Printing To File Without User Intervention

Wait -- I think I misunderstood.  One question, are you printing from a file or from code?  Second related question, is it already in PostScript?

Can you paste the code?

Hello.

I think GivenRandy is on the right path.
If you already know the file name to print to (can be easily arranged or pre-arranged)

all you need do is "Send keys" to the pop-up window that appears and "OK" it.

(notice that you will hardly notice the pop-up appear and disapper. when you have sent keys to it.

<Send Keys "my file name",False>.

Check the proper syntax of use and arguments. (it's basically easy.)

Here's a link with some code (similar to GivenRandy's) but more extensive-with samples.

http://www.kather.net/VisualBasicSource/VBTips/168.txt

Hello.

I think GivenRandy is on the right path.
If you already know the file name to print to (can be easily arranged or pre-arranged)

all you need do is "Send keys" to the pop-up window that appears and "OK" it.

(notice that you will hardly notice the pop-up appear and disapper. when you have sent keys to it.

<Send Keys "my file name",False>.

Check the proper syntax of use and arguments. (it's basically easy.)

Here's a link with some code (similar to GivenRandy's) but more extensive-with samples.

http://www.kather.net/VisualBasicSource/VBTips/168.txt

[:o)

Have you explored the printer object.?
dialog.show print.

here's a link.http://www.ms-vb.com/print.shtml


[:o)

I think you guys are missing the essense of the question. He says he is printing postscript.  The printer object itself does not produce postscript output.  The fact he is getting a messagebox asking for a filename suggests to me that his printer driver is set up to print to a file and it is prompting him for the filename.  
   If that is the case, sendkeys might work though I have had mixed success with filling in dialog boxes with it.  

I am using the printer driver to create the postscript or PDF output from text created in code. The actual postscript or pdf file does not exist until the printer driver creates it. I need to create a report from a database that can be generated from my website, then the resulting PDF file viewed/printed/downloaded.
Sendkeys does not work with the messagebox asking for a file name for the output file. I've tried appactivate with the message box title but that won't select the message box as the sendkeys destination.

Does the dialog box that appears have a title bar??

sodakotahusker

I get your drift.. do you intend to findwindow() then use the hwnd to setfocus to it.. before using the sendkeys or Sendmessage()

I think it's a nice idea.

[:o)

The dialog box has the title

Print to File

It shows up in the task manager under that name.

If you just need to close the window, I have code working that does that.  Unfortunately the sendkeys function does not seem to work with this code.  That leaves an API to actually send the keystrokes if you need to fill in the file and and click an ok button or something like that.  

Adjusted points from 200 to 400

Here's one more factor.
I've tried findwindow to get the handle for this dialog box. No go. The dialog box appears as soon as you send any printer commands, in my case the initial scaling command. At that point my code execution stops, waiting for input into the dialog box. Any findwindow or set focus or sendkeys statements placed after the initial printer command, DO NOT get executed until after the dialog box is filled in.

I understand.  I had this problem with Adobe acrobat.  I fired off a separate .exe(using shell) just before the problem would occur - had it issue the find and close - and then shut itself down.

sodakotahusker

And just how did you do that. I've tried using a seperate exe, but obviously I'm doing something wrong. How do you detect the dialog box and send keystrokes to it. Appactivate doesn't find it, findwindow does but how do I set the focus to the box for sendkeys.

A small chunk of code would be appreciated with examples of
1) how to detect the dialog box
2) how to set the focus to that box

Thanks

Hi,
I wonder whether this msgbox (if it really is a msgbox) can be trapped as an error. If u can that would make things easy.
if not perhaps killing it would do:

This is for NT
' process management
'
' type declaration
'
Type STARTUPINFO
    cb As Long
    lpReserved As String
    lpDesktop As String
    lpTitle As String
    dwX As Long
    dwY As Long
    dwXSize As Long
    dwYSize As Long
    dwXCountChars As Long
    dwYCountChars As Long
    dwFillAttribute As Long
    dwFlags As Long
    wShowWindow As Integer
    cbReserved2 As Integer
    lpReserved2 As Byte
    hStdInput As Long
    hStdOutput As Long
    hStdError As Long
End Type
Type PROCESS_INFORMATION
    hProcess As Long
    hThread As Long
    dwProcessId As Long
    dwThreadId As Long
End Type
'
' Function declaration
Declare Function CreateProcess Lib "kernel32" Alias "CreateProcessA" (ByVal lpApplicationName As Long, ByVal lpCommandLine As String, ByVal lpProcessAttributes As Long, ByVal lpThreadAttributes As Long, ByVal bInheritHandles As Long, ByVal dwCreationFlags As Long, ByVal lpEnvironment As Long, ByVal lpCurrentDirectory As Long, lpStartupInfo As STARTUPINFO, lpProcessInformation As PROCESS_INFORMATION) As Long
Declare Function CloseHandle Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hObject As Long) As Long
Declare Function GetExitCodeProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Long, lpExitCode As Long) As Long
Declare Function TerminateProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Long, ByVal uExitCode As Long) As Long
'
' Kill a program'
Private Const MAX_PATH = 256
Public Declare Function EnumProcesses Lib "PSAPI.DLL" ( _
   lpidProcess As Long, _
   ByVal cb As Long, _
   cbNeeded As Long _
) As Long
Public Declare Function EnumProcessModules Lib "PSAPI.DLL" _
   (ByVal hProcess As Long, _
   lphModule As Long, _
   ByVal cb As Long, _
   lpcbNeeded As Long _
) As Long
Public Declare Function GetModuleBaseName Lib "PSAPI.DLL" Alias "GetModuleBaseNameA" _
   (ByVal hProcess As Long, _
   ByVal hModule As Long, _
   ByVal lpFileName As String, _
   ByVal nSize As Long _
) As Long
Public Declare Function GetModuleFileNameEx Lib "PSAPI.DLL" Alias "GetModuleFileNameExA" _
   (ByVal hProcess As Long, _
   ByVal hModule As Long, _
   ByVal lpFileName As String, _
   ByVal nSize As Long _
) As Long

Private Declare Function OpenProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal dwDesiredAccess As Long, ByVal bInheritHandle As Long, ByVal dwProcessId As Long) As Long
Private Const PROCESS_TERMINATE = &H1
Private Const PROCESS_CREATE_THREAD = &H2
Private Const PROCESS_VM_OPERATION = &H8
Private Const PROCESS_VM_READ = &H10
Private Const PROCESS_VM_WRITE = &H20
Private Const PROCESS_DUP_HANDLE = &H40
Private Const PROCESS_CREATE_PROCESS = &H80
Private Const PROCESS_SET_QUOTA = &H100
Private Const PROCESS_SET_INFORMATION = &H200
Private Const PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION = &H400

Sub KillProcessName(ByVal lProcessID As Long, ByVal Nom_Prog As String)

Dim szProcessName As String
Dim lLen As Long
Dim hProcess As Long
Dim hMod(0 To 1023) As Long
Dim cbNeeded As Long
Dim i As Long
Dim iMax As Long
Dim lR As Long
Dim lngProcMorte As Long
'Dim tPMC As PROCESS_MEMORY_COUNTERS

lLen = MAX_PATH

hProcess = OpenProcess(PROCESS_QUERY_INFORMATION Or _
                                PROCESS_VM_READ, _
                                0, lProcessID)
If (lProcessID <> 0 And lProcessID <> 2) Then
    '// get the process name and memory usage:
    If (hProcess <> 0) Then
        If (EnumProcessModules(hProcess, hMod(0), 1024 * 4, cbNeeded)) Then
            szProcessName = String$(lLen, 0)
            LSet szProcessName = "unknown"
            lR = GetModuleBaseName(hProcess, hMod(i), szProcessName, lLen)
            szProcessName = Left(szProcessName, InStr(szProcessName, Chr(0)) - 1)
            If Nom_Prog = szProcessName Then
                lngProcMorte = OpenProcess(PROCESS_TERMINATE, 0, lProcessID)

                Call TerminateProcess(lngProcMorte, PROCESS_TERMINATE)
            End If
           
            szProcessName = String$(lLen, 0)
            LSet szProcessName = "unknown"
            lR = GetModuleFileNameEx(hProcess, hMod(i), szProcessName, lLen)
        End If
    End If
End If
CloseHandle hProcess

End Sub

Sub KillApplication(ByVal Nom_Prog As String)

Dim aProcesses() As Long
Dim cbNeeded As Long
Dim cProcesses As Long
Dim i As Long

' // Get the list of process identifiers.
ReDim aProcesses(0 To 1023) As Long
If (EnumProcesses(aProcesses(0), 1024 * 4, cbNeeded) <> 0) Then
   '// Calculate how many process identifiers were returned.
   cProcesses = cbNeeded / 4
   '// Print the name and process identifier for each process.
   For i = 0 To cProcesses - 1
     Call KillProcessName(aProcesses(i), Nom_Prog)
   Next i
End If

End Sub

Bye
Rem

I don't want to kill the process. A filename is required in order to complete the print to file operation. I need to fill in the filename from code.

This sample takes a command line argument for the name of the dialog window you are looking for and for the keys you wish to pass in.  If you just want to close the window - CLOSEONLY is passed for the key strokes.  This is comprised of a module and the form which calls the module.  The way I use this is to shell out to DOS to run a batch file which invokes this program with the correct arguments - just before that dialog will be displayed.  It uses the sleep API to pause.

-------------
module

Declare Function FindWindow Lib "user32" Alias "FindWindowA" (ByVal lpClassName As String, ByVal lpWindowName As String) As Long
Declare Function TerminateProcess Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Long, ByVal uExitCode As Long) As Long
Declare Function SetFocusAPI Lib "user32" Alias "SetFocus" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Declare Function VkKeyScan Lib "user32" Alias "VkKeyScanA" (ByVal cChar As Byte) As Integer
Declare Function OemKeyScan Lib "user32" (ByVal wOemChar As Long) As Long
Declare Function CharToOem Lib "user32" Alias "CharToOemA" (ByVal lpszSrc As String, ByVal lpszDst As String) As Long
Declare Sub keybd_event Lib "user32" (ByVal bVk As Byte, ByVal bScan As Byte, ByVal dwFlags As Long, ByVal dwExtraInfo As Long)
Declare Function MapVirtualKey Lib "user32" Alias "MapVirtualKeyA" (ByVal wCode As Long, ByVal wMapType As Long) As Long
Public Const WM_Close = &H10
Public Const Keyeventf_Keyup = &H2
Declare Function SetForegroundWindow& Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long)
Declare Function ShowWindow& Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal nCmdShow As Long)
Declare Function SetActiveWindow Lib "user32" (ByVal hwnd As Long) As Long
Declare Function SendMessage Lib "user32" Alias "SendMessageA" (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal wMsg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long
Global vk As Integer
Global oemchar As String
Global thekey As String
Global scan As Integer
Global results As Long
Global sleeptime As Long

Public Function GoToSleep(sleepseconds As Long, endtime As Variant)

    Dim sleeptime As Double
    Dim calctime As Double
    Dim amtime As Double
    Dim pmtime As Double
    Dim curhour As Integer
    Dim curminutes As Integer
   
    If sleepseconds > 0 Then
       sleeptime = sleepseconds * 1000
       Sleep (sleeptime)
       Exit Function
    End If
   
'  tweak this to calculate amount of milliseconds
'  until a passed in time

   
    ' default to morning startup - calculate if pm
    pmtime = 0
   
    amtime = 0
    pmtime = 0
    curhour = Format(Time, "hh")
    curminutes = Format(Time, "mm")
   
    sleeptime = calctimedif(curhour, curminutes) ' calculate difference from now to midnight
   
   
    Sleep (sleeptime)
   
    Exit Function
   
End Function

-----------------------------
form


Option Explicit
Dim args As Variant
Dim windowTitle  As String
Dim keystoSend As String
Dim EndOnDiscovery As Boolean
Dim maxPasses As Integer
Dim numPasses As Integer
Dim WindowHandle As Long


Private Sub Form_Load()

'thekey = Chr(69)

Call DetermineParameters
numPasses = 0
 

startover:

    numPasses = numPasses + 1
   
    If maxPasses > 0 And numPasses > maxPasses Then End
   

WindowHandle = FindWindow(vbNullString, windowTitle)
   
If WindowHandle <> 0 Then

    If keystoSend = "CLOSEONLY" Then
       results = SendMessage(WindowHandle, WM_Close, 0&, 0&)
    Else
       results = SetForegroundWindow(WindowHandle)
       SendKeys keystoSend
       DoEvents
     
             
    End If
   
    If EndOnDiscovery Then End
End If
' pass a zero in for time if only one pass desired.
If sleeptime = 0 Then End

If Dir$("c:\stopclose.flg") > "" Then
   Kill "c:\stopclose.flg"
   End
End If


Call GoToSleep(sleeptime, 0)
GoTo startover




   
   
End Sub



Private Sub DetermineParameters()

args = Split(Command$, ",")

If args(3) = "" Then
   sleeptime = 300  ' default to 5 minutes
Else
   sleeptime = Val(args(3))
End If

If args(3) < 0 Then
   maxPasses = Abs(args(3))
   sleeptime = 2  ' allow 2 seconds for #x number of passes
End If

windowTitle = args(0)
keystoSend = UCase(args(1))
EndOnDiscovery = args(2)


End Sub

You can use Winword to do the trick.
Create or open your document in Word:
Make a reference to the Word library in your project.
Now use Word like this:

On Error Resume Next
Set pWordApplication = GetObject(, "Word.Application")
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
   Set pWordApplication = CreateObject ("Word.Application")
End If
 
pWordApplication.Documents.Open _
FileName:="DocumentNameHere",_
ConfirmConversions:=False,_
ReadOnly:=True

Set pWordDocument = pWordApplication.ActiveDocument
pWordDocument.PrintOut _ Outputfilename:="DocumentNameHere", _
PrintToFile:=True, Background:=False

pWordDocument.Close wdDoNotSaveChanges
Set pWordDocument = Nothing
pWordApplication.Quit
Set pWordApplication = Nothing

Hi allsopp

I suspect that you an I are wanting to do the same thing.  Use VB to print a postscript file, and then use ADOBE's distiller to convert the file to PDF.

If this is so, can you give me your email address.  I have some ideas, but they're not 100% yet.

Paul

Address is;

andrew.allsopp@potashcorp.com

I'll be using either Adobe Distiller, or Ghostscript to create the PDF from the postscript file. I'm using a Lexmark 4079 printer driver to file to create the postscript document.

I've set up a printer on a Linux machine that will actually create a PDF file, but I have no way to create a unique name for the file. If more than one user on the website uses the function, I can't guarantee they will get their document.

Any help would be appreciated.

This works.
You can specify where the resulting PDF file goes to by adding a new PDF port for the distiller. It asks for the path to store the file under.
Thanks!