Printing current Child Form - includes some of Parent Form?

[thebatfink]

Hi!

I'm using the code here - How to: Print a Windows Form to achieve printing of my form. It works well except for its chopping the bottom of my form off.

I can understand why this is happening, but not how to change its behaviour.

My app has a main parent form and all other forms (the ones I am printing) open inside this form as a child. The code on the msdn is obviously looking for the x y coordinates to get the position and size of my form. Its getting the correct size (ie the size of the child form) but its using the position of the main form..

Anyone have any suggestions for modifying the code?

Thanks!
Batfink

 

[thebatfink]

Having experimented some more, it actually just seems to be offsetting the vertical coordinate by some distance above my actual form, approx the height of the titlebar of the form and its toolstrip (maybe a little bit more). The horizontal coordinate is ok..

 

[JohnH]

The location of a client control is relative to its parent (the same goes for mdi child forms), you can say that location is a "client Point". You need to translate that to a "screen Point", and for that purpose there is the PointToScreen method.

 

[thebatfink]

That's kind of easier said than done.. but having toiled over many webpages I think I managed to use PointToScreen in a meaningful way, but it still doesn't print exactly my form. Its cutting off the titlebar and a small part (handful of pixels) of the left of the form.

What I can't be sure is if its a print formatting issue as for the life of me I can not make it display a print dialogue rather than just firing out the document to the default printer.

I can't beliebe the most complex thing I have come across so far is simply printing?!

This is what I have so far..

    Private Sub CaptureScreen()
        Dim myGraphics As Graphics = Me.CreateGraphics()
        Dim s As Size = Me.Size
        memoryImage = New Bitmap(s.Width, s.Height, myGraphics)
        Dim memoryGraphics As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(memoryImage)
        Dim xPoint As Point
        xPoint = Me.PointToScreen(New Point(Me.Location.X, Me.Location.Y))
        memoryGraphics.CopyFromScreen(xPoint.X, xPoint.Y, 0, 0, s)
    End Sub

    Private Sub printDocument1_PrintPage(ByVal sender As System.Object, _
       ByVal e As System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs) Handles _
       printDocument1.PrintPage
        e.Graphics.DrawImage(memoryImage, 0, 0)
    End Sub

    Private Sub PrintToolStripButton_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles _
       PrintToolStripButton.Click
        CaptureScreen()
        printDocument1.Print()
    End Sub

 

[JohnH]

Instance.PointToScreen method translates a client point relative to instance to screen point. As mentioned before, a client point is a point that is relative to its parent, so it is the parent that must translate that point to screen point.

Dim screen = Me.Parent.PointToScreen(Me.Location)

for the life of me I can not make it display a print dialogue rather than just firing out the document to the default printer.

Did you try the PrintPreviewDialog in Printing section of Toolbox?

 

[thebatfink]

Hi, that helped. It prints much better now but its still chopping the left side few pixels off. But I think this is the printer settings as its printing right to the edge of the paper. I used this code as you suggested

[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]    
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Private[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] CaptureScreen()[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] myGraphics [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af]Graphics[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] = [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2].CreateGraphics()[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] s [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af]Size[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] = [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2].Size[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        memoryImage = 
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]New[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af]Bitmap[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2](s.Width, s.Height, myGraphics)[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] memoryGraphics [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]As[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af]Graphics[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] = [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#2b91af]Graphics[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2].FromImage(memoryImage)[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Dim[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2] screen = [/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2].Parent.PointToScreen([/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Me[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2].Location)[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2]        memoryGraphics.CopyFromScreen(screen.X, screen.Y, 0, 0, s)
    
[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]End[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff][FONT=Consolas][SIZE=2][COLOR=#0000ff]Sub[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

so thanks for that!

I saw the print preview dialog in the tool box but when I drag it to my form, it doesn't add any controls and I'm very much an amateur with VB. I guess I'm going to need to find some books or something to read on printing in .NET. Hard work!!

I'm going to have to sort it though because I want the ability for people to change printers and colour settings etc. Thanks for your help, its appreciated.

 

[JohnH]

when I drag it to my form, it doesn't add any controls

PrintPreviewDialog is a component, Windows Forms Designer

Non-visual components added to the Windows Forms Designer are placed on the Component Tray, located below the design surface, so that they are easily accessible without cluttering the visual design space.

But I think this is the printer settings as its printing right to the edge of the paper.

e.Graphics.DrawImage(memoryImage, 0, 0)

That is probably true, many printers will not print at the very edge of paper, normally one should print page content only within margin bounds. The printing Graphics origin should be set to printable area, but maybe the printer doesn't accurately report this.

e.Graphics.DrawImage(memoryImage, e.MarginBounds.Location)

There is also the PrintDocument.OriginAtMargins property that would set the printing Graphics origin (point 0,0) at MarginBounds.Location.