How can I create an rtf file?

[Roland Chastain]

So, it could be something like this ?

Code: Select all

enum style
  noStyle
  bold
  italic
  underlined
end enum

type RTF_File
  as string fileName
  as uByte fileNumber
  as uByte fontSize
  declare sub Create(as string)
  declare sub SetFontSize(as integer)
  declare sub Write_(as string, as style)
  declare sub WriteLn(as string, as style)
  declare sub Close_
end type

sub RTF_File.Create(aName as string)
  this.fileName = aName
  if InStr(LCase(fileName), ".rtf") = 0 then fileName = fileName & ".rtf"
  this.fileNumber = FreeFile
  if Open(fileName for output as #fileNumber) = 0 then Print #fileNumber, "{\rtf1"
end sub

sub RTF_File.SetFontSize(aSize as integer)
  dim s as string
  s = Str(2*aSize)
  s = "\fs" & s & " "
  Print #fileNumber, s;
end sub

sub RTF_File.Write_(aText as string, aStyle as style)
  dim as string beginStyle, endStyle

  select case as const aStyle
    case noStyle
      beginStyle = ""
      endStyle = ""
    case bold
      beginStyle = "\b "
      endStyle = "\b0 "
    case italic
      beginStyle = "\i "
      endStyle = "\i0 "
    case underlined
      beginStyle = "\ul "
      endStyle = "\ulnone "
  end select

  Print #fileNumber, beginStyle & aText & endStyle;
end sub

sub RTF_File.WriteLn(aText as string, aStyle as style)
  Write_(atext, aStyle)
  Print #fileNumber, "\par"
end sub

sub RTF_File.Close_
  Print #fileNumber, "}" & Chr(0);
  Close #fileNumber
end sub

dim f as RTF_File

f.Create("test")
f.WriteLn("This text is bold.", bold)
f.WriteLn("This text is italic.", italic)
f.WriteLn("This text is underlined.", underlined)
f.SetFontSize(10)
f.WriteLn("The text is now font size 10.", noStyle)
f.SetFontSize(12)
f.WriteLn("The text is now font size 12.", noStyle)
f.Close_

Print "Done ! Press a key..."
Sleep
end

[DonW]

Thanks for the example.

My application is distributed commercially, and I had hoped that I could easily solve the need to to print through Windows printer drivers by first printing the output to an .rtf file, and then issue a command line call to Wordpad to print the document. Wordpad is endemic in all versions of Windows, so at first it seemed like an easy kludge to use Wordpad as an .rtf printing client. As suggest previously, once I created a simple document in Wordpad, saved it as .rtf, and opened it in Notepad, I had no problem identifying the syntax needed to specify font type, font size, bold or no-bold.

However, the main issue with using Wordpad to print .rtf files is the fact that Wordpad does not respect .rtf page formatting codes. It's page size, margins, etc, are fixed by whatever the user has set in the program's "page setup", and it does not allow them to be overridden with page format codes embedded in the .rtf document. It is odd that Microsoft did not allow this functionality in Wordpad because it is fairly universal among commercial word processing programs

My application needs to be able to print labels and reports with no margin settings other than what is the default in various printers. However, Wordpad comes with default top and bottom, side-to-side margins which are stored in the Windows registry. If a user happens to make changes to the margins in Wordpad, the new settings are stored in the registry. In their infinite wisdom, MS programmers decided to store the registry margin settings for Wordpad in a hard-to-decipher cryptic format. However, even if it was easy to figure out, I don't want to get into diddling user's registry settings for Wordpad.

Don

[RockTheSchock]

I dont know what your problem with html is. What you can do with simple rtf you can do with simple html/css.

Make all your size parameters with mm/cm/inch or whatever. You can page-break-before / page-break-after to control page breaks. The only thing that is not implemented in older browsers and ie is a multi-column floating layout like it's used in news papers. But even that is implemented in css3.

If you want to be sure it's the same print output everywhere use firefox/chrome/whatever portable bundled and call that with the command line.

Code: Select all

div {
  -moz-column-count: 3;
  -webkit-column-count: 3;
  column-count: 3;
} 

[marcov]

However, the main issue with using Wordpad to print .rtf files is the fact that Wordpad does not respect .rtf page formatting codes. It's page size, margins, etc, are fixed by whatever the user has set in the program's "page setup", and it does not allow them to be overridden with page format codes embedded in the .rtf document. It is odd that Microsoft did not allow this functionality in Wordpad because it is fairly universal among commercial word processing programs

It seems that you have many requirements and conditions. So, then probably building on top of Richedit20.dll is your best bet if you want to keep using RTF. But that is not trivial, the header translation alone will set you back a while.

[MichaelW]

It seems that you have many requirements and conditions. So, then probably building on top of Richedit20.dll is your best bet if you want to keep using RTF. But that is not trivial, the header translation alone will set you back a while.

The FreeBASIC header file richedit.bi is for rich edit versions 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 (Richedit20.dll can actually be version 2.0 or 3.0, and these days probably 3.0, details here).

A rich edit control apparently can format text for a specific device, for example a printer, a short how-to here.

[DonW]

I dont know what your problem with html is. What you can do with simple rtf you can do with simple html/css.

Your suggestion bears merit. I found a web site that gives some formatting examples and I will explore that option further.

Thanks.

[MichaelW]

This example prints RTF text to the default printer in a WYSIWYG format. AFAICT without spending more time on it than I have, it works correctly. I tested it with several Word documents that contained multiple different fonts, bullets, symbols, paragraphs, etc, copied from Word and pasted into the rich edit control.

Edit: The code below is a revision of the first code I posted. Even though the output looks correct, and the width as printed matches the width as determined by the ruler in Word, there are some unanswered questions about the print preview and the PrintRTF return value.

Edit2: I have now verified that the on-screen size in the print preview is a close match for the on-screen size in Word (once I realized that I had to set the zoom in Word to 100% instead of the 140% that normally use :)).

PrintRTF.bas:

Code: Select all

''=============================================================================
'' Build as a console app to see the print output.
''=============================================================================
#include "windows.bi"
#include "win\richedit.bi"
#include "win\winspool.bi"
''=============================================================================
#define IDD_DLG 100
#define IDM_ACTION 200
#define IDM_PRINT 201
#define IDC_RE 300
''=============================================================================

''-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
'' This is a translation of the Microsoft example code from here:
''
'' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/bb787875(v=vs.85).aspx
''
'' With error corrections and additional comments.
''
''    hwnd is the HWND of the rich edit control
''    hdc is the HDC of the printer
''-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

function PrintRTF(hwnd as HWND, hdc as HDC) as BOOL

    dim as DOCINFO di
    dim as FORMATRANGE fr
    dim as BOOL fSuccess
    dim as integer cxPhysOffset, cyPhysOffset, cxPhys, cyPhys, cpMin

    di.cbSize = sizeof(DOCINFO)
    if StartDoc(hdc, @di) = 0 then return FALSE

    cxPhysOffset = GetDeviceCaps(hdc, PHYSICALOFFSETX)
    cyPhysOffset = GetDeviceCaps(hdc, PHYSICALOFFSETY)

    cxPhys = GetDeviceCaps(hdc, PHYSICALWIDTH)
    cyPhys = GetDeviceCaps(hdc, PHYSICALHEIGHT)

    ''--------------------------------------------------------------
    '' For printing devices GetDeviceCaps returns the width, height
    '' and offsets in device units (based on the printer dpi).
    '' The rich edit control expects the dimensions to be in twips,
    '' so convert them here.
    ''--------------------------------------------------------------

    cxPhysOffset = MulDiv(cxPhysOffset, 1440, GetDeviceCaps(hdc, LOGPIXELSX))
    cyPhysOffset = MulDiv(cyPhysOffset, 1440, GetDeviceCaps(hdc, LOGPIXELSY))
    cxPhys = MulDiv(cxPhys, 1440, GetDeviceCaps(hdc, LOGPIXELSX))
    cyPhys = MulDiv(cyPhys, 1440, GetDeviceCaps(hdc, LOGPIXELSY))

    ''---------------------------------------------------------------------
    '' Create "print preview", specifying the width of the printable area.
    ''---------------------------------------------------------------------

    SendMessage(hwnd, EM_SETTARGETDEVICE, cast(WPARAM,hdc), cxPhys - cxPhysOffset)


    fr.hdc       = hdc
    fr.hdcTarget = hdc

    ''-----------------------------------------------
    '' Set page rect to physical page size in twips.
    ''-----------------------------------------------

    fr.rcPage.top    = 0
    fr.rcPage.left   = 0
    fr.rcPage.right  = cxPhys
    fr.rcPage.bottom = cyPhys

    ''------------------------------------------------------------------------
    '' Set the rendering rectangle to the pintable area of the page in twips.
    ''------------------------------------------------------------------------

    fr.rc.left   = cxPhysOffset
    fr.rc.right  = cxPhysOffset + cxPhys
    fr.rc.top    = cyPhysOffset
    fr.rc.bottom = cyPhysOffset + cyPhys

    ''------------------------------
    ''  Select the entire contents.
    ''------------------------------

    SendMessage(hwnd, EM_SETSEL, 0, cast(LPARAM,-1))

    ''-------------------------------------
    '' Get the selection into a CHARRANGE.
    ''-------------------------------------

    SendMessage(hwnd, EM_EXGETSEL, 0, cast(LPARAM,@fr.chrg))

    fSuccess = TRUE

    ''------------------------------------
    '' Use GDI to print successive pages.
    ''------------------------------------

    while (fr.chrg.cpMin < fr.chrg.cpMax AND fSuccess)

        fSuccess = StartPage(hdc) > 0

        if fSuccess = 0 then exit while

        cpMin = SendMessage(hwnd, EM_FORMATRANGE, TRUE, cast(LPARAM,@fr))

        if (cpMin <= fr.chrg.cpMin) then
            fSuccess = FALSE
            exit while
        end if

        fr.chrg.cpMin = cpMin
        fSuccess = EndPage(hdc) > 0

    wend

    ''----------------------------------------------------------
    '' Cached information must be freed by specifying a NULL in
    '' lParam before using the message for a different device.
    ''----------------------------------------------------------

    SendMessage(hwnd, EM_FORMATRANGE, FALSE, NULL)

    if (fSuccess) then
        EndDoc(hdc)
    else
        AbortDoc(hdc)
    end if

    return fSuccess

end function

''=============================================================================

function DialogProc( byval hwndDlg as  HWND, _
                      byval uMsg as UINT, _
                      byval wParam as WPARAM, _
                      byval lParam as LPARAM ) as integer

    static as HMENU hMenu
    static as HWND hwndRE
    static as HDC hdcPrinter
    static as zstring * 100 printerName
    static as integer i = 100

    select case uMsg

        case WM_INITDIALOG

            hMenu = LoadMenu(GetModuleHandle(NULL),MAKEINTRESOURCE(IDM_ACTION))
            SetMenu(hwndDlg, hMenu)
            hwndRE = GetDlgItem( hwndDlg, IDC_RE )

            ''-----------------------------------------------------
            '' I'm assuming here that there is a default printer.
            ''
            '' This could easily be replaced with code that opens
            '' a print dialog box and lets the user select the
            '' printer. See the documentation for the PrintDlg and
            '' PrintDlgEx functions.
            ''-----------------------------------------------------

            GetDefaultPrinter( @printerName, @i )
            print "printerName ";printerName
            hdcPrinter = CreateDC( "WINSPOOL", @printerName, NULL, NULL )
            print "hdcPrinter ";hex(hdcPrinter);"h"

        case WM_SIZE

            ''------------------------------------------------
            '' Size the rich edit control to the client area.
            ''------------------------------------------------

            MoveWindow(hwndRE, 0, 0, LOWORD(lParam), HIWORD(lParam), TRUE)

        case WM_COMMAND

            select case wParam

                ''--------------------------------------------------------
                '' There is no need here to isolate the low-order word of
                '' wParam to test for a BN_CLICKED or menu notification
                '' because the high-order word will be zero for both of
                '' these notifications.
                ''--------------------------------------------------------

                case IDM_PRINT

                    print "PrintRTF return ";
                    print PrintRTF(hwndRE, hdcPrinter)

                case IDCANCEL

                    ''------------------------------------------
                    '' This allows the user to close the dialog
                    '' window by pressing the Escape key.
                    ''------------------------------------------

                    DeleteDC(hdcPrinter)
                    EndDialog(hwndDlg, 0)


            end select

        case WM_CLOSE

            DeleteDC(hdcPrinter)
            EndDialog(hwndDlg, 0)

    end select

    return 0

end function

''=============================================================================

''------------------------------------------------------------------
'' This is necessary to allow the rich edit control to register its
'' class name, and it must be done prior to creating the dialog.
''------------------------------------------------------------------

LoadLibrary("riched20.dll")

''---------------------------------------------------------------------
'' Create a modal dialog from the dialog box resource, specifying zero
'' in the hWndParent parameter. The DialogBoxParam function does not
'' return until the dialog box is destroyed.
''---------------------------------------------------------------------

DialogBoxParam( GetModuleHandle(null), _
                cast(zstring ptr,IDD_DLG), _
                0, _
                @DialogProc, _
                0 )

PrintRTF.rc

Code: Select all

#include "resource.inc"

IDM_ACTION MENUEX
BEGIN
    POPUP "Action"
    BEGIN
        MENUITEM "Print", IDM_PRINT
    END
END

IDD_DLG DIALOGEX 0,0,400,200
CAPTION "PrintRTF"
STYLE WS_SYSMENU | DS_CENTER
BEGIN
    CONTROL "",IDC_RE,RICHEDIT_CLASS,RICHEDIT_STYLE,0,0,0,0
END

resource.inc

Code: Select all

#define IDD_DLG 100
#define IDM_ACTION 200
#define IDM_PRINT 201
#define IDC_RE 300
#define RICHEDIT_STYLE WS_VSCROLL|WS_HSCROLL|ES_MULTILINE|ES_AUTOVSCROLL|ES_AUTOHSCROLL|ES_WANTRETURN
//
// The defines below are from winuser.bi and richedit.bi,
// included here to support resource definitions that are
// coded manually.
//
#define WS_BORDER 0x800000
#define WS_CAPTION 0xc00000
#define WS_CHILD 0x40000000
#define WS_CHILDWINDOW 0x40000000
#define WS_CLIPCHILDREN 0x2000000
#define WS_CLIPSIBLINGS 0x4000000
#define WS_DISABLED 0x8000000
#define WS_DLGFRAME 0x400000
#define WS_GROUP 0x20000
#define WS_HSCROLL 0x100000
#define WS_ICONIC 0x20000000
#define WS_MAXIMIZE 0x1000000
#define WS_MAXIMIZEBOX 0x10000
#define WS_MINIMIZE 0x20000000
#define WS_MINIMIZEBOX 0x20000
#define WS_OVERLAPPED 0
#define WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW 0xcf0000
#define WS_POPUP 0x80000000
#define WS_POPUPWINDOW 0x80880000
#define WS_SIZEBOX 0x40000
#define WS_SYSMENU 0x80000
#define WS_TABSTOP 0x10000
#define WS_THICKFRAME 0x40000
#define WS_TILED 0
#define WS_TILEDWINDOW 0xcf0000
#define WS_VISIBLE 0x10000000
#define WS_VSCROLL 0x200000
#define MDIS_ALLCHILDSTYLES 1
#define BS_3STATE 5
#define BS_AUTO3STATE 6
#define BS_AUTOCHECKBOX 3
#define BS_AUTORADIOBUTTON 9
#define BS_BITMAP 128
#define BS_BOTTOM 0x800
#define BS_CENTER 0x300
#define BS_CHECKBOX 2
#define BS_DEFPUSHBUTTON 1
#define BS_GROUPBOX 7
#define BS_ICON 64
#define BS_LEFT 256
#define BS_LEFTTEXT 32
#define BS_MULTILINE 0x2000
#define BS_NOTIFY 0x4000
#define BS_OWNERDRAW 0xb
#define BS_PUSHBUTTON 0
#define BS_PUSHLIKE 4096
#define BS_RADIOBUTTON 4
#define BS_RIGHT 512
#define BS_RIGHTBUTTON 32
#define BS_TEXT 0
#define BS_TOP 0x400
#define BS_USERBUTTON 8
#define BS_VCENTER 0xc00
#define BS_FLAT 0x8000
#define CBS_AUTOHSCROLL 64
#define CBS_DISABLENOSCROLL 0x800
#define CBS_DROPDOWN 2
#define CBS_DROPDOWNLIST 3
#define CBS_HASSTRINGS 512
#define CBS_LOWERCASE 0x4000
#define CBS_NOINTEGRALHEIGHT 0x400
#define CBS_OEMCONVERT 128
#define CBS_OWNERDRAWFIXED 16
#define CBS_OWNERDRAWVARIABLE 32
#define CBS_SIMPLE 1
#define CBS_SORT 256
#define CBS_UPPERCASE 0x2000
#define ES_AUTOHSCROLL 128
#define ES_AUTOVSCROLL 64
#define ES_CENTER 1
#define ES_LEFT 0
#define ES_LOWERCASE 16
#define ES_MULTILINE 4
#define ES_NOHIDESEL 256
#define ES_NUMBER 0x2000
#define ES_OEMCONVERT 0x400
#define ES_PASSWORD 32
#define ES_READONLY 0x800
#define ES_RIGHT 2
#define ES_UPPERCASE 8
#define ES_WANTRETURN 4096
#define LBS_DISABLENOSCROLL 4096
#define LBS_EXTENDEDSEL 0x800
#define LBS_HASSTRINGS 64
#define LBS_MULTICOLUMN 512
#define LBS_MULTIPLESEL 8
#define LBS_NODATA 0x2000
#define LBS_NOINTEGRALHEIGHT 256
#define LBS_NOREDRAW 4
#define LBS_NOSEL 0x4000
#define LBS_NOTIFY 1
#define LBS_OWNERDRAWFIXED 16
#define LBS_OWNERDRAWVARIABLE 32
#define LBS_SORT 2
#define LBS_STANDARD 0xa00003
#define LBS_USETABSTOPS 128
#define LBS_WANTKEYBOARDINPUT 0x400
#define SBS_BOTTOMALIGN 4
#define SBS_HORZ 0
#define SBS_LEFTALIGN 2
#define SBS_RIGHTALIGN 4
#define SBS_SIZEBOX 8
#define SBS_SIZEBOXBOTTOMRIGHTALIGN 4
#define SBS_SIZEBOXTOPLEFTALIGN 2
#define SBS_SIZEGRIP 16
#define SBS_TOPALIGN 2
#define SBS_VERT 1
#define SS_BITMAP 14
#define SS_BLACKFRAME 7
#define SS_BLACKRECT 4
#define SS_CENTER 1
#define SS_CENTERIMAGE 512
#define SS_ENHMETAFILE 15
#define SS_ETCHEDFRAME 18
#define SS_ETCHEDHORZ 16
#define SS_ETCHEDVERT 17
#define SS_GRAYFRAME 8
#define SS_GRAYRECT 5
#define SS_ICON 3
#define SS_LEFT 0
#define SS_LEFTNOWORDWRAP 0xc
#define SS_NOPREFIX 128
#define SS_NOTIFY 256
#define SS_OWNERDRAW 0xd
#define SS_REALSIZEIMAGE 0x800
#define SS_RIGHT 2
#define SS_RIGHTJUST 0x400
#define SS_SIMPLE 11
#define SS_SUNKEN 4096
#define SS_WHITEFRAME 9
#define SS_WHITERECT 6
#define SS_USERITEM 10
#define SS_TYPEMASK 0x0000001FL
#define SS_ENDELLIPSIS 0x00004000L
#define SS_PATHELLIPSIS 0x00008000L
#define SS_WORDELLIPSIS 0x0000C000L
#define SS_ELLIPSISMASK 0x0000C000L
#define DS_3DLOOK 4
#define DS_ABSALIGN 1
#define DS_CENTER 0x800
#define DS_CENTERMOUSE 4096
#define DS_CONTEXTHELP 0x2000
#define DS_CONTROL 0x400
#define DS_FIXEDSYS 8
#define DS_LOCALEDIT 32
#define DS_MODALFRAME 128
#define DS_NOFAILCREATE 16
#define DS_NOIDLEMSG 256
#define DS_SETFONT 64
#define DS_SETFOREGROUND 512
#define DS_SYSMODAL 2
#define DS_SHELLFONT (64 or 8)
#define WS_EX_ACCEPTFILES 16
#define WS_EX_APPWINDOW 0x40000
#define WS_EX_CLIENTEDGE 512
#define WS_EX_COMPOSITED 0x2000000
#define WS_EX_CONTEXTHELP 0x400
#define WS_EX_CONTROLPARENT 0x10000
#define WS_EX_DLGMODALFRAME 1
#define WS_EX_LAYERED 0x80000
#define WS_EX_LAYOUTRTL 0x400000
#define WS_EX_LEFT 0
#define WS_EX_LEFTSCROLLBAR 0x4000
#define WS_EX_LTRREADING 0
#define WS_EX_MDICHILD 64
#define WS_EX_NOACTIVATE 0x8000000
#define WS_EX_NOINHERITLAYOUT 0x100000
#define WS_EX_NOPARENTNOTIFY 4
#define WS_EX_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW 0x300
#define WS_EX_PALETTEWINDOW 0x188
#define WS_EX_RIGHT 0x1000
#define WS_EX_RIGHTSCROLLBAR 0
#define WS_EX_RTLREADING 0x2000
#define WS_EX_STATICEDGE 0x20000
#define WS_EX_TOOLWINDOW 128
#define WS_EX_TOPMOST 8
#define WS_EX_TRANSPARENT 32
#define WS_EX_WINDOWEDGE 256
// This specifies rich edit version 2/3
// Requires LoadLibrary("riched20.dll")
#ifdef UNICODE
#define RICHEDIT_CLASS "RichEdit20W"
#else
#define RICHEDIT_CLASS "RichEdit20A"
#endif

And in case it’s not clear how this could be used, you could code your pages in RTF, stream them in to an invisible rich edit control, use the control to format the pages for the printer, then print them.

[DonW]

This example prints RTF text to the default printer in a WYSIWYG format. AFAICT without spending more time on it than I have, it works correctly. I tested it with several Word documents that contained multiple different fonts, bullets, symbols, paragraphs, etc, copied from Word and pasted into the rich edit control.

And in case it’s now clear how this could be used, you could code your pages in RTF, stream them in to an invisible rich edit control, use the control to format the pages for the printer, then print them.

All I can say is...WOW! You are a guru! Thanks!

[Theunis Jansen]

I harvested the RTF codes from a RTF form by using Notepad. The form has Bold headings and sub-headings and two different size fonts are used. The text is also formatted/standard. I write the data to a file using the codes as a string where required. It looks fine when viewed from Wordpad or WordPerfect but I would like to print the file direct from my program by using SHELL START etc...

Now I have a problem with selecting the printer. Is it possible to call the printer API from a SHELL RUNDLL... or something like this from my program. That is invoking the MS Printer GUI where I can choose a printer or even the network printer which then becomes the default printer until I wish to print something else. Or to put my requirement in another way - for instance when in the FB Help Page I click print then a printer interface comes up where I can choose between my two printers. (two locally - a dot matrix parallel printer and a USB printer and another on the Network to my daughters computer)

[MichaelW]

This is a simple example that opens a print dialog to let the user select a printer, then prints a single line of text in the printer DC’s default font.

Code: Select all

''=============================================================================
#include "windows.bi"
#include "win\winspool.bi"
#include "win\commdlg.bi"
''=============================================================================

dim as PRINTDLG pd
dim as DOCINFO di
dim as HDC hdcPrinter

''-------------------------------------------------
'' Initialize the PRINTDLG and DOCINFO structures.
''-------------------------------------------------

pd.lStructSize = sizeof(PRINTDLG)
pd.Flags = PD_RETURNDC or PD_USEDEVMODECOPIES
pd.nCopies = 1

di.cbSize = sizeof(DOCINFO)
di.lpszDocName = strptr("Print Test")

''---------------------------------------------------
'' Get a printer device context, or return an error.
''---------------------------------------------------

if PrintDlg(@pd) = 0 then

    if CommDlgExtendedError() then

        print "Print Dialog returned error"
        sleep
        end

    else

        print "Print Dialog was canceled or closed"
        sleep
        end

    end if

else

    ''--------------------
    '' Start a print job.
    ''--------------------

    if StartDoc(pd.hDC, @di) = SP_ERROR then

        print "StartDoc returned error"
        sleep
        DeleteDC(pd.hDC)
        end

    end if

    ''-------------------------------------------
    '' Prepare the printer driver to accept data.
    ''-------------------------------------------

    if StartPage(pd.hDC) <= 0 then

        print "StartPage returned error"
        sleep
        EndDoc(pd.hDC)
        DeleteDC(pd.hDC)
        end

    end if

    ''---------------------------------------------------
    '' Copy some text to the printer DC. Note that this
    '' will be printed using the default font.
    ''---------------------------------------------------

    TextOut(pd.hDC, 0, 0, @"My other brother Darryl.", 24)

    ''------------------------------------------------------
    '' Notify the printer driver that the page is complete.
    ''------------------------------------------------------

    if EndPage(pd.hDC) <= 0 then

        print "EndPage returned error"
        sleep
        EndDoc(pd.hDC)
        DeleteDC(pd.hDC)
        end

    end if

    ''--------------------
    '' End the print job.
    ''--------------------

    if EndDoc(pd.hDC) <= 0 then

        print "EndDoc returned error"
        sleep
        DeleteDC(pd.hDC)
        end

    end if

    ''------------------------
    '' Delete the printer DC.
    ''------------------------

    DeleteDC(pd.hDC)

end if
sleep

BTW, for the FreeBASIC help the printer interface is a Print Property Sheet displayed by the PrintDlgEx function. Setting up the function call is somewhat more complex than setting up a call to PrintDlg. See the Microsoft documentation.

[Theunis Jansen]

Thanks MichaelW.
I think this info will see me through with what I have in mind.