Print Formatted Text To A Printer

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• Download demo project - 11 Kb

Introduction

I have run across a need to print reports from my Sql Server 2000 database tables.  In other words, print a report to show what is in your database table at a functional print level, no graphics, just database fields.

I ran across some great examples for printing objects, but didn't really find one for a specific field that holds text data, say 2000 characters max.  So I wrote a quick program that splits out each word based on a string of text and a variable max number of characters per line.

I placed the split out lines into an System.Collections.ArrayList and then looped it in the printing routine.

I don't have a need per se to print reports with fancy graphics, just functional printouts with a printer friendly font so don't expect the greatest print routine, just an example to point you in the right direction. 

Assumptions made:

Print Line Limit: 72 based on Courier New, 12 Pt font, HP Deskjet 3650 printer.  The code allows you to change this :)

10/17/2003 code update - you'll have to copy the last if statement in the following code snippet to handle lines of text in SplitUpText that have a length < nMaxCount.

public ArrayList SplitUpText(string strText,int nMaxCount)

    int nLength = 0;

    int nWhereAt = 0;

    ArrayList al = new ArrayList();

    char nChar;

    char[] characters = strText.ToCharArray();

    string strCurrentLine = "";

    string strTrimmedText = "";

    string strCurrentWord = "";

    int nWordLength = 0;

    while (nWhereAt < nLength)

        if ((nChar == 32) || (nChar == '\r'))

            // add to string here

            if ((strCurrentLine.Length + nWordLength + 1) > nMaxCount)

            } // if ((strCurrentLine.Length + nWordLength + 1) > nMaxCount)

            else

            } // else (strCurrentLine.Length + nWordLength + 1) < nMaxCount

            } // if ((nChar == 32) || (nChar == '\r'))

            else

            if ((nChar != 10) && (nChar != 13))

            } // if ((nChar != 10) && (nChar != 13))

        } // else nChar != 32 && nChar == '\r'

    } // while (nWhereAt < nLength)

    if (strCurrentLine.Length > 0)

    } // if (strCurrentLine.Length > 0)

    if (strCurrentWord.Length > 0)

    } // if (strCurrentWord.Length > 0)

    return al;

} // public ArrayList SplitUpText(string strText,int nMaxCount)