Print Dialog Pointer without Opening? HELP!!!

[wayneh]

I'm working with another app's API and I need to provide a pointer to the Print Dialog Box.

It's easy to do once I open it and then a User closes it.

The problem is that I'd like to provide the pointer without having User interaction.
I would prefer to never open the PrintDialog window at all, however, if I can open it and then immediately close it (with 'Print') that might work.

Here's the details -
1) I'm creating an automated app.
2) I set all the printing parameters using DEVMODE and a PrintDialog object.
3) Then, I need to hand over the pointer which apparently doesn't exist until the PrintDialog is opened, then closed (with 'Print').

Here's some of the code (just for example, may be incomplete):

    Private Declare Function PrtDialog Lib "comdlg32.dll" Alias "PrintDlgA" (pPrintdlg As PRINTDLG) As Long

    Dim pd As PRINTDLG
    Dim ptrpd As Long       'Pointer to a printDlg structure
    Dim whDevMode As DEVMODE
    Dim whDevNames As DEVNAMES
    Dim lpDevMode As Long, lpDevName As Long
    Dim tmpPrinter As Printer
    Dim selectedPrinterName As String

    selectedPrinterName = "Adobe PDF"

    For Each tmpPrinter In Printers
        If tmpPrinter.DeviceName = selectedPrinterName Then
            Exit For
        End If
    Next tmpPrinter

    With whDevMode
        .dmSize = Len(whDevMode)
        .dmFields = DM_ORIENTATION Or DM_DUPLEX Or DM_PAPERSIZE Or DM_COLOR Or DM_SCALE
        .dmDeviceName = tmpPrinter.DeviceName
        .dmOrientation = DMORIENT_LANDSCAPE
        .dmCopies = 1
        .dmPaperSize = DMPAPER_TABLOID
    End With

    'Allocate memory for the initialization hDevMode structure
    'and copy the settings gathered above into this memory
    pd.hDevMode = GlobalAlloc(GMEM_MOVEABLE Or GMEM_ZEROINIT, Len(whDevMode))
    lpDevMode = GlobalLock(pd.hDevMode)
    If lpDevMode > 0 Then
        CopyMemory ByVal lpDevMode, whDevMode, Len(whDevMode)
        bReturn = GlobalUnlock(pd.hDevMode)
    End If

    'Set the current driver, device, and port name strings
    With whDevNames
        .wDriverOffset = 8
        .wDeviceOffset = .wDriverOffset + 1 + Len(tmpPrinter.DriverName)
        .wOutputOffset = .wDeviceOffset + 1 + Len(tmpPrinter.Port)
        .wDefault = 0
        .Extra = tmpPrinter.DriverName & Chr(0) & tmpPrinter.DeviceName & Chr(0) & tmpPrinter.Port & Chr(0)
    End With

    'Allocate memory for the initial hDevName structure
    'and copy the settings gathered above into this memory
    pd.hDevNames = GlobalAlloc(GMEM_MOVEABLE Or GMEM_ZEROINIT, Len(whDevNames))
    lpDevName = GlobalLock(pd.hDevNames)
    If lpDevName > 0 Then
        CopyMemory ByVal lpDevName, whDevNames, Len(whDevNames)
        bReturn = GlobalUnlock(lpDevName)
    End If

        With pd
            .lStructSize = 66
            .hwndOwner = Me.hWnd
            .hDC = 0
            .Flags = PD_RETURNDC Or PD_RETURNIC Or PD_PAGENUMS Or PD_USEDEVMODECOPIES
            .nFromPage = chunks(j)
            .nToPage = chunks(j)
            .nMinPage = 1
            .nMaxPage = 999
            .nCopies = 1
            .hInstance = 0
            .lCustData = 0
            .lpfnPrintHook = 0
            .lpfnSetupHook = 0
            .lpPrintTemplateName = 0
            .lpSetupTemplateName = 0
            .hPrintTemplate = 0
            .hSetupTemplate = 0
        End With


        '**************************************************
        '     Here's the problem.
        '     I need the pointer to the PrintDialog, which doesn't exist until after the print
        '     dialog is shown and a user clicks 'print'.
        '     I need to be able to print without any user intervention.
        '     So, how can you get the pointer without opening the Printdialog window?
        '

       'This opens the Dialog
        If (PrtDialog(pd) = 0) Then
            MsgBox "Error... Unable to initialize printer "
            Exit Sub
        End If
    
        'grab the pointer 
        ptrpd = AnyPtr(pd)

       '***************
       'From here the pointer is passed of to the other app's API...

Thanks.

[wayneh]

I noticed lots of viewers but no answers....

Anyone have a clue on this one?

[Abilio]

You are geting no answers because you are making a great work, and nobody seams to know more than you ! However, i bealive that it will be some API to give you the pointer. Or, at least, will be other way to do the same ! I have not understand very well the reason way you want to use Printer Dialog. You want to choose another printer to be printer default ? If so, it's possible to do it programatically without using printer dialog. And, you can also change all your work, in order to create PDF files "on the fly", to use the free Acrobat Reader to make all the hard printing preview work for you. It's up to you !