Using the Print Wizard DLL

Introduction

The Print Wizard DLL is Windows dynamic link library that can be called from any other program to perform certain Print Wizard functions. Most anything you can do with the Print Wizard engine, can also be called through the Print Wizard DLL.

The basic concept here is to configure the printer or set the printer name to a specific printer, print the file or the lines of text you wish and then flush the printer to close the print job. If you do not specify a printer (using either the “pw_set_printer” or the “pw_configure_printer”) then the default printer will be used.

The various procedures are shown below (these may change and be added to over time, if something does not work or you need additional capabilities, contact us):

Print Wizard DLL Examples

Like the Print Wizard engine, the Print Wizard DLL is usable from within any 3rd party program that supports calls to Windows style DLL modules. The Print Wizard DLL supplies these programs with direct control of printed output via the DLL calls, and includes support for all the Print Wizard features discussed elsewhere in this manual.

Visual Basic Example

There are many exposed functions of the Print Wizard DLL. The first box below shows some of those functions, followed by a short example utilizing them. Likewise, this can be done through many other languages as well (see our included examples and other examples at our web site).

Private Declare Function pw_configure_printer Lib "pwdll" (ByVal window As
        _ Integer) As Long
        'returns 1 if successful, else 0
Private Declare Sub pw_set_printer Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String)
        'set printer by name
Private Declare Function pw_print_text Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String, _
        ByVal count As Long, ByVal cs As Long) As Long
        'returns 1 if successful, else 0
        'cs is 0 for ISO
        '      1 for OEM
        '      2 for other (no translation)
        '      3 for Unicode UTF-8'
''WIDE VERSION ###
Private Declare Sub pw_flush Lib "pwdll" ()
        'terminates print job
Private Declare Sub pw_set_html_base Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String)
        'sets the html_base for relative filenames
Private Declare Sub pw_set_preview Lib "pwdll" (ByVal b As Long)
        'b is 1 for preview on
        '     0 for preview off
Private Declare Sub pw_set_orientation Lib "pwdll" (ByVal b As Long)
        'b is 0 for portrait
        '     1 for landscape
        '     2 for auto
Private Declare Sub pw_set_font Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String)
        'specify font name(s)
Private Declare Sub pw_set_overlay Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String)
        'specify name of overlay
Private Declare Sub pw_set_copies Lib "pwdll" (ByVal n As Long)
        'set number of copies
Private Declare Sub pw_eject_page Lib "pwdll" ()
        'equivalent to printing a formfeed
Private Declare Function pw_set_output Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String, _
        ByVal count As Long) As Integer
        'returns 1 if successful, else 0
        'sets type of output
        '   empty string for printing
        '   PDF://              Generate PDF file with default name
        '   PDF://    Generate PDF file with given name
        '   FAX32://  Send fax
Private Declare Function pw_print_file Lib "pwdll" (ByVal lpchar As String, _
        ByVal count As Long, _
        ByVal cs As Long) As Integer
        'prints an entire file
        'returns 1 if successful
        'cs is charset as above

This example is for a button that when clicked will create a PDF file through the Print Wizard DLL.

Private Sub Command1_Click()
   ct = Len(Text2.Text)
   pw_set_orientation (1)                             ‘ landscape  
   res = pw_print_text(Text2.Text, ct, 0)
   If res <> 0 Then
      pw_flush
   End If
   If res = 0 Then
      MsgBox ("Function failed")
   End If
End Sub

 

Delphi Example

…
function pw_configure_printer(hwnd : THandle) : longint; stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_configure_printer';
function pw_print_file(p : pchar; ct : longint; cs : longint):longint;stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_print_file';
function pw_set_output(p : pchar; ct : longint):longint; stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_set_output';
procedure pw_set_copies(n : longint);stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_set_copies';
function pw_print_text(p : pchar; count : longint; cs : longint):longint;stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_print_text';
function pw_print_text_w(p : pwidechar; count : longint):longint;stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_print_text_w';
procedure pw_flush; stdcall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_flush';
function pw_get_printer:OleVariant;safecall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_get_printer';
function pw_get_version:OleVariant;safecall;
   external 'pwdll.dll' name 'pw_get_version';

var
   filename : ansistring;
   output   : ansistring;
   i        : integer;
   s        : string;
begin
   // Check file name
   filename := paramstr(1);
   if not FileExists(filename) then
     begin
       Writeln('File not found');
       Readln;
       exit;
     end;

   // Ask for a printer name
   s := pw_get_printer;
   i := pw_configure_printer(0);
   if i = 0 then
     begin
       Writeln('Configure printer failed');
       Readln;
       exit;
     end;
   s := pw_get_printer;

   // Check to see if we are writing to a file
   output := paramstr(2);
   if output <> '' then
     i := pw_set_output(pchar(output), length(output));

   // Wiz print text
   s := 'This is printed with the test program';
   i := pw_print_text(pchar(s), length(s), 0);

   // Others
   pw_set_copies(2);
   // Get printer name and version. Configure_printer will set this.
   // If you do not do Configure_printer sometime earlier, this is left blank
   // to print to the default printer.
   s := pw_get_printer;
   writeln(s);
   s := pw_get_version;
   writeln(s);

   // Print a file
   i := pw_print_file(pchar(filename), length(filename), 1);

   // End this print job
   if i <> 0 then
     pw_flush;

end.