Print Multiple Page Image with Visual Basic 2005

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Print Multiple Page Image with Visual Basic 2005

9/20/2006 PrintMultiplePageImageVisualBasic2005.zip

This article discusses how to print a multiple page image and provides sample code in a Visual Studio 2005 solution. The process involves calculating an array of rectangles where each rectangle defines a page size chunk of the image. The rectangles are then used to extract a page sized chunk from the image for each page to be printed.

Code Example One

Before it can be printed, a large image must be divided into page size chunks. In the sample code this is accomplished with the CalculatePages method:

Private Sub CalculatePages(ByVal theImage As Image)

' Declare a variable named thePrinterSettings of type PrinterSettings;

' call the PrinterSettings class' New constructor assigning the resulting

' PrinterSettings object to thePrinterSettings variable.

Dim thePrinterSettings As New PrinterSettings

' Calcuate Page Width

Me._PageWidth = (thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.PaperSize.Width - thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.Margins.Left - thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.Margins.Right)

' Calculate Page Height

Me._PageHeight = (thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.PaperSize.Height - thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.Margins.Top - thePrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings.Margins.Bottom)

' Calculate Pages Wide

Me._PagesWide = CInt(Math.Ceiling((theImage.Width / Me._PageWidth)))

' Calculate Pages Tall

Me._PagesTall = CInt(Math.Ceiling((theImage.Height / Me._PageHeight)))

' Declare a variable of type Rectangle array;

' set its capacity to hold a rectangle for each of the pages to be printed.

Dim pagesRectangles((Me._PagesTall * Me._PagesWide) - 1) As Rectangle

' Declare variables to hold coordinates as each pages rectangle is calculated.

Dim LeftX, LeftY, RightX, RightY As Integer

' Declare variable to add rectangles to pagesRectangle elements.

Dim rectNumber As Integer = 0

' Process the image into an array of rectangles; each rectangle

' contains the coordinates to extract part of the image to a printed page.

For row As Integer = 0 To Me._PagesTall - 1

For col As Integer = 0 To Me._PagesWide - 1

LeftX = col * Me._PageWidth

LeftY = row * Me._PageHeight

RightX = (LeftX + Me._PageWidth)

RightY = (LeftY + Me._PageHeight)

' Add a rectangle for the page to pagesRectangles.

pagesRectangles(rectNumber) = New Rectangle(LeftX, LeftY, RightX, RightY)

rectNumber += 1

' Assign pagesRectangle object to _pagesRectangles variable.

Me._pageRectangles = pagesRectangles

End Sub

Code Example Two

After the page size chunks have converted into image coordinates they can be used to print each page size chunk one at a time:

Private Sub PrintImage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As Printing.PrintPageEventArgs)

' Declare a variable named pageImage of type Bitmap;

' Call the BitMap class' New constructor assigning the resulting

' Bitmap object to the pageImage variable.

Dim pageImage As New Bitmap(Me._PageWidth, Me._PageHeight)

' Declare a variable named pageImageGraphics of type Graphics;

' call the Graphics class' FromImage method assigning the resulting

' Graphics object to the pageImageGraphics variable.

Dim pageImageGraphics As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(pageImage)

' Call thePageImageGraphics object's DrawImage method to draw

' a portion of the image being printed to the pageImage BitMap.

pageImageGraphics.DrawImage(Me._LargeImage, 0, 0, Me._pageRectangles(Me._PagesPrinted), GraphicsUnit.Pixel)

' Call the PrintPageEventArgs DrawImage method to draw pageImage to the printer.

e.Graphics.DrawImage(pageImage, New Point(e.MarginBounds.Left, e.MarginBounds.Top))

' Increment _PagePrinted.

_PagesPrinted += 1

' If all pages have been printed - either during preview or print - set

' the PrintPageEventsArgs HasMorePages property to false to stop printing.

If Me._PagesPrinted = (Me._pageRectangles.GetLength(0)) Then

e.HasMorePages = False

' Reset _PagesPrinted to 0 for the next print operation.

Me._PagesPrinted = 0

Else

' If not all pages have been printed set the PrintPageEventArgs HasMorePages

' property to True so the next page will be printed.

e.HasMorePages = True

End If

End Sub

For more information visit the links below:

PrintDocument Class

PrinterSettings Class

PrintDialog Class

Click the link above to download Visual Basic source code in a Visual Studio 2005 solution which demonstrates how to print a multiple page image.

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