VBA to change printer properties

Topic

New Reply

Can I use a VBA macro (Word 2000) to change printer settings, i.e., change print quality? If so, how?

It is an awful nuisance for the user to have go through the steps necessary to chance settings. There ought to be a faster way.

Thanks.

Reply | Quote

Replies

Thanks; I saw your question related to this issue a while back. I was hoping that someone might have found a way around this.

Reply | Quote

From the API-Guide for the Windows API call to PrintDialog:
Edited by Charlotte to stop horizontal scrolling

'Call the print dialog up and let the user make changes
    If PrintDialog(PrintDlg)  0 Then

        'First get the DevName structure.
        lpDevName = GlobalLock(PrintDlg.hDevNames)
        CopyMemory DevName, ByVal lpDevName, 45
        bReturn = GlobalUnlock(lpDevName)
        GlobalFree PrintDlg.hDevNames

        'Next get the DevMode structure and set the printer
        'properties appropriately
        lpDevMode = GlobalLock(PrintDlg.hDevMode)
        CopyMemory DevMode, ByVal lpDevMode, Len(DevMode)
        bReturn = GlobalUnlock(PrintDlg.hDevMode)
        GlobalFree PrintDlg.hDevMode
        NewPrinterName = UCase$(Left(DevMode.dmDeviceName,  _
              InStr(DevMode.dmDeviceName, Chr$(0)) - 1))
        If Printer.DeviceName  NewPrinterName Then
            For Each objPrinter In Printers
                If UCase$(objPrinter.DeviceName) = NewPrinterName Then
                    Set Printer = objPrinter
                    'set printer toolbar name at this point
                End If
            Next
        End If

        On Error Resume Next
        'Set printer object properties according to selections made
        'by user
        Printer.Copies = DevMode.dmCopies
        Printer.Duplex = DevMode.dmDuplex
        Printer.Orientation = DevMode.dmOrientation
        Printer.PaperSize = DevMode.dmPaperSize
        Printer.PrintQuality = DevMode.dmPrintQuality
        Printer.ColorMode = DevMode.dmColor
        Printer.PaperBin = DevMode.dmDefaultSource
        On Error GoTo 0
    End If

Notice the PrintQuality property. There may be some hope for you there. Check out the API. It may be your only possibility.

Reply | Quote

Al,

>>However, from my previous thread, there are many properties/options not available to VB/VBA.

And my guess as to why this is so: printer property sheets reflect the features available for each printer. Each new printer has new features that Windows could never account for unless…

…unless the Windows API could hook into the actual printer driver and you, the programmer, had access to that specific printer driver objects.

Reply | Quote