Print Job properties - can I change them?

[Dave Goerlich]

I have 4 documents that I need to print (in order) on a network print
queue. I'm using a shell command to print PDF files via the Adobe Reader.
I'm getting my output in the correct order, however, I need to print the

first document (a cover letter) on the letter head available in tray 2 on

the printer. My problem is that Adobe Reader does not support printing to

anything other than the default printer with the default settings, which
is
fine except for this first document. So, I'm down to accessing the printer
queue via API's from my VB application. This application needs to run with

no user interface, so I have to be able to solve this in code (no user
intervention).

Basically what I _think_ I need to do is:

1) Pause the print queue
2) Print the cover letter
3) Modify the print job in the queue via API calls to use paper from tray
2
4) Print the other 3 documents
5) Resume the print queue

The other solution would be a 3rd party DLL of some kind that would allow
me to print PDF files with more than just the default settings on the
default printer. I did download the Adobe SDK, but it doesn't look like

they provide the functionality I need.

Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Dave

[Darin]

Dude, you're trying too hard<g>

Adobe installs an OCX (normally in Program
files\adobe\acrobat4\reader\activex called PDF.OCX


It's got all sorts of print methods. At the very least, you should be able
to configure the active printer for your application the way you need it,
then use the OCX to print the file to the applications active printer.

That should be a lot more stable than using shell. And you shouldn't have to
mess with the users default printer (if anybody might be using the computer)

Hope that helps...


"Dave Goerlich" <bbeep71@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3b657ee8$1@news.devx.com...
>
> I have 4 documents that I need to print (in order) on a network print
> queue. I'm using a shell command to print PDF files via the Adobe Reader.
> I'm getting my output in the correct order, however, I need to print the
>
> first document (a cover letter) on the letter head available in tray 2 on
>
> the printer. My problem is that Adobe Reader does not support printing to
>
> anything other than the default printer with the default settings, which
> is
> fine except for this first document. So, I'm down to accessing the
printer
> queue via API's from my VB application. This application needs to run
with
>
> no user interface, so I have to be able to solve this in code (no user
> intervention).
>
> Basically what I _think_ I need to do is:
>
> 1) Pause the print queue
> 2) Print the cover letter
> 3) Modify the print job in the queue via API calls to use paper from tray
> 2
> 4) Print the other 3 documents
> 5) Resume the print queue
>
> The other solution would be a 3rd party DLL of some kind that would allow
> me to print PDF files with more than just the default settings on the
> default printer. I did download the Adobe SDK, but it doesn't look like
>
> they provide the functionality I need.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance!
>
> Dave
>
>

[Darin]

Dude, you're trying too hard<g>

Adobe installs an OCX (normally in Program
files\adobe\acrobat4\reader\activex called PDF.OCX


It's got all sorts of print methods. At the very least, you should be able
to configure the active printer for your application the way you need it,
then use the OCX to print the file to the applications active printer.

That should be a lot more stable than using shell. And you shouldn't have to
mess with the users default printer (if anybody might be using the computer)

Hope that helps...


"Dave Goerlich" <bbeep71@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3b657ee8$1@news.devx.com...
>
> I have 4 documents that I need to print (in order) on a network print
> queue. I'm using a shell command to print PDF files via the Adobe Reader.
> I'm getting my output in the correct order, however, I need to print the
>
> first document (a cover letter) on the letter head available in tray 2 on
>
> the printer. My problem is that Adobe Reader does not support printing to
>
> anything other than the default printer with the default settings, which
> is
> fine except for this first document. So, I'm down to accessing the
printer
> queue via API's from my VB application. This application needs to run
with
>
> no user interface, so I have to be able to solve this in code (no user
> intervention).
>
> Basically what I _think_ I need to do is:
>
> 1) Pause the print queue
> 2) Print the cover letter
> 3) Modify the print job in the queue via API calls to use paper from tray
> 2
> 4) Print the other 3 documents
> 5) Resume the print queue
>
> The other solution would be a 3rd party DLL of some kind that would allow
> me to print PDF files with more than just the default settings on the
> default printer. I did download the Adobe SDK, but it doesn't look like
>
> they provide the functionality I need.
>
> Anybody have any ideas? Thanks in advance!
>
> Dave
>
>

[Dave]

"Darin" <darin at earthling dot net> wrote:
>Dude, you're trying too hard<g>
>
>Adobe installs an OCX (normally in Program
>files\adobe\acrobat4\reader\activex called PDF.OCX
>
>
>It's got all sorts of print methods. At the very least, you should be able
>to configure the active printer for your application the way you need it,
>then use the OCX to print the file to the applications active printer.

Darin,

Thanks for the response! Actually, I already looked into that solution.
The problem there is that it will only accept the default printer (unless
you use the printWithDialog method, which doesn't help this unattended process).
So that really leaves me back at the same position.

Dave

[Dave]

"Darin" <darin at earthling dot net> wrote:
>Dude, you're trying too hard<g>
>
>Adobe installs an OCX (normally in Program
>files\adobe\acrobat4\reader\activex called PDF.OCX
>
>
>It's got all sorts of print methods. At the very least, you should be able
>to configure the active printer for your application the way you need it,
>then use the OCX to print the file to the applications active printer.

Darin,

Thanks for the response! Actually, I already looked into that solution.
The problem there is that it will only accept the default printer (unless
you use the printWithDialog method, which doesn't help this unattended process).
So that really leaves me back at the same position.

Dave