[c++] Send a document to the printer? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

CSflim · 03-17-2006, 04:53 AM

I am currently working on a program, and would like to give the user the option to print off a document directly from the application (the document would be dynamically generated by the program). I don't have the slightest clue on what is involved here. What would be the easiest and quickest way to go about doing this?
I don't need to do anything fancy, no graphics or stylised layouts - it's just text (although graphics would be a nice bonus, though not strictly necessary). However, I don't have the time to spend days or weeks figuring it out.

Any help would be appreciated.

EDIT: Also, I am developing for Windows.

Rekna · 03-17-2006, 07:04 AM

if your on linux you could write out a file and then use system("lpr filename")

on windows you could probably do something similar.

CSflim · 03-17-2006, 07:18 AM

Sorry, should have pointed out that I am on windows.

Also the 'document' doesn't actually exist as a file. It is just some data in the program. I could always create a html file from the data and then have the program print that.

cyrnel · 03-17-2006, 07:45 AM

Specifics depend on the development environment. Do you already display in your own window or just use stdio library stuff?

CSflim · 03-17-2006, 08:06 AM

Well the application is a game build on the Torque Game Engine. This engine does not provide any support for printing. So I will not be relying on that to do the printing, so you can pretty much imagine that I just have a bare bones c++ program that has some data in it, that I want to send to the printer somehow. Is there any library that I can download that would help me out?

I was thinking that perhaps the simplest way would be to generate a html file from the data, and then tell the operating system to print this file, as if a user had right clicked the file and selected print, but I don't know how to do this. Do you think this is a good way to do this? And if so, how do I do it in code?

Rekna · 03-17-2006, 04:17 PM

Googleing came up with a few examples using ostreams. I haven't tested it but you could try this http://www.reviewsonline.com/QA-C.HTM

I think for this to work the printer has to be connected over lpt.

Also I'm not sure printing an html document will work, nothing will parse that. You could try printing a postscript document or just do a plain text file.

CSflim · 03-18-2006, 08:37 AM

Ok, that's everyone for your input. I have decided to go with generating a html file, and then printing that - it seems the easiest way that is also reasonably flexible.

If anyone is interested, the program will generate a temporary html file, and will then use the ShellExecute OS call to get windows to print it via the users web browser. The code to do this is on msdn here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ming/print.asp

03-17-2006, 04:53 AM	#1 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	[c++] Send a document to the printer? I am currently working on a program, and would like to give the user the option to print off a document directly from the application (the document would be dynamically generated by the program). I don't have the slightest clue on what is involved here. What would be the easiest and quickest way to go about doing this? I don't need to do anything fancy, no graphics or stylised layouts - it's just text (although graphics would be a nice bonus, though not strictly necessary). However, I don't have the time to spend days or weeks figuring it out. Any help would be appreciated. EDIT: Also, I am developing for Windows. __________________ Last edited by CSflim; 03-17-2006 at 07:19 AM..

03-17-2006, 07:18 AM	#3 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	Sorry, should have pointed out that I am on windows. Also the 'document' doesn't actually exist as a file. It is just some data in the program. I could always create a html file from the data and then have the program print that. __________________

03-17-2006, 07:45 AM	#4 (permalink)
cyrnel Adequate Location: In my angry-dome.	Specifics depend on the development environment. Do you already display in your own window or just use stdio library stuff? __________________ There are a vast number of people who are uninformed and heavily propagandized, but fundamentally decent. The propaganda that inundates them is effective when unchallenged, but much of it goes only skin deep. If they can be brought to raise questions and apply their decent instincts and basic intelligence, many people quickly escape the confines of the doctrinal system and are willing to do something to help others who are really suffering and oppressed." -Manufacturing Consent: Noam Chomsky and the Media, p. 195

03-17-2006, 08:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	Well the application is a game build on the Torque Game Engine. This engine does not provide any support for printing. So I will not be relying on that to do the printing, so you can pretty much imagine that I just have a bare bones c++ program that has some data in it, that I want to send to the printer somehow. Is there any library that I can download that would help me out? I was thinking that perhaps the simplest way would be to generate a html file from the data, and then tell the operating system to print this file, as if a user had right clicked the file and selected print, but I don't know how to do this. Do you think this is a good way to do this? And if so, how do I do it in code? __________________

03-18-2006, 08:37 AM	#7 (permalink)
CSflim Sky Piercer Location: Ireland	Ok, that's everyone for your input. I have decided to go with generating a html file, and then printing that - it seems the easiest way that is also reasonably flexible. If anyone is interested, the program will generate a temporary html file, and will then use the ShellExecute OS call to get windows to print it via the users web browser. The code to do this is on msdn here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/de...ming/print.asp __________________

03-17-2006, 07:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
Rekna Junkie	if your on linux you could write out a file and then use system("lpr filename") on windows you could probably do something similar.

03-17-2006, 04:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
Rekna Junkie	Googleing came up with a few examples using ostreams. I haven't tested it but you could try this http://www.reviewsonline.com/QA-C.HTM I think for this to work the printer has to be connected over lpt. Also I'm not sure printing an html document will work, nothing will parse that. You could try printing a postscript document or just do a plain text file.