LitePrint

• Download demo project - 294.0 KB
• Download source - 12.2 KB

Introduction

This set of classes enables printing without using doc/view architecture. This allows you to print directly from your dialog or from any part of your MFC-based application. The code was based on A. Fraydl's "Creating a Printing Class" and George Papaioannou's "Quick Print." Improvements include:

• UNICODE support
• Unlimited number of fonts and table columns
• Each table column can now use different alignment
• Columns can be sized to fit between page margins
• Better bitmap printing
• Loading bitmaps from external file
• Setting/restoring font for document's header and footer

Using the code

The only thing that you have to do is declare the CLitePrint object and start using it. This generic code shows typical usage:

Void CLitePrintDemoDlg::OnPrintButton ()
{
    CLitePrint prt;
    HLTFONT hFont;

    // Step 1 : call the CPrintDialog
    if (prt.Dialog() == -1)
    return;

    //Step 2 : Start the Print
    prt.StartPrint();      

    //Step 3 : Create a printing font
    hFont = prt.AddFontToEnvironment(_T("Arial"),8,8);     

    //Step 4 : Start Page
    prt.StartPage(); 

    //Step 5 : The actual printing goes here
    prt.PrintText(hFont,_T("Example Text"),FORMAT_NORMAL);   

    //Step 6 :  now end the page
    prt.EndPage();

    //Step 7 :  close the print document
    //          and release it in the spooler
    prt.EndPrint();  
}

An external, user-defined header/footer function is called each time the printing reaches the beginning or the end of a page. An example that prints a logo image, lines and page numbers is given bellow:

void FHeadFoot(CLitePrint* lp,int sides, bool hf)
{
    HLTFONT af = lp->SetHFFont();
    COLORREF tc = lp->GetTextColor();
    lp->SetTextColor(RGB(0,0,0));
    if (hf) //if header
    {
        lp->LF();
        CSize sz;
        sz.cx = 100;
        sz.cy = 50;
        lp->PrintBitmap(IDB_BITMAP2, FORMAT_LEFT, &sz);
        lp->Line(PS_SOLID);
        lp->PrintText(lp->GetActiveFont(),
            _T("Report Document"),FORMAT_CENTER);
        CString nmb;
        nmb.Format(_T("Page %d"),sides);
        lp->PrintText(lp->GetActiveFont(),nmb,FORMAT_RIGHT);
        lp->Line(PS_SOLID,5,RGB(230,200,20));
        lp->LF();
    }
    else //if footer
    {
        CString>nmb;
        nmb.Format(_T("Page %d"),sides);
        lp->PrintText(lp->GetActiveFont(),nmb,FORMAT_CENTER);
        lp->LF(lp->GetActiveFont());
        lp->LF(lp->GetActiveFont());
    }
    lp->SetActiveFont(af);
    lp->SetTextColor(tc);
}

To use tables, one has to define the column widths and alignment. Some helper code has been developed for this purpose. Just fill in the vector with the column's data and pass it to the SetTableColumns() function. Optional parameters will force the columns to occupy complete space between the margins:

vColData vd;
vd.push_back(Col(300,FORMAT_CENTER));
vd.push_back(Col(100,FORMAT_LEFT));
vd.push_back(Col(300,FORMAT_CENTER));
...
prt.SetTableColumns(vd);
//prt.SetTableColumns(vd,TRUE); //fit width

Points of interest

More details about all of the functions can be found in the demo project. Note that print preview is not developed yet. Please, if you see any problems with these classes, feel free to send questions. Good luck!

History

• 23 July, 2007 -- Original version posted

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)