can I print a specific control

[mech3]

I need to print a control that it is on the form. is there any way to do this
(the control is an add in graphic control)

 

[mjb3030]

What do you mean when you say add in graphic control? Is it a PictureBox? If not, do you have access to the image displayed on the control (as you would with a PictureBox). If so, you would just print that image using the Graphics.DrawImage method.

 

[mech3]

I have a plot graphic diagram object that externally installed on vb.net. I want to easily take a print out that plot.
thanks

 

[mjb3030]

OK. How about this? This does a print screen (form with control would have to be visible), stores the specified region as a bitmap, and then prints it.

[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Private [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Declare [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] keybd_event [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Lib[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] "user32" _
([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] bVk [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Byte[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2], _
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] bScan [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Byte[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2], _
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] dwFlags [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2], _
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] dwExtraInfo [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Integer[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2])[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]With Events[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] pd [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] b [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Bitmap[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Private [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Button1_Click([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] sender [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] System.Object, [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] e [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] System.EventArgs) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Handles[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Button1.Click
keybd_event(44, 0&, 0&, 0&) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'Copy screen to clipboard
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]Application.DoEvents()
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] bTemp [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Bitmap
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] data [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] IDataObject = Clipboard.GetDataObject [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'Get data from clipboard
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]If[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] data.GetDataPresent(DataFormats.Bitmap) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Then
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]bTemp = data.GetData(DataFormats.Bitmap, [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]True[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'Store as bitmap
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]If
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] r [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Rectangle = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]New[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Rectangle([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2].Location.X + ControlToPrint.Location.X, [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2].Location.Y + ControlToPrint.Location.Y, _
ControlToPrint.Width, ControlToPrint.Height) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'You will probably have to play with these figures
 
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]b = bTemp.Clone(r, Imaging.PixelFormat.DontCare) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#008000]'Create a new bitmap that contains only the specified region
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2]pd = [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]New[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument
pd.Print()
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]
[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Private [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] pd_PrintPage([/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] sender [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Object[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2], [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]ByVal[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] e [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs) [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Handles[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] pd.PrintPage
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] g [/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2] Graphics = e.Graphics
g.DrawImage(b, 10, 10)
[/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End [/COLOR][/SIZE][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE]

 

[kulrom]

Well, mjb303 has been very agile in answering questions on the forum and I couldn't resist to offer my comliments to him Good job mjb!

However, let me give some tips ....
The API function could be avoided in this case ... means

keybd_event(44, 0&, 0&, 0&) [COLOR=darkgreen]'Copy screen to clipboard[/COLOR]

could be replaced with this:

SendKeys.Send("%{PRTSC}") [COLOR=darkgreen]'alt + printscreen[/COLOR]

Also, do the next in order to save some memory:

Clipboard.SetDataObject(0)[COLOR=darkgreen] 'this will remove the image from the clipboard[/COLOR]

HTH
Regards

 

[mjb3030]

Thanks! For some reason, I had it in my head that you could not do a Print Screen with SendKeys. Good to know!

 

[mjb3030]

Of course, that will change your rectangle. Your bitmap will now only contain the form, not the entire screen, so you will have to change your coordinates accordingly.