DOCUMENT:Q173074 11-JAN-2001 [vbwin] TITLE :PRB: Multiple Visual Basic Printouts Are Not the Same PRODUCT :Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows PROD/VER: OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS:kbGrpDSVB ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft Visual Basic Learning Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Professional Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 - Microsoft Visual Basic Enterprise Edition for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SYMPTOMS ======== When you print what should be identical copies of the same print job, the pages do not print the same. Different fonts, text in the wrong place, and multiple blank pages are typical. CAUSE ===== The primary cause of differences between print jobs is that the Visual Basic Printer Object is not fully reset by the EndDoc method. The values of the ScaleMode and a few other properties are inherited by subsequent documents unless the application is restarted. The most common source of problems is that new values are assigned to the Scale properties: (ScaleMode, ScaleHeight, ScaleLeft, ScaleTop, and ScaleWidth). These properties are not reset by the NewPage or EndDoc method and should be reset by the programmer to ensure correct behavior. Another cause is that changing some printer properties changes other printer properties in ways that are not necessarily intuitive. Changing the ScaleMode property affects the other Scale properties and CurrentX/Y, which need to be converted to the new coordinate system. Similarly, changing the ScaleLeft/Top properties affects the values of CurrentX/CurrentY, respectively. RESOLUTION ========== To work around this behavior, reset the ScaleMode and other properties to their original values. The code below enumerates all of the properties of the printer object and displays their values on the Immediate pane. During your debug cycle, call the code before each print job and compare the results. You can then modify your code to correctly reset the appropriate property values: Sub PrntProp() Debug.Print "ColorMode ", Printer.ColorMode Debug.Print "Copies ", Printer.Copies Debug.Print "CurrentX ", Printer.CurrentX Debug.Print "CurrentY ", Printer.CurrentY Debug.Print "DeviceName ", Printer.DeviceName Debug.Print "DrawMode ", Printer.DrawMode Debug.Print "DrawStyle ", Printer.DrawStyle Debug.Print "DrawWidth ", Printer.DrawWidth Debug.Print "DriverName ", Printer.DriverName Debug.Print "Duplex ", Printer.Duplex Debug.Print "FillColor ", Printer.FillColor Debug.Print "FillStyle ", Printer.FillStyle Debug.Print "Font.Bold", Printer.Font.Bold Debug.Print "Font.Charset", Printer.Font.Charset Debug.Print "Font.Italic", Printer.Font.Italic Debug.Print "Font.Name", Printer.Font.Name Debug.Print "Font.Size", Printer.Font.Size Debug.Print "Font.Strikethr "; Printer.Font.Strikethrough Debug.Print "Font.Underline "; Printer.Font.Underline Debug.Print "Font.Weight", Printer.Font.Weight Debug.Print "hDC ", Printer.hDC Debug.Print "Height ", Printer.Height Debug.Print "Orientation", Printer.Orientation Debug.Print "Page ", Printer.Page Debug.Print "PaperBin ", Printer.PaperBin Debug.Print "PaperSize ", Printer.PaperSize Debug.Print "Port ", Printer.Port Debug.Print "PrintQuality", Printer.PrintQuality Debug.Print "RightToLeft", Printer.RightToLeft Debug.Print "ScaleHeight", Printer.ScaleHeight Debug.Print "ScaleLeft ", Printer.ScaleLeft Debug.Print "ScaleTop ", Printer.ScaleTop Debug.Print "ScaleWidth ", Printer.ScaleWidth Debug.Print "ScaleMode ", Printer.ScaleMode Debug.Print "TrackDefault", Printer.TrackDefault Debug.Print "TwipsPerPixelX"; Printer.TwipsPerPixelX Debug.Print "TwipsPerPixelY"; Printer.TwipsPerPixelY Debug.Print "Width ", Printer.Width Debug.Print "Zoom ", Printer.Zoom End Sub MORE INFORMATION ================ Steps to Reproduce Behavior --------------------------- The following code is based on the example in the Visual Basic Help file. Note that after the Printer.EndDoc, the Printer Object Properties are not reset: Debug.Print Printer.ScaleTop Debug.Print Printer.ScaleLeft Debug.Print Printer.ScaleWidth Debug.Print Printer.ScaleHeight Printer.ScaleTop = -1 ' Set scale for top of grid. Printer.ScaleLeft = -1 ' Set scale for left of grid. Printer.ScaleWidth = 2 ' Set scale (-1 to 1). Printer.ScaleHeight = 2 Printer.Line (-1, 0)-(1, 0) ' Draw horizontal line. Printer.Line (0, -1)-(0, 1) ' Draw vertical line. For I = -1 To 1 Step 0.05 Printer.PSet (I * Rnd, I * Rnd) ' Draw a point. Next I Printer.EndDoc Debug.Print Printer.ScaleTop Debug.Print Printer.ScaleLeft Debug.Print Printer.ScaleWidth Debug.Print Printer.ScaleHeight Additional query words: kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport kbPrinting KBWIN32SDK KBAPI ====================================================================== Keywords : kbGrpDSVB Technology : kbVBSearch kbAudDeveloper kbZNotKeyword6 kbZNotKeyword2 kbVB500Search kbVB600Search kbVBA500 kbVBA600 kbVB500 kbVB600 Issue type : kbprb ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2001.