Print vertical text

[krtxmrtz]

I want to print vertical text on the printer. What's the API call I need?

[dilettante]

See How To Print Text Sideways in a Picture Box Using Win32 API, but also PRB: Printing Rotated Text with Visual Basic.

[szlamany]

I did it with code like this

                            f.picRotate.Cls
                            f.picRotate.BackColor = vbWhite
                            
                            VertFont.lfEscapement = 2700    ' 180-degree rotation
                            VertFont.lfFaceName = objprt.Font & Chr$(0) 'Null character at end
                            ' Windows expects the font size to be in pixels and to be negative if you are specifying the character height you want.
                            VertFont.lfHeight = (objprt.FontSize * -20) / Screen.TwipsPerPixelY
                            VertFont.lfWeight = 700
                            lnghFont = CreateFontIndirect(VertFont)
                            lngPrevFont = SelectObject(f.picRotate.hdc, lnghFont)

                            s3 = strRS(prtItems(i, 3), lngRS)
                            f.picRotate.CurrentX = objprt.FontSize * 20 * 1.2
                            f.picRotate.CurrentY = 0
                            f.picRotate.Width = prtItems(i, 5)
                            f.picRotate.Height = prtItems(i, 6)
                            f.picRotate.Print s3;

                            objprt.PaintPicture f.picRotate.Image, lngOffsetX + prtItems(i, 2), prtItems(i, 4) ', f.picRotate.TextHeight(s3), f.picRotate.TextWidth(s3)

                            lngRet = SelectObject(f.picRotate.hdc, lngPrevFont)
                            lngRet = DeleteObject(lnghFont)

                            objprt.CurrentX = lngHoldX
                            objprt.CurrentY = lngHoldY

All stuff I found online if you want to google around for those method names and such...

[DataMiser]

Umm are we talking some text one way and some text the other? Because if you just want the text rotated like that you can simply change the printer to landscape mode and print normally

[szlamany]

Umm are we talking some text one way and some text the other? Because if you just want the text rotated like that you can simply change the printer to landscape mode and print normally

Wouldn't that be funny if that was the real question!!

[dilettante]

Stranger things have happened.

[Magic Ink]

>objprt.PaintPicture f.picRotate.Image, lngOffsetX + prtItems(i, 2), prtItems(i, 4)
A novel approach but I think it probably results in an image at (low)screen resolution being 'pasted' on to one at (higher)printer resolution. To print the text at best quality it should be printed directly to the printer as per the 2nd examples linked to previously by dil.

[szlamany]

It was for a PURCHASE ORDER # to appear along the "right side" of the document - the "resolution" of it was kind of secondary - actually looked ok with it being choppier...

[Magic Ink]

The result/ size of the pasted image may also be affected by the users current screen dpi setting so it could be 'choppy' at 96dpi, better and or a different size at 120dpi etc.

[krtxmrtz]

See How To Print Text Sideways in a Picture Box Using Win32 API, but also PRB: Printing Rotated Text with Visual Basic.

The code from the second link seems to be exactly what I need, thanks.

And, I am printing horizontal text as well, Landscape orientation is out of the question

[krtxmrtz]

I did it with code like this...

I assume objprt may be a variable representing the printer, a picturebox, etc. But what kind of object is f?

[krtxmrtz]

By the way, the second link proposes 2 methods. The first of these two uses this code (API definitions not included here):

   Private Sub Command1_Click()
   ' Combine API Calls with the Printer object
      Dim OutString As String
      Dim lf As LOGFONT
      Dim result As Long
      Dim hOldfont As Long
      Dim hPrintDc As Long
      Dim hFont As Long

      'Printer.Print "Printer Object"
      hPrintDc = Printer.hdc
      OutString = "Hello World"

      lf.lfEscapement = 1800
      lf.lfHeight = (DESIREDFONTSIZE * -20) / Printer.TwipsPerPixelY
      hFont = CreateFontIndirect(lf)
      hOldfont = SelectObject(hPrintDc, hFont)
      result = TextOut(hPrintDc, 1000, 1000, OutString, Len(OutString))
      result = SelectObject(hPrintDc, hOldfont)
      result = DeleteObject(hFont)

      'Printer.Print "xyz"
      Printer.EndDoc
   End Sub

where I have commented out 2 "normal" Printer.Print statements. But precisely in this case the printer doesn't print anything. The only way to have it print my rotated text and nothing else is by using a Print statement, for example:

Printer.Print

at the very beginning.

Does that make any sense?

[szlamany]

I assume objprt may be a variable representing the printer, a picturebox, etc. But what kind of object is f?

objprt can be a printer or a picture box - it's both in that app - so I can see my reports on screen as well...

"f" is a form reference...

[szlamany]

Printer.Print

at the very beginning.

Does that make any sense?

Maybe the currentX and currentY needs to "grow" past the area that you are vertical printing in. Instead of the two .PRINT's - try setting the .CurrentX and .CurrentY values.

[krtxmrtz]

Maybe the currentX and currentY needs to "grow" past the area that you are vertical printing in. Instead of the two .PRINT's - try setting the .CurrentX and .CurrentY values.

I'd already tried to no avail.

[krtxmrtz]

The code from the second link seems to be exactly what I need...

Now this is funny: the example works but then, when I transcribe the code to my own project it just ignores the lf.lfEscapement value and the text is not rotated!

[Nightwalker83]

Code you possibly post the code you are using? There might be something interfering with the way the code is suppose to function.