printer question 1

[bernardsylunar]

hi there...

i am working on a project that always check the status of a printer to get all the jobs sent to the printer. using some API functions the data that i can gather so far are :

-Job ID
-Printer Name
-Machine Name that create job
-Print Job Owner's name
-Name of document
-Name of user to notify
-Type of data
-Print Processor
-Print Processor Parameters
-Print Driver Name
-Print Job 'p' Status
-Print Job Status
-Print Job Priority
-Position in Queue
-Earliest time job can be printed
-Latest time job can be printed
-Total Pages for the entire job
-Size of Job in bytes
-Elapsed print time
-Pages printed so far
-Total pages
-Status
-Date/Time

my question is, Is there a way that i can determine if the the printer print a COLORED or BLACK AND WHITE or GRAYSCALE document? and also if printing in colored, determine the amount of colored printed in current document?

i would be so thankful for some response...

thanks a lot in advance...

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YNAD
Systems Programmer

 

[HughLerwill]

Bernard,

While I'm not a total expert in this I have been close to this before and I think the information that you are retrieving reliably for your printers is all retrieved from API calls to/ stored in the Windows OS.

The addition information you require however may have to be retrieved from calls to the specific printer driver. Such calls are possible, however, the calls available in individual printer drivers (ie their APIs) may vary so it is near impossible to cater for all printer drivers without cutsom code for each. Could be you could create code for a family of printers like HP etc.

Others may know better...

regards Hugh

 

[bernardsylunar]

hugh,

thanks for the reply and i agree with you.

i came out with the idea of checking the amount of ink of the printer before printing and after printing. do you, or anyone else, think that's possible?

thanks again...

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YNAD
Systems Programmer

 

[HughLerwill]

Further to my previous I expect it is possible.

From memory I seem to remember that there is an Windows API call which will return the address of the print driver, you can then call routines in the driver relative to that start address, if you know/ can determine the offsets.

Suggest you do a web search; I tried searching for "vb get print driver address" which turned up;

http://www.merrioncomputing.com/Programming/PrintStatus.htm

For fear of mis-leading you, I don't think that I can help you further.

regards Hugh

 

[HughLerwill]

More, possibly from the same autor at;

http://www.visualbasicforum.com/archive/index.php/t-14662.html

regards Hugh

 

[bernardsylunar]

hugh,

thanks a lot for the information. i just have to test all the codes in the links that you gave.

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but there's another problem. i experienced when using an epson printer you have to check the amount of ink on your printer, the STATUS MONITOR used by epson doesnt return the accurate amount of ink left in the cartridge. well i guess that's really a big problem when working with different printer. i don't the other printers.
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btw, i still want to say thank you very much for the research and i guess you deserved a STAR..

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ynad
Systems Programmer