How to set filenamn when printing to a PDF-file?

[Fim Wästberg]

Is it possible to put file names from a PB program when you choose to print to a PDF file?
Google gave me no help.

[Stuart McLachlan]

How are you printing to a PDF file? Many PDF print drivers will use the optional JobName parameter of XPRINT ATTACH.

[Fim Wästberg]

Stuart, I will test JobName parameter of XPRINT ATTACH.

[Fim Wästberg]

No, it does not work with JobName parameter of XPRINT ATTACH when using "Microsoft Print to PDF"

[Jim Fritts]

Fim,
What about:
XPRINT ATTACH CHOOSE USING %PD_PRINTTOFILE, JobName$

[Fim Wästberg]

Jim, no it does not work.

[Anne Wilson]

What about converting a text file directly to pdf ?

Try this program
https://powerbasic.com/support/pbfor...ad.php?t=24199

[Fim Wästberg]

Anne, thanks, but there are grapics in the print file

[Borje Hagsten]

I have used simple ShellExecute to print PDF files, like (adjust filepath and PDFilename)

    ShellExecute(0, "print", "C:\PathToFile\FileName.pdf", "", "", 0)

Probably exist other ways, but being a lazy programmer I like easy ways..

[Jim Fritts]

Hmm,
I'm a thinking he is trying to create the name of the file to print to when he selects print as PDF. Just saying...

If CHOOSE is specified, the Choose Printer common dialog is opened, allowing the user to select from the list of installed printers.

He must not be seeing the Print Dialog. With this flag %PD_PRINTTOFILE selected you should be allowed to name the file.

Fim, if everything is programmed correctly you should see this dialog Save Print Output As.

I'd suggest not using XPRINT ATTACH DEFAULT in this situation.

[Dale Yarker]

As far as I can tell JobName$ simply replaces "Printjob" when getting the status of the printer. Like Printjob1 printing | Printjob2 queued.

If a pdf converter is attached (XPRINT ATTACH), then that software gets the file name to save the pdf as. Then you would use XPRINT PRINT or XPRINT RENDER, or something to send text and/or images to the converter attached like a hardware printer.

[Jim Fritts]

Fim,
This is what I am talking about:
Make sure to use a BMP photo at least 800 by 600 to make it very easy to see in the PDF.
The file that is created will be located in the location you assign it in the Print Dialog.
Once you select the printer and click OK you must manually name the file in the next dialog that pops up Save Print Output As.

Is there an automated way of naming the file? IDK
Here is some insightful info to use other methods:
https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/u...ntly-print-pdf

#COMPILE EXE
#DIM ALL

FUNCTION PBMAIN()
 LOCAL JobName AS STRING

 JobName = "MyJob"    'this is the name of the print job

    ' Print to printer
    XPRINT ATTACH CHOOSE USING %PD_PRINTTOFILE, JobName
    XPRINT SET ORIENTATION 2
    XPRINT RENDER "photo.bmp", (0, 0) - (2422 * 2, 1864 * 2)
    XPRINT CLOSE

END FUNCTION

I'm thinking that Jose' cPDF would be the way to go.

[Stuart McLachlan]

I use PDFCreator from http://www.pdfforge.org/pdfcreator That uses the JobName as the filename.

[Dave Biggs]

I use CutePDF Writer which also respects the JobName$. Unfortunately Windows 10 'Microsoft Print To PDF' print driver does not.

Hooking the 'Save Print Output As' Dialog might offer a way out but that Dialog is complex - not easy to identify the control to use WM_SETTEXT.
Another option could be to use a timer, wait until the Dialog is displayed and then send the text with SendInput()..
Ugly Example..

' Windows 10
#Compile Exe
#Dim All
#Include "win32api.inc"

 Declare Function PostThreadMessage Lib "USER32.DLL" Alias "PostThreadMessageA" (ByVal idThread As Dword, ByVal uMsg As Dword, ByVal wParam As Dword, ByVal lParam As Long) As Long

Sub SendText(hWnd As Dword, sText As WString)
 Local tinp     As INPUTAPI
 Local i        As Long
 Local wszText  As WStringZ * %Max_Path

   SetForegroundWindow hWnd
   Sleep 20
    wszText = sText
    tinp.dtype   = %INPUT_KEYBOARD
    tinp.iki.wVk = 0

    For i = 1 To Len(wszText)
      tinp.iki.dwFlags = %KEYEVENTF_UNICODE
      tinp.iki.wScan   = Asc(Mid$(wszText, i, 1))
      SendInput 1, ByVal VarPtr(tinp), SizeOf(tinp)

      tinp.iki.dwFlags = %KEYEVENTF_UNICODE Or %KEYEVENTF_KEYUP
      SendInput 1, ByVal VarPtr(tinp), SizeOf(tinp)
    Next i

End Sub
'------------------/SendText

Thread Function TimerThread(ByVal dwVar As Dword) As Long
 Static TimerID As Dword
 Local Msg      As TAGMSG
    ' Start the timer
    TimerID = SetTimer(%NULL, %NULL, 500, CodePtr(TimerProc))  ' Post %WM_TIMER msg to TimerProc every 500 msec
                                                                ' Loop passes msg on to TimerProc until..
    While GetMessage(Msg, %NULL, %NULL, %NULL) <> 0             ' %WM_QUIT causes  GetMessage to return '0'
      DispatchMessage Msg                                       ' DispatchMessage passes %WM_TIMER on to TimerProc.
    Wend

  KillTimer %NULL, TimerID                                      ' Kill the timer
  WinBeep 300,500
End Function
'------------------/TimerThread

Sub TimerProc(ByVal hWnd As Dword, ByVal uMsg As Long, ByVal TimerID As Long, ByVal dwTime As Dword)
  Static TimerCount As Long
  Local hMSPDF As Dword
  Select Case uMsg
    Case %WM_Timer                                              ' Timer has 'fired'
      Incr TimerCount
 '      WinBeep 500,200
      If hMSPDF = 0 Then
        hMSPDF = FindWindow("#32770", "Save Print Output As")
        If hMSPDF Then
          SendText hMSPDF, "NewPrintJob" ' + $CRLF
          PostThreadMessage GetCurrentThreadID, %WM_Quit, 0, 0
        End If
      End If
      If TimerCount = 10 Then                                    ' Bail out after n intervals
        PostThreadMessage (GetCurrentThreadID, %WM_Quit, 0, 0)    ' Signal Quit to Msg Loop
      End If
  End Select
End Sub
'------------------/TimerProc

Function PBMain
 Local sTemp As String
 Local hThread, dwVar As Dword

  Thread Create TimerThread(dwVar) To hThread                ' Create monitor thread just before XPRINT Statements
  Thread Close hThread To hThread                            ' Release thread handle - not used here

  XPrint Attach "Microsoft Print To PDF", "JobName2"         ' JobName$ not recieved by MS Prnt 2 PDF Dialog
 '  XPRINT ATTACH "CutePDF Writer" ', "JobName2"             ' Ok with PDFCreator and CutePDF Writer
  XPrint "hi there gang"
  XPrint Close

    Do: Sleep 50: Loop Until ThreadCount = 1
 '  ? "Done"
End Function
'------------------/PBMain

[Raymond Leech]

CutePDF will let you avoid the "Save As" panel, but requires the 'Custom' (edit: was ''Professional') version. You control the filename automation in a registry key.(s). Just from a quick glance at their web page, PDF Creator appears to do that in the free version.

[Fim Wästberg]

Raymond: Thanks, but I will use the Windows print to PDF

[Michael Mattias]

If you use an API like the Adobe API, or even a print library like Haru (which I have used), you have total absolute control of the output file name...

  OPEN  any_file_name  FOR OUTPUT as hFile
  {programming library commands to create a PDF file go here }
  CLOSE hFile

It's a thought.

Surprised I didn't see that mentioned in this thread.

MCM

[Bud Durland]

If you use an API like the Adobe API, or even a print library like Haru (which I have used), you have total absolute control of the output file name...

Our tool of choice at work is Virtual Print Engine (VPE). A little on the pricey side, but fast, flexible, and easy to use. PDFs, Barcodes and graphs all in the same DLL.

[Mike Doty]

Print a PDF-file (same subject): https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/u...ram#post797367

[Stuart McLachlan]

Print a PDF-file (same subject): https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/u...ram#post797367

Not the same subject. This thread is about printing a PDF file you are creating. The linked thread is about sending a pre-existing PDf to a selected printer.