Printing a receipt

[Glenn]

I am writing a program for field work that will use a receipt
printer. I need to be able to adjust the page settings prior to
printing depending on how much needs to be printed. I have been able
to print to this printer but cannot figure out how to overwrite the
page settings.

Below is the code so far:
Private Sub m_PrintDocument _PrintPage(ByVa l sender As Object, ByVal
e As System.Drawing. Printing.PrintP ageEventArgs) Handles
m_PrintDocument .PrintPage
Using string_format As New StringFormat
string_format.A lignment = StringAlignment .Near
Dim text_size As SizeF
Dim font_size As Integer = 12
Dim font_name As String = "Times New Roman"

Using the_font As New Font(font_name, font_size,
FontStyle.Regul ar, GraphicsUnit.Po int)
text_size = e.Graphics.Meas ureString(print ableData, the_font)
'MsgBox(text_si ze.Height)
'Dim layout_rect As RectangleF = New RectangleF
(e.MarginBounds .Left, e.MarginBounds. Top, e.MarginBounds. Width,
e.MarginBounds. Height)
Dim layout_rect As RectangleF = New RectangleF
(e.MarginBounds .Left, e.MarginBounds. Top, e.MarginBounds. Width,
text_size.Heigh t)

e.Graphics.Draw String(printabl eData, the_font, Brushes.Black,
layout_rect, string_format)
End Using
End Using
e.HasMorePages = False
End Sub

printableData above is a function that returns the formated text.

I think that somehow I need to either change the e.pagesettings,
e.pagebounds, or something else, but everything I have tried has not
worked. When trying to change e.pagesettings or e.pagebounds, I get
the following error message:
expression is a value and therefore cannot be the target of an
assignment

[Rich P]

Re: Printing a receipt

Use a report object to print and format - much more reliable/easier that
writing printing code from scratch. Create a .rdlc file (drag a
ReportViewer control onto a form and click on create report -
automatically generates a .rdlc file where you place you
textboxes/tables...)

You have some options now for printing - you can print from the
ReportViewer control - but have to set print settings each time - or you
can print from code where you just click a button. The settings are set
in code. Here is a sample of the code (I think the VS help files also
have a print sample under ReportViewer)


---------------------------------------

Imports System.Data.Sql Client
Imports System.Windows. Forms
Imports Microsoft.Repor ting.WinForms

Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Drawing. Imaging
Imports System.Drawing. Printing
Imports System.Collecti ons.Generic

Public Class clsPrintComment
Implements IDisposable

Private m_currentPageIn dex As Integer
Private m_streams As IList(Of Stream)
Dim iPrintStream As Integer

Private Function CreateStream(By Val name As String, ByVal
fileNameExtensi on As String, _
ByVal encoding As Encoding, ByVal mimeType
As String, ByVal willSeek As Boolean) As Stream

Dim stream As Stream = New FileStream(name + "." + fileNameExtensi on,
FileMode.Create )
If iPrintStream Mod 2 = 0 Then '--trying to eliminate printing empty
pages here
m_streams.Add(s tream)
End If
iPrintStream += 1
Return stream
End Function

Private Sub Export(ByVal report As LocalReport)

'--this is regular layout for printing on 8x11 paper
Dim deviceInfo As String = _
"<DeviceInf o>" + _
" <OutputFormat>E MF</OutputFormat>" + _
" <PageWidth>8.5i n</PageWidth>" + _
" <PageHeight>11i n</PageHeight>" + _
" <MarginTop>0.75 in</MarginTop>" + _
" <MarginLeft>0.7 5in</MarginLeft>" + _
" <MarginRight>0. 75in</MarginRight>" + _
" <MarginBottom>0 .75in</MarginBottom>" + _
"</DeviceInfo>"

Dim warnings() As Warning = Nothing
m_streams = New List(Of Stream)()

report.Render(" Image", deviceInfo, AddressOf CreateStream, warnings)

Dim stream As Stream
For Each stream In m_streams
stream.Position = 0
Next
End Sub

Private Sub PrintPage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal ev As
PrintPageEventA rgs)
Dim pageImage As New Metafile(m_stre ams
(m_currentPageI ndex))
ev.Graphics.Dra wImage(pageImag e, ev.PageBounds)

m_currentPageIn dex += 1

ev.HasMorePages = (m_currentPageI ndex < m_streams.Count )

'--ev.HasMorePages = False '--set this to false if only want to print
one page

End Sub

Private Sub Print()
If m_streams Is Nothing Or m_streams.Count = 0 Then
Return
End If

Dim printDoc As New PrintDocument()
Dim strDefaultPrint er As String = printDoc.Printe rSettings.Print erName
'--this gets the default printer for the current workstation

If Not printDoc.Printe rSettings.IsVal id Then
Dim msg As String = String.Format(" Can't find printer ""{0}"".",
strDefaultPrint er)
Return
End If
AddHandler printDoc.PrintP age, AddressOf PrintPage
printDoc.Print( )
End Sub

Public Sub Run()
iPrintStream = 0 '--iPrintStream is for skipping print empty pages

Dim report As LocalReport = New LocalReport()

report.ReportPa th = Application.Sta rtupPath & "\Report1.r dlc"

Dim s1 As String = frmCom.txtComme nt.Text
Dim parm1 As ReportParameter
parm1 = New ReportParameter ("prmComment ", s1)
report.SetParam eters(New ReportParameter () {parm1})

Export(report)

m_currentPageIn dex = 0
Print()

End Sub

Public Overloads Sub Dispose() Implements
IDisposable.Dis pose
If Not (m_streams Is Nothing) Then
Dim stream As Stream
For Each stream In m_streams
stream.Close()
Next
m_streams = Nothing
End If
End Sub

End Class

----------------------------------

Rich

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