I've seen a few posts regarding printing PDF files and am wondering which way to go. I would like to create a button that the user can click and automatically send a PDF file to the printer.

I creatd the following code but cannot get anything to print. The object loads and the pdf file loads but nothing comes out to print.

I am also looking at doing it with ShellExecute but am wondering if I can/should take advantage of the VSPDF.ocx, VSPRINT7.ocx or other, and how I would accomplish that.

Thanks

Function [/color][/size]Print_PDF[/color][/size]([/size]PDFFile[/size],[/size]Options[/size]) 
[/size]* 
[/color]PDFFile [/color][/size]= [/size]"c:\temp\test.pdf" 
[/color]Options [/color][/size]= [/size]"" 
[/color]* 
[/color]PDFOBJ [/color][/size]= [/size]OLECreateInstance[/size]([/size]"AcroPDF.PDF.1"[/color]) 
Status=[/color]OleStatus[/size]() 
[/size]If [/color]Status [/color]then 
   Call [/color]Msg([/color]""[/color],[/color]'OLE Error code: '[/color]:Status) 
[/color]End Else 
   [/color]x [/color][/size]= [/size]OLECallMethod[/size]([/size]PDFOBJ[/size],[/size]"loadFile"[/color],[/color]PDFFile[/size]) 
   Status=[/size]OleStatus[/size]() 
   [/size]If [/color]status [/color]then 
      Call [/color]Msg([/color]""[/color],[/color]'OLE Error code: '[/color]:Status) 
   [/color]end Else 
      [/color]* Give time for the document to load 
      [/color]Call [/color]Yield[/color][/size]() 
      [/size]* 
      [/color]y [/color][/size]= [/size]OLECallMethod[/size](PDFOBJ[/size],[/size]"printAll"[/color]) 
      Status=[/color]OleStatus[/size]() 
      [/size]if [/color]Status [/color]then 
         Call [/color]Msg([/color]@window[/color],[/color]'OLE Error code: '[/color]:Status) 
      [/color]end 
   End 
End 
[/color]* 
[/color]Return [/color]0[/color][/size]         
               

Well I couldn't get this to work so I created a work around if anyone is interested. I would still like to know what is wrong with the function but the following is a 'clunky' solution.

1. Create a window/form called Print_PDF

2. Add and OLE control, name it OLE_PDF, for the text user AcroPDF.PDF.1

3. Make the control invisible

4. Add a test control "Your PDF file has been sent to the printer"

5. Add a button control, text=Ok", quick event-] close window

6. Add the following to the "CREATE" event

<code>

[/color][/size]     

<code> Call Set_Property(@WINDOW:".OLE_PDF","VISIBLE",0)

PDFFile=CreateParam If CreateParam=" Then Option=PrintWithDialog" Else Option=CreateParam If PDFFile # "" Then

 Var=Send_Message(@WINDOW:".OLE_PDF","LoadFile",PDFFile) 
 Call Yield() 
 If Var=0 Then 
    Call Set_Property(@WINDOW,"VISIBLE",0)    
    Call Msg("","Error loading PDF file!||Value passed=:PDFFile:"","STANDARD_HALT") 
    Call End_Dialog(@WINDOW) 
 End Else 
    Call Send_Message(@WINDOW:".OLE_PDF",Option) 
    Call Yield("") 
 End 

End Else

 Call Set_Property(@WINDOW,"VISIBLE",0)    
 Call Msg("","No PDF file passed to print!","STANDARD_INFO") 
 Call End_Dialog(@WINDOW) 

End

RETURN 0[/color][/size]

7. Call this from a function or event using

 Call Dialog_Box("PRINT_PDF",@WINDOW,PDFFileToPrint:@FM:PrintOpt)

Note: if a MSG is sent then the window will close by itself. If not then the PRINT_PDF window is left visible and the user clicks "Ok" to close.

Any improvements, suggestions, and other ways of doing this are appreciated.

View this thread on the Works forum...