Printer Page Size Problem - vb6

Question

I am trying to set a custom paper size by doing:
Printer.Height = 2160
Printer.Width = 11900
But it doesn't seen to have any effect. After setting this up, i ask for that values and it returns the default ones. And this:
Printer.PaperSize = 256
Returns an error...
Any ideas??

Answer 1

Either your printer doesn't allow these properties to be set, or you're exceeding their maximum allowed values. From the Visual Basic Reference
If you set the Height and Width
properties for a printer driver that
doesn't allow these properties to be
set, no error occurs and the size of
the paper remains as it was. If you
set Height and Width for a printer
driver that allows only certain values
to be specified, no error occurs and
the property is set to whatever the
driver allows. For example, you could
set Height to 150 and the driver would
set it to 144.
I don't know why you're getting an error when you set the Papersize property to 256. It works for me. Also, the documentation states, "Setting a printer's Height or Width property automatically sets PaperSize to vbPRPSUser.", which equals 256.

Answer 2

I was actually involved with the same problem but I just happen to find a breakthrough.
First you need to create a custom form that defines you custom paper size. Then, you need to
refer to Windows API to check the form name you've just created. You'll get the for name
from an array returned from a function and use the array index where the form name was found.
Finally use it as the value for printer.papersize
Example below:
Public Type PRINTER_DEFAULTS
pDatatype As Long
pDevMode As Long
DesiredAccess As Long
End Type
Public Type FORM_INFO_1
Flags As Long
pName As Long ' String
Size As SIZEL
ImageableArea As RECTL
End Type
Public Declare Function EnumForms Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "EnumFormsA" _
(ByVal hPrinter As Long, ByVal Level As Long, ByRef pForm As Any, _
ByVal cbBuf As Long, ByRef pcbNeeded As Long, _
ByRef pcReturned As Long) As Long
Public Declare Sub CopyMemory Lib "KERNEL32" Alias "RtlMoveMemory" _
(pDest As Any, pSource As Any, ByVal cbLength As Long)
Public Declare Sub Sleep Lib "KERNEL32" (ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long)
Public Declare Function OpenPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias _
"OpenPrinterA" (ByVal pPrinterName As String, phPrinter As Long, _
pDefault As PRINTER_DEFAULTS) As Long
Public Declare Function ClosePrinter Lib "winspool.drv" _
(ByVal hPrinter As Long) As Long
Public Declare Function lstrcpy Lib "KERNEL32" Alias "lstrcpyA" _
(ByVal lpString1 As String, ByRef lpString2 As Long) As Long
'UDF
Public Function PtrCtoVbString(ByVal Add As Long) As String
Dim sTemp As String * 512, x As Long
x = lstrcpy(sTemp, ByVal Add)
If (InStr(1, sTemp, Chr(0)) = 0) Then
PtrCtoVbString = ""
Else
PtrCtoVbString = Left(sTemp, InStr(1, sTemp, Chr(0)) - 1)
End If
End Function
Public Function IsFormExist(ByVal DeviceName As String, ByVal isFormName As String, ByVal PrinterHandle As Long) As Long
Dim NumForms As Long, i As Long
Dim FI1 As FORM_INFO_1
Dim pd As PRINTER_DEFAULTS
Dim aFI1() As FORM_INFO_1 ' Working FI1 array
Dim Temp() As Byte ' Temp FI1 array
Dim FormIndex As Integer
Dim BytesNeeded As Long
Dim RetVal As Long
On Error GoTo cleanup
FormIndex = 0
ReDim aFI1(1)
' First call retrieves the BytesNeeded.
RetVal = OpenPrinter(DeviceName, PrinterHandle, pd)
If (RetVal = 0) Or (PrinterHandle = 0) Then
'Can't access current printer. Bail out doing nothing
Exit Function
End If
RetVal = EnumForms(PrinterHandle, 1, aFI1(0), 0&, BytesNeeded, NumForms)
ReDim Temp(BytesNeeded)
ReDim aFI1(BytesNeeded / Len(FI1))
' Second call actually enumerates the supported forms.
RetVal = EnumForms(PrinterHandle, 1, Temp(0), BytesNeeded, BytesNeeded, _
NumForms)
Call CopyMemory(aFI1(0), Temp(0), BytesNeeded)
For i = 0 To NumForms - 1
With aFI1(i)
If isFormName = PtrCtoVbString(.pName) Then
' Found the desired form
FormIndex = i + 1
Exit For
End If
End With
Next i
IsFormExist = FormIndex ' Returns the number when form is found.
cleanup:
'Release the printer handle
If (PrinterHandle <> 0) Then Call ClosePrinter(PrinterHandle)
End Function
'Here We Go
dim papercode as long, printername as string, formname as string
printername=printer.Devicename
formname = "myform"
papercode=IsFormExist(printername, formname, Printer.hdc)
if papercode<>0 then
printer.papersize=papercode
end if
Give it a try, good luck

Answer 3

Are you sure the error isn't related to the maximum print width of the printer itself? Many printers have a max print width of 8.25" (11880) to allow 1/4" margins on either side of a 8.5" wide paper.
Quickest way to check would be to simply set the print wide to 11880 or lower and see if it works.
Another possibility would be permissions to the printer. If it's a shared network resource it may be locked down.

Answer 4

The solution is to use windows 98. It does not work with win2k, neither winXP. The same code, the same printer.
Regards.

Answer 5

I'm testing this code, but I can not see the custom form I created using printers and scanners in the Control Panel Windows XP Professional SP3.
Note: I could check in regedit that this form exists and its ID is 512 in a string value and it contains the name of the form created in the printers control panel.
Why this function does not return my custom form, I am using an HP Laserjet 1020.