Printer Dimension, Measurements (vb6)

**D Willett** · 2004-02-26 13:20

Using the Printer function, how can I size the co-ordinates so the picture prints in the centre of an
A4 or 8.5 x 11.5 piece of paper ?

Is there an easy method to find the dimensions ?

Printer.PaintPicture (Me.Controls("img" & i)), ???, ???, ???, ?????????????
Printer.EndDoc

**HansV** · 2004-02-26 14:16

Dave, I would print the image directly from the file, using ShellExecute. The image will be centered automatically, as far as I know.

Add this declaration to a general module:

Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

Public Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
(ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal lpOperation As String, _
ByVal lpFile As String, ByVal lpParameters As String, _
ByVal lpDirectory As String, ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long

Call it like this in the On Click event of a command button or something like that to print an image:

Dim lngResult As Long
lngResult = ShellExecute(Me.hWnd, "Print", Me.Controls("img" & i), vbNullString, vbNullString, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
If lngResult < 32 Then
MsgBox "There was a problem while printing the image.", vbExclamation
End If

**D Willett** · 2004-02-26 15:33

<pre>SW_SHOWNORMAL</pre>

Variable not defined ?

Hans
When you say General Module, I created a new one and called it modCentreImage.

Was I correct ?

**HansV** · 2004-02-26 16:08

Did you put the line

Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL = 1

from my reply above into the module? A "general" module is the type you create by selecting Project | Insert Module...

**D Willett** · 2004-02-26 16:30

Hans

I missed that line !!
It's now added but the Error Trap msg at the end: "MsgBox "There was a problem while printing the image.......
Fires every time I try to print.

BTW
Debug.Print lngResult = 2

<pre> Case 7
Dim lngResult As Long
lngResult = ShellExecute(Me.hwnd, "Print", Me.Controls("img" & i), _
vbNullString, vbNullString, SW_SHOWNORMAL)
Debug.Print lngResult
If lngResult < 32 Then
MsgBox "There was a problem while printing the image.", vbExclamation
End If</pre>

**HansV** · 2004-02-26 20:53

Oh, wait - Me.Controls("img" & i) is not the file name, of course. I forget, is arrFileNames a module-level variable (declared at the top of the module) or local to the FillImages function? If it is not local, you could probably use

"L:mmpdfimage" & Left$(arrFileNames(i + intIndex - 1, 1), 8) & ".jpg"

instead of Me.Controls("img" & i)

**D Willett** · 2004-02-27 07:25

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

I see where you're coming from now, Filename instead of image.
Initial tests show promising, but the XP fax viewer kicks in now trying to load 1200...........
images.

I'll get around that one, I'll play with the code a little later.

Thanks again.

p.s
I wonder sometimes who's really writing this.
You seem to know more about this project than I <img src=/S/evilgrin.gif border=0 alt=evilgrin width=15 height=15>

**BigKev** · 2004-03-01 13:06

Here's a Subroutine I use to print Images either in the center of the page or stretched to the size of the page. I hope it's useful.

Regards,
Kevin Bell

Private Sub CenterPrintImage(pb As PictureBox, Optional pOrientation As Long = 1, Optional pStretchImage As Boolean = False, Optional bEndDoc As Boolean = True)
'
' pb is a PictureBox control containing the Image you want to print.
' I use a hidden picturebox with the AutoSize property set to True.
' If pStretchImage is True then the image is stretched to fit the page.
' Orientation and EndDoc are self-explanatory.
'
' The routine assumes you've set the printer to the one you want and the paper size
' is set. Note that no allowances are made for unprintable areas on the page.
' I'm not sure about PostScript printers either. I haven't got one to test it on.
'

Dim lImageWidth As Long, lImageHeight As Long
Dim lPrinterWidth As Long, lPrinterHeight As Long
Dim sX As Single, sY As Single

'
' Set the orientation. 1 = Portrait, 2 = Landscape. Default is Portrait
'
' Make sure you do this before calculating anything based on the printer object
' as it changes the Height and Width properties.
'
On Error GoTo PrinterError ' If we can't set the orientation then
Select Case pOrientation ' I'm pretty sure we can't print the image.
Case 1
Printer.Orientation = 1
Case 2
Printer.Orientation = 2
Case Else
Printer.Orientation = 1
End Select

lPrinterWidth = Printer.ScaleWidth
lPrinterHeight = Printer.ScaleHeight
lImageWidth = pb.Width
lImageHeight = pb.Height

'
' If the picture is larger than the page or we want to stretch it then
' scale it to the page
'

If pStretchImage Or lImageWidth > lPrinterWidth Then
lImageWidth = lPrinterWidth
End If

If pStretchImage Or lImageHeight > lPrinterHeight Then
lImageHeight = lPrinterHeight
End If

'
' Calculate the coordinates for the print
'

sX = (lPrinterWidth - lImageWidth) / 2
sY = (lPrinterHeight - lImageHeight) / 2

Printer.PaintPicture pb.Picture, sX, sY, lImageWidth, lImageHeight

If bEndDoc Then
Printer.EndDoc
End If

On Error GoTo 0

Exit Sub

PrinterError:
Dim x As Long
x = MsgBox("There was an error (" & Trim(Str(Err.Number)) & " - " & Err.Description & ") printing the image to " & Printer.DeviceName & vbCrLf & "Do you wish to continue?", vbQuestion Or vbYesNo, "Printer Error")
If x = vbNo Then
End
End If

End Sub

**D Willett** · 2004-03-01 15:59

Kev
Thanks for the code.

Just a couple of questions:

Do I deal with this as a module within the form, or create a new module. ?
How do I call this function and pass my image name as criteria ?
Momentarily I am using a case statement for right click upon the image (1 of many)
Regards

Dave

**BigKev** · 2004-03-02 06:42

Dave

<Do I deal with this as a module within the form, or create a new module?>

If the Sub is only going to be called from within the form you only have to add the code to the end of the form code. if you are going to call it from multiple places in the project then the best thing to do is to add a module and put the code there. Remember if you do this to change the 'Private Sub' to 'Public Sub'.

<How do I call this function and pass my image name as criteria ?>

The Sub doesn't cater for passing a file name as a parameter. Add a hidden PictureBox control to your form. Set the AutoSize propeerty to true. Let's say you cann it PictureBoxToPrint.
Load your image file, let's call the variable containing the picture file name FileNameToLoad, into the hidden PictureBox with PictureBoxToPrint.Picture = LoadPicture(FileNameToLoad)

The call would then be (assuming that we want to center the picture and not stretch it and we are going to print it Landscape and close the printer document after the print),
*Notice I've changed the name of the Sub*

Call PrintImage(PictureBoxToPrint, 2, False, True) - Parameters are PictureBox, Orientation, Stretch, EndDoc

I've included a ZIP file of a small project that allows you to load a picture and print it. I think it should show you how to call the Sub.

I hope this helps. Any more questions please don't hesitate to post them.

Regards,

Kevin Bell

**D Willett** · 2004-03-02 07:22

Kev
Thanks for the additional information.
Your example is exactly what I had in mind, and all the information is within the example.
I'll be ok from here.

**BigKev** · 2004-03-02 12:15

Dave.

Glad to hear it.

The attached ZIP file is a small project that allows you to print an image from a file name.

More strings to the bow.

Regards,

Kevin Bell

**D Willett** · 2004-03-02 17:16

And again Kev thanks.

Works really well in my application.
Hope you don't mind me using the form as it is ?

**BigKev** · 2004-03-03 09:41

No problem, use and modify the form or code to your heart's content.

Regards,
Kevin Bell

**D Willett** · 2004-03-03 10:06

Kev

Just a further idea, Can the common dialog.ShowPrinter routine be added in the Print module ?

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