How to selecting multiple printers with code

[wcwolff]

I am writing an invoicing application that will print 3 different forms on 3 different printers [sequentially] when the user finalizes the invoice. All the printers are dedicated to a particular form. I don't want the user to have control over selecting the printer but rather select the printer with code (no dialog).

I can change the default printer, print the job, change the default printer, print again and so on. This seems an rather inefficient way to print.

Is there a way to select a printer for printing via code without a printdialog or using multiple changes to the default printer for each form printed.

Flow Chart is like this:
Finalize Invoice > Print Invoice Form > Print Shipping Label > Print Barcode > Finished

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[TipGiver]

Hi,
i do not either allow a user to select a printer from a dialog box. Below the routine will show the available printers.

With PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters
For i As Integer = 0 To .Count - 1
Listbox1.Items.Add( Item(i) )
Next
End With

If you know the printer's name (you do!) just do:

PrinterSettings.PrinterName = "HP LaserJet blah

 

[wcwolff]

Thanks for the reply.

I tried the above code and get several exceptions and could not get it to work. I am using the following code to read available printers.


Dim P As Integer
Dim AvailablePrinters As String
For P = 0 To System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings. _
InstalledPrinters.Count - 1
AvailablePrinters = System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings. _
InstalledPrinters.Item(P)
ListBox1.Items.Add(AvailablePrinters)
Next


Then when using the final step:
PrinterSettings.PrinterName = "HP LaserJet blah" - I get an "reference to a non-shared member requires an object reference."

Thanks. Any more suggestions?

 

[TipGiver]

The last was an example.
If you allow the user to select the printer then you do: printersettings.printername=listbox1.text
If not, then you must assign the exact same name (like i said in the example with the hp printer).

As for the error: What program prints? (excel, a printdocument.. what?)

 

[wcwolff]

Thanks for the quick reply. I guess I was still asleep when using the code you suggested. I'm using printdocument as the print program.

PrintDocument1.PrinterSettings.PrinterName = "Printer Name" - is what I didn't do. It works fine now.

Thanks very much for your help!!

 

[TipGiver]