Set file name in "Microsoft Print to PDF" printer using System.Print - c#

I want to save an IDocumentPaginatorSource, e.g. FixedDocument or XpsDocument, as a PDF by using the virtual printer "Microsoft Print to PDF":
var printServer = new System.Printing.PrintServer();
var queue = printServer.GetPrintQueue("Microsoft Print to PDF");
var writer = System.Printing.PrintQueue.CreateXpsDocumentWriter(queue);
writer.Write(Document.DocumentPaginator); // Document = IDocumentPaginatorSource
This works, but makes the printer open a file save dialog. I would like to set the file name programmatically and either suppress this dialog completely or at least set the initial file name in the dialog. Is this possible?
I know, that this can be done when using System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument by setting PrinterSettings.PrintFileName and PrinterSettings.PrintToFile (see 1, 2), but this is the old printing framework that does not support IDocumentPaginatorSource.
I checked all classes in the System.Printing namespace but did not find any way to set these two settings. Maybe it's possible to retrofit these seetings into the PrintTicket by extending the print schema? If so, how exactly would you do that?

I don't have a solution using the "Microsoft Print to PDF printer", but if you switched to using the Win2PDF printer driver you can set the file name programatically through the registry. To do this, see the documentation for the "PDFFileName" or "PDFDefaultFileName" registry settings.

Related

Exporting WPF Canvas to PDF

I've been attempting to find an easy solution to exporting a Canvas in my WPF Application to a PDF Document.
So far, the best solution has been to use the PrintDialog and set it up to automatically use the Microsoft Print the PDF 'printer'. The only problem I have had with this is that although the PrintDialog is skipped, there is a FileDialog to choose where the file should be saved.
Sadly, this is a deal-breaker because I would like to run this over a large number of canvases with automatically generated PDF names (well, programitically provided anyway).
Other solutions I have looked at include:
Using PrintDocument, but from my experimentation I would have to manually iterate through all my Canveses children and manually invoke the correct Draw method (of which a lot of my custom elements with transformation would be rather time consuming to do)
Exporting as a PNG image and then embedding that in a PDF. Although this works, TextBlocks within my canvas are no longer text. So this isn't an ideal situation.
Using the 3rd party library PDFSharp has the same downfall as the PrintDocument. A lot of custom logic for each element.
With PDFSharp. I did find a method fir generating the XGraphics from a Canvas but no way of then consuming that object to make a PDF Page
So does anybody know how I can skip or automate the PDF PrintDialog, or consume PDFSharp XGraphics to make
A page. Or any other ideas for directions to take this besides writing a whole library to convert each of my Canvas elements to PDF elements.
If you look at the output port of a recent windows installation of Microsoft Print To PDF
You may note it is set to PORTPROMP: and that is exactly what causes the request for a filename.
You might note lower down, I have several ports set to a filename, and the fourth one down is called "My Print to PDF"
So very last century methodology; when I print with a duplicate printer but give it a different name I can use different page ratios etc., without altering the built in standard one. The output for a file will naturally be built:-
A) Exactly in one repeatable location, that I can file monitor and rename it, based on the source calling the print sequence, such that if it is my current default printer I can right click files to print to a known \folder\file.pdf
B) The same port can be used via certain /pt (printto) command combinations to output, not just to that default port location, but to a given folder\name such as
"%ProgramFiles%\Windows NT\Accessories\WORDPAD.EXE" /pt listIN.doc "My Print to PDF" "My Print to PDF" "listOUT.pdf"
Other drivers usually charge for the convenience of WPF programmable renaming, but I will leave you that PrintVisual challenge for another of your three wishes.
MS suggest XPS is best But then they would be promoting it as a PDF competitor.
It does not need to be Doc[X]2PDF it could be [O]XPS2PDF or aPNG2PDF or many pages TIFF2PDF etc. etc. Any of those are Native to Win 10 also other 3rd party apps such as [Free]Office with a PrintTo verb will do XLS[X]2PDF. Imagination becomes pagination.
I had a great success in generating PDFs using PDFSharp in combination with SkiaSharp (for more advanced graphics).
Let me begin from the very end:
you save the PdfDocument object in the following way:
PdfDocument yourDocument = ...;
string filename = #"your\file\path\document.pdf"
yourDocument.Save(filename);
creating the PdfDocument with a page can be achieved the following way (adjust the parameters to fit your needs):
PdfDocument yourDocument = new PdfDocument();
yourDocument.PageLayout = PdfPageLayout.SinglePage;
yourDocument.Info.Title = "Your document title";
PdfPage yourPage = yourDocument.AddPage();
yourDocument.Orientation = PageOrientation.Landscape;
yourDocument.Size = PageSize.A4;
the PdfPage object's content (as an example I'm putting a string and an image) is filled in the following way:
using (XGraphics gfx = XGraphics.FromPdfPage(yourPage))
{
XFont yourFont = new XFont("Helvetica", 20, XFontStyle.Bold);
gfx.DrawString(
"Your string in the page",
yourFont,
XBrushes.Black,
new XRect(0, XUnit.FromMillimeter(10), page.Width, yourFont.GetHeight()),
XStringFormats.Center);
using (Stream s = new FileStream(#"path\to\your\image.png", FileMode.Open))
{
XImage image = XImage.FromStream(s);
var imageRect = new XRect()
{
Location = new XPoint() { X = XUnit.FromMillimeter(42), Y = XUnit.FromMillimeter(42) },
Size = new XSize() { Width = XUnit.FromMillimeter(42), Height = XUnit.FromMillimeter(42.0 * image.PixelHeight / image.PixelWidth) }
};
gfx.DrawImage(image, imageRect);
}
}
Of course, the font objects can be created as static members of your class.
And this is, in short to answer your question, how you consume the XGraphics object to create a PDF page.
Let me know if you need more assistance.

c# printing through PDF drivers, print to file option will output PS instead of PDF

After struggling whole day, I identified the issue but this didn't solve my problem.
On short:
I need to open a PDF, convert to BW (grayscale), search some words and insert some notes nearby found words. At a first look it seems easy but I discovered how hard PDF files are processed (having no "words" concepts and so on).
Now the first task, converting to grayscale just drove me crazy. I didn't find a working solution either commercial or free. I came up with this solution:
open the PDF
print with windows drivers, some free PDF printers
This is quite ugly since I will force the C# users to install such 3'rd party SW but.. that is fpr the moment. I tested FreePDF, CutePDF and PDFCreator. All of them are working "stand alone" as expected.
Now when I tried to print from C#, obviously, I don't want the print dialog, just select BW option and print (aka. convert)
The following code just uses a PDF library, shown for clarity only.
Aspose.Pdf.Facades.PdfViewer viewer = new Aspose.Pdf.Facades.PdfViewer();
viewer.BindPdf(txtPDF.Text);
viewer.PrintAsGrayscale = true;
//viewer.RenderingOptions = new RenderingOptions { UseNewImagingEngine = true };
//Set attributes for printing
//viewer.AutoResize = true; //Print the file with adjusted size
//viewer.AutoRotate = true; //Print the file with adjusted rotation
viewer.PrintPageDialog = true; //Do not produce the page number dialog when printing
////PrinterJob printJob = PrinterJob.getPrinterJob();
//Create objects for printer and page settings and PrintDocument
System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings ps = new System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings();
System.Drawing.Printing.PageSettings pgs = new System.Drawing.Printing.PageSettings();
//System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument prtdoc = new System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument();
//prtdoc.PrinterSettings = ps;
//Set printer name
//ps.PrinterName = prtdoc.PrinterSettings.PrinterName;
ps.PrinterName = "CutePDF Writer";
ps.PrintToFile = true;
ps.PrintFileName = #"test.pdf";
//
//ps.
//Set PageSize (if required)
//pgs.PaperSize = new System.Drawing.Printing.PaperSize("A4", 827, 1169);
//Set PageMargins (if required)
//pgs.Margins = new System.Drawing.Printing.Margins(0, 0, 0, 0);
//Print document using printer and page settings
viewer.PrintDocumentWithSettings(ps);
//viewer.PrintDocument();
//Close the PDF file after priting
What I discovered and seems to be little explained, is that if you select
ps.PrintToFile = true;
no matter C# PDF library or PDF printer driver, Windows will just skip the PDF drivers and instead of PDF files will output PS (postscript) ones which obviously, will not be recognized by Adobe Reader.
Now the question (and I am positive that others who may want to print PDFs from C# may be encountered) is how to print to CutePDF for example and still suppress any filename dialog?
In other words, just print silently with programmatically selected filename from C# application. Or somehow convince "print to file" to go through PDF driver, not Windows default PS driver.
Thanks very much for any hints.
I solved conversion to grayscale with a commercial component with this post and I also posted there my complete solution, in care anyone will struggle like me.
Converting PDF to Grayscale pdf using ABC PDF

Unable to print PDF with Staple mode in C#

I am using PrintTicket object (printTicket.Stapling = Stapling.StapleTopLeft;) and using PrintQueue.Addjob method in System.printing to enable stapling option. Stapling is working fine with XPS document, but not working with PDF documents. Here is my code:
PrintTicket printTicket = printQueue.DefaultPrintTicket;
printTicket.Stapling = Stapling.StapleTopLeft;
printQueue.CurrentJobSettings.CurrentPrintTicket = printTicket;
printQueue.AddJob("TEST", "C:\\TEST.XPS", false, printTicket);
TEST.XPS is printing and stapling, but changing the file to PDF is not working.
If you look at the MDSN for that AddJob method it specifically says it for XPS documents only.
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj205516%28v=vs.110%29.aspx
Inserts a new print job for an XML Paper Specification (XPS) Document
into the queue, gives it the specified name and settings, and
specifies whether or not it should be validated.

AmyuniPDF prints PDF document in wrong font (special characters)

I am using Amyuni PDF Creator .Net to print PDF using a Windows service.
Windows service is running under Local System user account. When I tried to print using above library, it prints the PDF in wrong font. See the attachment (Wrong font in PDF printing).
This issue persists with only some of the printers such as Brother MFC-8890DW Printer.
But for the same printer with above windows service, it prints the PDF properly when unchecked the Enable advanced printing features setting in above printer Properties. See the attachment (Disable Advanced printing features).
using (FileStream file1 = new FileStream(pdfFile, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read))
{
using (IacDocument doc1 = new IacDocument())
{
doc1.Open(file1, string.Empty);
doc1.Copies = 1;
bool printed = doc1.Print(printer, false);
}
}
But same windows service prints PDF correctly for some other printers such as HP LaserJet P1005 either Enable advanced printing features checked or unchecked.
Without having access to the same printer that you are using it is hard to know exactly what is happening. My best guess would be that the driver of this printer has issues dealing with process-level fonts (those that are registered using the GDI function AddFontResourceEx) when "Enable advanced printing features" is checked. This is how Amyuni PDF Creator uses fonts embedded in the PDF file, which is the case for the file that you have presented.
A possible workaround for this could be to use the attribute "PrintAsImage" of the Document class.
The code would look like this:
//set license key This is needed only with licensed version
acPDFCreatorLib.SetLicenseKey("your company", "your activation code");
//Create a new document instance
Amyuni.PDFCreator.IacDocument doc = new Amyuni.PDFCreator.IacDocument(null);
doc.AttributeByName("PrintAsImage").Value =1;
//Open the file here (...)
//Print to default printer
pdfCreator1.Document.Print("", false);
Another alternative would be to save your file as xps using Amyuni PDF Creator then send the xps file to the printer:
// Create print server and print queue.
LocalPrintServer localPrintServer = new LocalPrintServer();
PrintQueue defaultPrintQueue = LocalPrintServer.GetDefaultPrintQueue();
defaultPrintQueue.AddJob("my document", "c:\\temp\\mytempfile.xps", true);
Disclaimer: I work for Amyuni Technologies.

Crystal Report | Printing | Default Printer

I am making one application where user will print invoices which I am displaying using Crystal Report.
The user showed me his current application made using ForPro. In that application, under Printer Options form, one can see all the printers currently installed and the user could select default printer. When the invoice is made, the user presses the print button, then there is one dialog asking for no. of copies. When it's entered, the invoice gets printed directly, without any Print Dialog Box. If the user wants to change the printer again he/she will change it in the Printer Option form.
I want to know if similar thing is possible in Crystal Report and need guidance on how to approach for it.
Take a look at the ReportDocument.PrintToPrinter SAP Docs or MSDN Docs for how to specify the PrinterName and then Print using the ReportDocument object.
If you can try and get away from how the FoxPro app UI for printer selection. Instead use the standard print dialog box to select the printer.
You should note that if you don't set the PrinterName before sending the report to the printer it will use the default on the crystal file. Not to be confused with the user's OS default printer.
Here's an example of showing the PrintDialog settings some parameters using the SetParameterValue method and then sending the report document to a printer
// Note: untested
var dialog = new PrintDialog();
Nullable<bool> print = dialog.ShowDialog();
if (print.HasValue && print.Value)
{
var rd = new ReportDocument();
rd.Load("ReportFile.rpt");
rd.SetParameter("Parameter1", "abc");
rd.SetParameter("Parameter2", "foo");
rd.PrintOptions.PrinterName = dialog.PrinterSettings.PrinterName;
rd.PrintToPrinter(1, false, 0, 0);
}
The code above no longer works as advertised which has been admitted by SAP
You need to set the report document to an ISCDReportClientDocument and then print it. This is a more robust way of making sure the print job doesn't go to the default printer. The last two lines can be replaced with this code.
CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.Controllers.PrintReportOptions printReportOptions = new CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.Controllers.PrintReportOptions();
CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.Controllers.PrintOutputController printOutputController = new CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.Controllers.PrintOutputController();
CrystalDecisions.ReportAppServer.ClientDoc.ISCDReportClientDocument rptClientDoc;
rptClientDoc = cryRtp.ReportClientDocument;
printReportOptions.PrinterName = pDialog.PrinterSettings.PrinterName;
rptClientDoc.PrintOutputController.PrintReport(printReportOptions);
Here is another good link
http://mattruma.azurewebsites.net/?p=258

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