README.md

Description

Easy code allows you to print any document on the computer using its default print handler. This is the same as if you right-click in the windows explorer and select Print. No command switches are needed. So simple I added a handy ShellExecute Error Handler.

More Info

To make it a public function for use in a bas, I use the form's Hwnd as a parameter. This hwnd is only used to retrieve errors. So if you only care about pass/fail you could leave that part out. Just pass the function the hwnd and the path to the file and call.

Submitted On
By	Jay Kreusch
Level	Beginner
User Rating	4.7 (28 globes from 6 users)
Compatibility	VB 5.0, VB 6.0
Category	Windows API Call/ Explanation
World	Visual Basic
Archive File

API Declarations

Private Declare Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteA" _
  (ByVal hwnd As Long, _
  ByVal lpszOp As String, _
  ByVal lpszFile As String, _
  ByVal lpszParams As String, _
  ByVal lpszDir As String, _
  ByVal FsShowCmd As Long) As Long
Private Const SE_ERR_FNF = 2&
Private Const SE_ERR_PNF = 3&
Private Const SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED = 5&
Private Const SE_ERR_OOM = 8&
Private Const SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND = 32&
Private Const SE_ERR_SHARE = 26&
Private Const SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE = 27&
Private Const SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT = 28&
Private Const SE_ERR_DDEFAIL = 29&
Private Const SE_ERR_DDEBUSY = 30&
Private Const SE_ERR_NOASSOC = 31&
Private Const ERROR_BAD_FORMAT = 11&

Source Code

Public Function ShellPrint(jFormHwnd As Long, FilePath As String) As String
  Dim Answer As Integer
  Dim Msg As String
  Answer = ShellExecute(jFormHwnd, "Print", FilePath, vbNullString, vbNullString, vbNormalFocus)
  If Answer <= 32 Then
    'There was an error
    Select Case Answer
      Case SE_ERR_FNF
        Msg = "File not found"
      Case SE_ERR_PNF
        Msg = "Path not found"
      Case SE_ERR_ACCESSDENIED
        Msg = "Access denied"
      Case SE_ERR_OOM
        Msg = "Out of memory"
      Case SE_ERR_DLLNOTFOUND
        Msg = "DLL not found"
      Case SE_ERR_SHARE
        Msg = "A sharing violation occurred"
      Case SE_ERR_ASSOCINCOMPLETE
        Msg = "Incomplete or invalid file association"
      Case SE_ERR_DDETIMEOUT
        Msg = "DDE Time out"
      Case SE_ERR_DDEFAIL
        Msg = "DDE transaction failed"
      Case SE_ERR_DDEBUSY
        Msg = "DDE busy"
      Case SE_ERR_NOASSOC
        Msg = "No association for file extension"
      Case ERROR_BAD_FORMAT
        Msg = "Invalid EXE file or error in EXE image"
      Case Else
        Msg = "Unknown error"
    End Select
  End If
  ShellPrint = Msg
End Function
Private Sub Command1_Click()
  Dim x As String
  x = ShellPrint(Me.hwnd, "C:\Bad File")
  If x <> vbNullString Then
    MsgBox x
  End If
End Sub