HOWTO: Send Raw Data to a Printer by Using the Win32 API

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This article was previously published under Q138594

SUMMARY

It is sometimes necessary to send printer-specific data directly to a printer, bypassing the driver. The Win32 API provides a do it that works on local and networked printers. This method can be used to replace the PASSTHROUGH escape and SpoolFile() methods used in previous versions of the Windows API.

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MORE INFORMATION

Sample Code

You can use the following code to send raw data directly to a printer in Windows NT or Windows 95.

   // RawDataToPrinter - sends binary data directly to a printer
   // 
   // Params:
   //   szPrinterName - NULL terminated string specifying printer name
   //   lpData        - Pointer to raw data bytes
   //   dwCount       - Length of lpData in bytes
   // 
   // Returns: TRUE for success, FALSE for failure.
   // 
   BOOL RawDataToPrinter(LPSTR szPrinterName, LPBYTE lpData, DWORD dwCount)
   {
     HANDLE     hPrinter;
     DOC_INFO_1 DocInfo;
     DWORD      dwJob;
     DWORD      dwBytesWritten;

     // Need a handle to the printer.
     if( ! OpenPrinter( szPrinterName, &hPrinter, NULL ) )
       return FALSE;

     // Fill in the structure with info about this "document."
     DocInfo.pDocName = "My Document";
     DocInfo.pOutputFile = NULL;
     DocInfo.pDatatype = "RAW";
     // Inform the spooler the document is beginning.
     if( (dwJob = StartDocPrinter( hPrinter, 1, (LPSTR)&DocInfo )) == 0 )
     {
       ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
       return FALSE;
     }
     // Start a page.
     if( ! StartPagePrinter( hPrinter ) )
     {
       EndDocPrinter( hPrinter );
       ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
       return FALSE;
     }
     // Send the data to the printer.
     if( ! WritePrinter( hPrinter, lpData, dwCount, &dwBytesWritten ) )
     {
       EndPagePrinter( hPrinter );
       EndDocPrinter( hPrinter );
       ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
       return FALSE;
     }
     // End the page.
     if( ! EndPagePrinter( hPrinter ) )
     {
       EndDocPrinter( hPrinter );
       ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
       return FALSE;
     }
     // Inform the spooler that the document is ending.
     if( ! EndDocPrinter( hPrinter ) )
     {
       ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
       return FALSE;
     }
     // Tidy up the printer handle.
     ClosePrinter( hPrinter );
     // Check to see if correct number of bytes were written.
     if( dwBytesWritten != dwCount )
       return FALSE;
     return TRUE;
   }

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

RAWPRN.EXE (http://download.microsoft.com/download/platformsdk/utility/95/win98/en-us/rawprn.exe)

Release Date: February 10, 2000

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

119591 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/119591/EN-US/ ) How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

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