How to use Windows Scripting to Print HTML File

[snowyej]

Not sure if this is the right forum or not...but hopefully someone can help.

I have an html file that is autogenerated every hour. I want to create a scheduled task that will run a script (vbscript or batch file) that will print that html file to a network printer every hour. I've searched all over but can't seem to find the answer. Does anyone know of a way to do this?

Thanks in advance!!

Elizabeth

 

[tsuji]

The simplest approach is to use at to schedule to run a simple script to print the page every hour (?). The print script can be like this.
[tt]
surl="fixedupdatepage.htm" 'your input

dim bpttd_ready, istatus
set oie=wscript.createobject("internetexplorer.application","ie_")
for oie.readystate<>4 : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
on error resume next
istatus=oie.querystatuswb(6)
if err.number<>0 then
wscript.echo "Cannot find the printer. Operation aborted."
oie.quit
set oie=nothing
wscript.quit err.number
end if
on error goto 0
oie.navigate surl
for oie.readystate<>4 : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
bpttd_ready=false
oie.execwb 6,2
do while not bpttd_ready : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
oie.quit
set oie=nothing
wscript.quit

sub ie_PrintTemplateTeardown(pDisp)
bpttd_ready=true 'global bpttd_ready; no dim here
end sub
[/tt]
A more sophisticated approach is to monitor the creation/modification of the page and print it with an event consumer. I think you should not complicate the matter unnecessarily. At should work good enough. If you want to wscript.echo message, you should host the script with cscript. You don't want user-interactive for scheduled job, do you?! I do not.

- tsuji

 

[snowyej]

Thanks for the response! I am getting this error when trying to run the script:

Line: 5
Char: 19
Error: Invalid 'for' loop control variable
Code: 800A0410

Seems to not like the '<>' for some reason? Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Elizabeth

 

[tsuji]

>Error: Invalid 'for' loop control variable
You're right. All come from my realtime brain-coding. It sure is do while instead of for everywhere at similar place.

Here is a re-list.
[tt]
surl="fixedupdatepage.htm" 'your input

dim bpttd_ready, istatus
set oie=wscript.createobject("internetexplorer.application","ie_")
[red]do while[/red] oie.readystate<>4 : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
on error resume next
istatus=oie.querystatuswb(6)
if err.number<>0 then
wscript.echo "Cannot find the printer. Operation aborted."
oie.quit
set oie=nothing
wscript.quit err.number
end if
on error goto 0
oie.navigate surl
[red]do while[/red] oie.readystate<>4 : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
bpttd_ready=false
oie.execwb 6,2
do while not bpttd_ready : wscript.sleep 50 : loop
oie.quit
set oie=nothing
wscript.quit

sub ie_PrintTemplateTeardown(pDisp)
bpttd_ready=true 'global bpttd_ready; no dim here
end sub
[/tt]
- tsuji