.NET Framework Class Library
PrintDocument Class

Defines a reusable object that sends output to a printer, when printing from a Windows Forms application.

Namespace:  System.Drawing.Printing
Assembly:  System.Drawing (in System.Drawing.dll)
Syntax

Visual Basic (Declaration)
Public Class PrintDocument _
    Inherits Component
Visual Basic (Usage)
Dim instance As PrintDocument
C#
public class PrintDocument : Component
Visual C++
public ref class PrintDocument : public Component
JScript
public class PrintDocument extends Component
Remarks

Typically, you create an instance of the PrintDocument class, set the properties that describe how to print, and call the Print method to start the printing process. Handle the PrintPage event where you specify the output to print, by using the Graphics included in the PrintPageEventArgs.

For more information about printing from a Windows Form application, see the System.Drawing.Printing namespace overview. If you wish to print from a Windows Presentation Foundation application, see the System.Printing namespace.

Examples

The following code example prints the file named C:\My Documents\MyFile.txt on the default printer. To run the example, change the path to the file you want to print. You can also modify the InitializeComponent procedure through the Windows Forms Designer.

NoteNote:

The example requires that each line fits within the page width.

Use the System.ComponentModel, System.Windows.Forms, System.Drawing, System.Drawing.Printing, and System.IO namespaces for this example.

Visual Basic
Imports System
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Drawing
Imports System.Drawing.Printing
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Public Class PrintingExample
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
    Private components As System.ComponentModel.Container
    Private printButton As System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Private printFont As Font
    Private streamToPrint As StreamReader

    Public Sub New()
        ' The Windows Forms Designer requires the following call.
        InitializeComponent()
    End Sub    

    ' The Click event is raised when the user clicks the Print button.
    Private Sub printButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
        Try
            streamToPrint = New StreamReader("C:\My Documents\MyFile.txt")
            Try
                printFont = New Font("Arial", 10)
                Dim pd As New PrintDocument()
                AddHandler pd.PrintPage, AddressOf Me.pd_PrintPage
                pd.Print()
            Finally
                streamToPrint.Close()
            End Try
        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
        End Try
    End Sub    

    ' The PrintPage event is raised for each page to be printed.
    Private Sub pd_PrintPage(sender As Object, ev As PrintPageEventArgs)
        Dim linesPerPage As Single = 0
        Dim yPos As Single = 0
        Dim count As Integer = 0
        Dim leftMargin As Single = ev.MarginBounds.Left
        Dim topMargin As Single = ev.MarginBounds.Top
        Dim line As String = Nothing

        ' Calculate the number of lines per page.
        linesPerPage = ev.MarginBounds.Height / printFont.GetHeight(ev.Graphics)

        ' Print each line of the file.
        While count < linesPerPage
            line = streamToPrint.ReadLine()
            If line Is Nothing Then
                Exit While
            End If      
            yPos = topMargin + count * printFont.GetHeight(ev.Graphics)
            ev.Graphics.DrawString(line, printFont, Brushes.Black, leftMargin, yPos, New StringFormat())
            count += 1
        End While

        ' If more lines exist, print another page.
        If (line IsNot Nothing) Then
            ev.HasMorePages = True
        Else
            ev.HasMorePages = False
        End If
    End Sub


    ' The Windows Forms Designer requires the following procedure.
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        Me.components = New System.ComponentModel.Container()
        Me.printButton = New System.Windows.Forms.Button()

        Me.ClientSize = New System.Drawing.Size(504, 381)
        Me.Text = "Print Example"

        printButton.ImageAlign = System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleLeft
        printButton.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(32, 110)
        printButton.FlatStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FlatStyle.Flat
        printButton.TabIndex = 0
        printButton.Text = "Print the file."
        printButton.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(136, 40)
        AddHandler printButton.Click, AddressOf printButton_Click

        Me.Controls.Add(printButton)
    End Sub 

    ' This is the main entry point for the application.    
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Application.Run(New PrintingExample())
    End Sub

End Class

C#
using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
using System.Windows.Forms;


 public class PrintingExample : System.Windows.Forms.Form 
 {
     private System.ComponentModel.Container components;
     private System.Windows.Forms.Button printButton;
     private Font printFont;
     private StreamReader streamToPrint;

    public PrintingExample() : base() 
    {
       // The Windows Forms Designer requires the following call.
       InitializeComponent();
    }

    // The Click event is raised when the user clicks the Print button.
    private void printButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) 
    {
       try 
       {
           streamToPrint = new StreamReader
              ("C:\\My Documents\\MyFile.txt");
           try 
           {
              printFont = new Font("Arial", 10);
              PrintDocument pd = new PrintDocument();
              pd.PrintPage += new PrintPageEventHandler
                 (this.pd_PrintPage);
              pd.Print();
           }  
           finally 
           {
              streamToPrint.Close();
           }
       }  
       catch(Exception ex) 
       {
           MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
       }
    }

    // The PrintPage event is raised for each page to be printed.
    private void pd_PrintPage(object sender, PrintPageEventArgs ev) 
    {
       float linesPerPage = 0;
       float yPos = 0;
       int count = 0;
       float leftMargin = ev.MarginBounds.Left;
       float topMargin = ev.MarginBounds.Top;
       string line = null;

       // Calculate the number of lines per page.
       linesPerPage = ev.MarginBounds.Height / 
          printFont.GetHeight(ev.Graphics);

       // Print each line of the file.
       while(count < linesPerPage && 
          ((line=streamToPrint.ReadLine()) != null)) 
       {
          yPos = topMargin + (count * 
             printFont.GetHeight(ev.Graphics));
          ev.Graphics.DrawString(line, printFont, Brushes.Black, 
             leftMargin, yPos, new StringFormat());
          count++;
       }

       // If more lines exist, print another page.
       if(line != null)
          ev.HasMorePages = true;
       else
          ev.HasMorePages = false;
    }


    // The Windows Forms Designer requires the following procedure.
    private void InitializeComponent() 
    {
       this.components = new System.ComponentModel.Container();
       this.printButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();

       this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(504, 381);
       this.Text = "Print Example";

       printButton.ImageAlign = 
          System.Drawing.ContentAlignment.MiddleLeft;
       printButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(32, 110);
       printButton.FlatStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FlatStyle.Flat;
       printButton.TabIndex = 0;
       printButton.Text = "Print the file.";
       printButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(136, 40);
       printButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(printButton_Click);

       this.Controls.Add(printButton);
    }

    // This is the main entry point for the application.
    public static void Main(string[] args) 
    {
       Application.Run(new PrintingExample());
    }
 }

Visual C++
#using <System.dll>
#using <System.Windows.Forms.dll>
#using <System.Drawing.dll>

using namespace System;
using namespace System::IO;
using namespace System::Drawing;
using namespace System::Drawing::Printing;
using namespace System::Windows::Forms;

public ref class PrintingExample: public System::Windows::Forms::Form
{
private:
   System::ComponentModel::Container^ components;
   System::Windows::Forms::Button^ printButton;
   System::Drawing::Font^ printFont;
   StreamReader^ streamToPrint;

public:
   PrintingExample()
      : Form()
   {

      // The Windows Forms Designer requires the following call.
      InitializeComponent();
   }


private:

   // The Click event is raised when the user clicks the Print button.
   void printButton_Click( Object^ /*sender*/, EventArgs^ /*e*/ )
   {
      try
      {
         streamToPrint = gcnew StreamReader( "C:\\My Documents\\MyFile.txt" );
         try
         {
            printFont = gcnew System::Drawing::Font( "Arial",10 );
            PrintDocument^ pd = gcnew PrintDocument;
            pd->PrintPage += gcnew PrintPageEventHandler( this, &PrintingExample::pd_PrintPage );
            pd->Print();
         }
         finally
         {
            streamToPrint->Close();
         }

      }
      catch ( Exception^ ex ) 
      {
         MessageBox::Show( ex->Message );
      }

   }


   // The PrintPage event is raised for each page to be printed.
   void pd_PrintPage( Object^ /*sender*/, PrintPageEventArgs^ ev )
   {
      float linesPerPage = 0;
      float yPos = 0;
      int count = 0;
      float leftMargin = (float)ev->MarginBounds.Left;
      float topMargin = (float)ev->MarginBounds.Top;
      String^ line = nullptr;

      // Calculate the number of lines per page.
      linesPerPage = ev->MarginBounds.Height / printFont->GetHeight( ev->Graphics );

      // Print each line of the file.
      while ( count < linesPerPage && ((line = streamToPrint->ReadLine()) != nullptr) )
      {
         yPos = topMargin + (count * printFont->GetHeight( ev->Graphics ));
         ev->Graphics->DrawString( line, printFont, Brushes::Black, leftMargin, yPos, gcnew StringFormat );
         count++;
      }


      // If more lines exist, print another page.
      if ( line != nullptr )
            ev->HasMorePages = true;
      else
            ev->HasMorePages = false;
   }


   // The Windows Forms Designer requires the following procedure.
   void InitializeComponent()
   {
      this->components = gcnew System::ComponentModel::Container;
      this->printButton = gcnew System::Windows::Forms::Button;
      this->ClientSize = System::Drawing::Size( 504, 381 );
      this->Text = "Print Example";
      printButton->ImageAlign = System::Drawing::ContentAlignment::MiddleLeft;
      printButton->Location = System::Drawing::Point( 32, 110 );
      printButton->FlatStyle = System::Windows::Forms::FlatStyle::Flat;
      printButton->TabIndex = 0;
      printButton->Text = "Print the file.";
      printButton->Size = System::Drawing::Size( 136, 40 );
      printButton->Click += gcnew System::EventHandler( this, &PrintingExample::printButton_Click );
      this->Controls->Add( printButton );
   }

};


// This is the main entry point for the application.
int main()
{
   Application::Run( gcnew PrintingExample );
}

Inheritance Hierarchy

System..::.Object
  System..::.MarshalByRefObject
    System.ComponentModel..::.Component
      System.Drawing.Printing..::.PrintDocument
Thread Safety

Any public static (Shared in Visual Basic) members of this type are thread safe. Any instance members are not guaranteed to be thread safe.
Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
See Also

Reference

Tags : printing


Page view tracker