = Pic.Height
    PicRatio = Pic_width / Pic_height
    
    ' Calculate the dimentions of the printable area
    PrnWidth = Prn.Width
    PrnHeight = Prn.Height
    ' Calculate device independent Width to Height ratio for printer
    PrnRatio = PrnWidth / PrnHeight
    
    ' Scale the output to the printable area
    If PicRatio >= PrnRatio Then
        ' Scale picture to fit full width of printable area
        PrnPicWidth = sngFraction * Prn.Width
        PrnPicHeight = sngFraction * Prn.Height * PrnRatio / PicRatio
        PicStartX = (PrnWidth - PrnPicWidth) / 2
        PicStartY = (PrnHeight - PrnPicHeight) / 2
    
    Else
        ' Scale picture to fit full height of printable area
        PrnPicWidth = sngFraction * Prn.Width * PicRatio / PrnRatio
        PrnPicHeight = sngFraction * Prn.Height
        PicStartX = (PrnWidth - PrnPicWidth) / 2
        PicStartY = (PrnHeight - PrnPicHeight) / 2
    End If
    
    Prn.PaintPicture Pic, PicStartX, PicStartY, PrnPicWidth, PrnPicHeight
 
End Sub