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.