I am writing a script that searchs through a Mail Journal and prints to a PDF all messages to/from a particular person. I need to send the output to a specific printer (a PDF driver) and cannot figure out how the print function will do that unattended.
I cannot guarantee that the printer will be defaulted to the proper driver when the script runs so I have to be able to switch to it through the script.
Anyone have any ideas?
Subject: Selecting a printer in a script
I’ve seen this problem before. From what I remember we were not able to decide which printer to use from LotusScript. Some window-API was used to change the default printer of that computer to the PDF Writer, then a print command was run from Notes (using the default printer), then the default printer was returned to it’s previous choise. As far as I can remember the change of the default printer was done chenging som setting in the Windows Registry. Unfortunately I do not remember which windows-API was being used, but I hope this will bring you closer.
Subject: RE: Selecting a printer in a script
Ok, here’s the pieces I use to go to adobe writer and then back to the default printer. I’ll TRY and get all the pieces in here. I got them from some very wonderful person a few years ago, I just can’t remeber who! 
Ok, in the declarations of a script library I have:
Declare Function GetProfileString Lib “kernel32.dll” Alias “GetProfileStringA” ( _
Byval lpAppName As String, _
Byval lpKeyName As String, _
Byval lpDefault As String, _
Byval lpReturnedString As String, _
Byval nSize As Long ) As Long
Declare Function WriteProfileString Lib “kernel32.dll” Alias “WriteProfileStringA” ( _
Byval lpszSection As String, _
Byval lpszKeyName As String, _
Byval lpszString As String ) As Long
Declare Function SendMessage Lib “user32.dll” Alias “SendMessageA” ( _
Byval hwnd As Long, _
Byval wMsg As Long, _
Byval wParam As Long, _
lparam As Long ) As Long
Declare Sub SleepWin Lib “Kernel32.dll” Alias “Sleep” (Byval Milliseconds As Long)
Const ok_info = 64
Const ok_excl = 48
Const yesno_excl = 52
Const ok_stop = 16
Then…in the script to change the printer:
'Set default printer to be Adobe Writer
Dim szPrinter As String
szPrinter = "Acrobat PDFWriter"
On Error Goto ErrorHandler
Const HWND_BROADCAST = &HFFFF
Const WM_WININICHANGE = &H1A
Const WM_SETTINGCHANGE = &H1A
Dim rc As Long
Dim slength As Long
Dim SendCommand As String
Dim oldprinter As String
Dim t As Long
Dim buffer As Variant
buffer = Space(1024)
Dim buflen As Long
buflen = Len(buffer)
rc = GetProfileString( "Devices", szPrinter, "", buffer, buflen )
Dim drivername As String
Dim printerport As String
t = Instr(buffer, ",")
If t > 0 Then
drivername = Left(buffer, t - 1 )
k = Instr(t + 1, buffer, "," )
If k > 0 Then
printerport = Mid( buffer, t + 1, k - t - 1 )
End If
Else
Messagebox "You do not have the correct printer driver installed for this function. If the Adobe Acrobat PDFWriter Printer driver has been installed, please rename it to Acrobat PDFWriter."
Exit Sub
End If
buffer = String(128, 0)
slength = GetProfileString("Windows", "Device", "(error)", buffer, 128)
OldPrinter = Left(buffer, slength) ' extract the returned string from the buffer
If OldPrinter = "(error)" Then
Print "Could not read information from WIN.INI."
Else
Print "Original Printer: " & OldPrinter
End If
buffer = Space(1024)
buflen = Len(buffer)
rc = GetProfileString( "PrinterPorts", szPrinter, "", buffer, buflen )
i = Instr(buffer, ",")
If i > 0 Then
drivername = Left(buffer, i - 1 )
k = Instr( i + 1, buffer, "," )
If k > 0 Then
printerport = Mid( buffer, i + 1, k - i - 1 )
End If
End If
Dim newprinter As String
newprinter = szPrinter & "," & drivername & "," & printerport
rc = WriteProfileString( "windows", "Device", NewPrinter)
rc = SendMessage( HWND_BROADCAST, WM_SETTINGCHANGE,0,0)
Call SleepWin(3000)
'''''''''''''''''''''
I call Intelliprint after that and go through that whole thing, so I don’t know what you’ll have to do. After that’s finished, I change it back to the default printer:
'change default printer back
rc = WriteProfileString( "windows", "Device", OldPrinter)
rc = SendMessage( HWND_BROADCAST, WM_SETTINGCHANGE,0,0)
Call SleepWin(3000)
buffer = String(128, 0)
slength = GetProfileString("Windows", "Device", "(error)", buffer, 128)
NewPrinter = Left(buffer, slength) ' extract the returned string from the buffer
If NewPrinter = "(error)" Then
Print "Could not read information from WIN.INI."
Else
If NewPrinter = OldPrinter Then
Print "Original Printer: " & OldPrinter
Else
While NewPrinter <> OldPrinter
rc = WriteProfileString( "windows", "Device", OldPrinter)
rc = SendMessage( HWND_BROADCAST, WM_SETTINGCHANGE,0,0)
Call SleepWin(3000)
buffer = String(128, 0)
slength = GetProfileString("Windows", "Device", "(error)", buffer, 128)
NewPrinter = Left(buffer, slength) ' extract the returned string from the buffer
Wend
End If
End If
I hope this helps you!
Deb
Subject: RE: Selecting a printer in a script
Hi!
I want to change printer to pdf and print a document in pdf and replace the printer. I try this script but the printer change is doing only when i close notes. When i clic on the botton, the printer is changing to adobe and it’s printing my document on the printer and it’s changing on the old printer. Why my document is printing on printer and not in pdf? I try reloadwindow without success.
Estelle
Subject: Selecting a printer in a script
There’s an WinAPI for setting the default printer:
Const HWND_BROADCAST As Long = &HFFFF&
Const WM_WININICHANGE As Long = &H1A
Declare Function SendNotifyMessage Lib “user32” Alias “SendNotifyMessageA” (ByVal hwnd As Long, ByVal msg As Long, ByVal wParam As Long, lParam As Any) As Long
Declare Function SetDefaultPrinter Lib “winspool.drv” Alias “SetDefaultPrinterA” ByVal pszPrinter As String) As Long
'Change the printer by sending the name of the printer as a parameter:
SetDefaultPrinter “Acrobat PDF Writer” 'or what the name of Your printer is…
'Must also notify windows that the change has been made:
Call SendNotifyMessage(HWND_BROADCAST, WM_WININICHANGE, 0, ByVal “windows”)
’ — CODE END —
That’s it!
hth
Subject: RE: Selecting a printer in a script
That is interesting but how would you incorporate it into a lotuscript agent? I am not familiar with the WinAPI.
Subject: Add the script he provided to your agent
Subject: Selecting a printer in a script
If you look in the FAQ of FAQs, printer selection section, you’ll find a complete method to print pdfs. There are a number of other links to various printing functions in the FAQ of FAQs that may be worth your time checking. Finally, a search of this forum and the R4/5 forum will provide even more information on the issues.
HTH
Doug