[2005] change default printer's layout

[vbdotnetboy]

how can i change the default printer's layout ie from protait to landscape and then back again??? this has to be done without the dialog window.

[NagsITR]

Printer.Orientation = vbPRORLandscape

[jmcilhinney]

Are you doing it specifically for your own print run? If so it would be:

Me.PrintDocument1.PrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.Landscape = True

[vbdotnetboy]

jmcilhinney that's what i did orignally however i'm interfacing with a different application's api and there is a method that you simply send a document reference to the api's print method and it prints the document. however it doesn't have an option or method to allow me to change anything to do with the printer in the api.

so i was thinking that if i could programmatically change the default printer's orientation to landscape and then back to portrait after the printing is complete. however, if i use the code above the printer still prints in portrait. I'm assuming I would have to us some win api or change something in the registery

[jmcilhinney]

I'm certainly not sure but I'm thinking that you would have to use the Windows API. Everything I've seen in the Printing namespace seems geared towards using a PrintDocument.

[vbdotnetboy]

that's what i figured, i'm searching for any additional info that i can

[Merrion]

SetPrinter API - or if yopu want to use a wrapped up in .NET style way download the PrintQueueWatch code and use the PrinterInformation class...

[jmcilhinney]

Geez Merrion. What do you know about printing?

[vbdotnetboy]

SetPrinter API - or if yopu want to use a wrapped up in .NET style way download the PrintQueueWatch code and use the PrinterInformation class...

i'm looking at the class but i'm not seeing how to change the layout

[vbdotnetboy]

i'm trying to use

Private Declare Function OpenPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "OpenPrinterA"_
        (ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
        ByVal phPrinter As Integer, _
        ByVal pDefault As PRINTER_DEFAULTS) As Integer

and i get an exception of

A call to PInvoke function 'PickTicketPrinter!PickTicketPrinter.PrinterSettingsWrapper::OpenPrinter' has unbalanced the stack. This is likely because the managed PInvoke signature does not match the unmanaged target signature. Check that the calling convention and parameters of the PInvoke signature match the target unmanaged signature.

if i take out the alias i get the following

Unable to find an entry point named 'OpenPrinter' in DLL 'winspool.drv'.

what am i doing wrong?

[Merrion]

Odd - what operating system are you using?

[vbdotnetboy]

winxp

[Merrion]

I have:-

<DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
ExactSpelling:=False, _
CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                            <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As Int32, _
                               <InAttribute(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStruct)> ByVal pDefault As PRINTER_DEFAULTS _
                               ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
    <DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
ExactSpelling:=False, _
CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                              <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As Int32, _
                              <InAttribute()> ByVal pDefault As Int32 _
                               ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
 
 
    <DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
    SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
    ExactSpelling:=False, _
    CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
    Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                                <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As IntPtr, _
                                <InAttribute()> ByVal pDefault As PrinterDefaults _
                                       ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> _
Friend Class PrinterDefaults
 
#Region "Public interface"
 
    Public DataType As String
    Public lpDevMode As IntPtr
    Public DesiredAccess As PrinterAccessRights
 
#End Region
 
End Class
 
    <FlagsAttribute()> _
    Public Enum PrinterAccessRights
        ' READ_CONTROL - Allowed to read printer information
        READ_CONTROL = &H20000
        ' WRITE_DAC - Allowed to write device access control info
        WRITE_DAC = &H40000
        ' WRITE_OWNER - Allowed to change the object owner
        WRITE_OWNER = &H80000
        ' SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER 
        SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER = &H1
        '  SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE
        SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE = &H2
        ' PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER Allows administration of a printer
        PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER = &H4
        ' PRINTER_ACCESS_USE Allows printer general use (printing, querying)
        PRINTER_ACCESS_USE = &H8
        ' PRINTER_ALL_ACCESS Allows use and administration.
        PRINTER_ALL_ACCESS = &HF000C
        ' SERVER_ALL_ACCESS = (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER | SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE)
        SERVER_ALL_ACCESS = &HF0003
    End Enum

[max_carpenter]

Not really an answer but more of a question on same lines i think, Using the New PrintForm powerpack is there a way of using that to bring up the normal print dialogue then being able to change settings in there to print?

[vbdotnetboy]

I have:-

<DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
ExactSpelling:=False, _
CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                            <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As Int32, _
                               <InAttribute(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPStruct)> ByVal pDefault As PRINTER_DEFAULTS _
                               ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
    <DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
ExactSpelling:=False, _
CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                              <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As Int32, _
                              <InAttribute()> ByVal pDefault As Int32 _
                               ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
 
 
    <DllImport("winspool.drv", EntryPoint:="OpenPrinter", _
    SetLastError:=True, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi, _
    ExactSpelling:=False, _
    CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> _
    Public Function OpenPrinter(<InAttribute()> ByVal pPrinterName As String, _
                                <OutAttribute()> ByRef phPrinter As IntPtr, _
                                <InAttribute()> ByVal pDefault As PrinterDefaults _
                                       ) As Boolean
 
    End Function
 
<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)> _
Friend Class PrinterDefaults
 
#Region "Public interface"
 
    Public DataType As String
    Public lpDevMode As IntPtr
    Public DesiredAccess As PrinterAccessRights
 
#End Region
 
End Class
 
    <FlagsAttribute()> _
    Public Enum PrinterAccessRights
        ' READ_CONTROL - Allowed to read printer information
        READ_CONTROL = &H20000
        ' WRITE_DAC - Allowed to write device access control info
        WRITE_DAC = &H40000
        ' WRITE_OWNER - Allowed to change the object owner
        WRITE_OWNER = &H80000
        ' SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER 
        SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER = &H1
        '  SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE
        SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE = &H2
        ' PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER Allows administration of a printer
        PRINTER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER = &H4
        ' PRINTER_ACCESS_USE Allows printer general use (printing, querying)
        PRINTER_ACCESS_USE = &H8
        ' PRINTER_ALL_ACCESS Allows use and administration.
        PRINTER_ALL_ACCESS = &HF000C
        ' SERVER_ALL_ACCESS = (STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED | SERVER_ACCESS_ADMINISTER | SERVER_ACCESS_ENUMERATE)
        SERVER_ALL_ACCESS = &HF0003
    End Enum

Merrion i used this but the changes aren't permanent. once the code finishes the orientation is still portrait.

[vbdotnetboy]

Not really an answer but more of a question on same lines i think, Using the New PrintForm powerpack is there a way of using that to bring up the normal print dialogue then being able to change settings in there to print?

nope doesn't do it either