Silently use Microsoft XPS Document Writer printer to create XPS - windows

Question

For some days now I've been battling with printing XPS to file without the dialog.
I've read posts on the matter in CodeGuru and by Feng Yuan (MSDN), along with many discussion topics here and I am still lost.
Specifically my scenario is that I have a 3rd party API that I must use, and it prints to the default printer (say Microsoft XPS Document Writer). I want to be able to "apply" a filename prior to the printing procedure, and of course not to have dialog.
I've tried working with WinDDK - XPSDRV and LOCALMON samples but wasn't able to figure out exactly how to manipulate the code to achieve my goals. (or even fully understand if I need a new printer driver or a new port type)

Answer 1

I ran into the same need. Following is some of the logic that provides the desired functionality for me:
//
// PrintDocument_inst
//
this.PrintDocument_inst.PrintPage += new System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventHandler(this.k_line_PrintPage);
private void Print( string align_file_name )
{
if ( plot_metafile == null )
{
MessageBox.Show( "you need to load offset data before printing a plot" );
return;
}
try
{
PrintDocument_inst.DefaultPageSettings = PageSettings_inst;
PrintDialog_inst = new PrintDialog( );
PrintDialog_inst.Document = PrintDocument_inst;
PrintDialog_inst.UseEXDialog = true; // this must be set true or dialog won't show on 64 bit Vista
PrintDialog_inst.PrinterSettings.PrinterName = "Microsoft XPS Document Writer";
PrintDialog_inst.PrinterSettings.PrintToFile = true;
PrintDialog_inst.PrinterSettings.PrintFileName = align_file_name;
i_page_to_print_next = 1;
n_pages_still_to_print = 1;
PrintDocument_inst.Print( );
}
catch ( Exception e )
{
MessageBox.Show( e.ToString( ) );
}
finally
{
}
} // end of function Print( string align_file_name )
//PrintPage event handler
private void k_line_PrintPage(object sender,PrintPageEventArgs ppea)
{
int leftMargin = ppea.MarginBounds.Left;
int topMargin = ppea.MarginBounds.Top ;
try
{
float _scale_f;
if ( PrintDialog_inst != null )
{
string str_printer_name = PrintDialog_inst.PrinterSettings.PrinterName.ToString ( );
if ( str_printer_name.CompareTo ( "Adobe PDF" ) == 0 )
{
_scale_f = 0.61F; // 0.85F;
}
else
{
_scale_f = 0.59F; // 0.82F;
}
}
else // case of print preview
{
_scale_f = 0.59F; // 0.82F;
}
if ( _scale_f != 1.0F ) ppea.Graphics.ScaleTransform ( _scale_f, _scale_f );
ppea.Graphics.DrawImage ( plot_metafile, leftMargin, topMargin );
ppea.HasMorePages = ( --n_pages_still_to_print > 0 ? true : false );
}
finally
{
}
} // end of private void k_line_PrintPage(object sender,PrintPageEventArgs ppea)

Answer 2

You will delete filters in pipeline xml and also related dll's in inf file. But yet, as I did, i guess you will face problem of printing canvas (graphics). I wasn't able to convert / transform this canvas to glyphs to get the contents of it.
If you had further issues, let me know
Kind Regards