Imprimir um documento PDF externo em VB.net

Usei este código para imprimir os meus ficheiros PDF na vb NET:

    Dim PrintPDF As New ProcessStartInfo
    PrintPDF.UseShellExecute = True
    PrintPDF.Verb = "print"
    PrintPDF.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden
    PrintPDF.FileName = dirName & fileName 'fileName is a string parameter
    Process.Start(PrintPDF)

Quando fizer isto, o processo permanece aberto com uma janela de leitura adobe que os utilizadores têm de fechar manualmente. Eu queria evitar a interação do Usuário, só queria que eles pegassem seus documentos. Então, eu adicionei algumas linhas de código para matar o processo:

    Private Sub killProcess(ByVal processName As String)
    Dim procesos As Process()
    procesos = Process.GetProcessesByName(processName) 'I used "AcroRd32" as parameter

        If procesos.Length > 0 Then
            For i = procesos.Length - 1 To 0 Step -1
                procesos(i).Kill()
            Next
        End If

 End Sub

Se colocar o método kill process logo a seguir ao método de impressão, não conseguirá imprimir o seu documento (penso que isto se deve ao facto de o processo ser morto antes de ser enviado para a impressora). Então, entre estes dois métodos, adicionei esta linha:

   Threading.Thread.Sleep(10000) ' 10000 is the milisecs after the next code line is executed

Para imprimir documentos maciços PDF com VB.Net pode usar LVBPrint e executá-los através command line:

Http://www.lvbprint.de/html/gsbatchprint1.html

Por Exemplo:

C:\temp\gsbatchprint64\gsbatchprintc.exe -P \\server\printer -N A3 -O Port -F C:\temp\gsbatchprint64\Test*.pdf -I Tray3

Uso a seguinte função na minha aplicação:

    ' print a pdf with lvbrint
    Private Function UseLvbPrint(ByVal oPrinter As tb_Printer, fileName As String, portrait As Boolean, sTray As String) As String

        Dim lvbArguments As String
        Dim lvbProcessInfo As ProcessStartInfo
        Dim lvbProcess As Process

        Try

            Dim sPrinterName As String

                If portrait Then
                    lvbArguments = String.Format(" -P ""{0}"" -O Port -N A4 -F ""{1}"" -I ""{2}"" ", sPrinterName, fileName, sTray)
                Else
                    lvbArguments = String.Format(" -P ""{0}"" -O Land -N A4 -F ""{1}"" -I ""{2}"" ", sPrinterName, fileName, sTray)
                End If

            lvbProcessInfo = New ProcessStartInfo()
            lvbProcessInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden

            ' location of gsbatchprintc.exe
            lvbProcessInfo.FileName = LvbLocation 
            lvbProcessInfo.Arguments = lvbArguments

            lvbProcessInfo.UseShellExecute = False

            lvbProcessInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True
            lvbProcessInfo.RedirectStandardError = True


            lvbProcessInfo.CreateNoWindow = False

            lvbProcess = Process.Start(lvbProcessInfo)

            '
            ' Read in all the text from the process with the StreamReader.
            '
            Using reader As StreamReader = lvbProcess.StandardOutput
                Dim result As String = reader.ReadToEnd()
                WriteLog(result)
            End Using

            Using readerErr As StreamReader = lvbProcess.StandardError
                Dim resultErr As String = readerErr.ReadToEnd()
                If resultErr.Trim() > "" Then
                    WriteLog(resultErr)

                    lvbProcess.Close()
                    Return resultErr
                End If
            End Using

            If lvbProcess.HasExited = False Then
                lvbProcess.WaitForExit(3000)
            End If

            lvbProcess.Close()

            Return ""

        Catch ex As Exception
            Return ex.Message 
        End Try
    End Function

Este código ajudá-lo-á a imprimir numa impressora específica.

A amostra imprime um ficheiro usando um ProcessStartInfo e uma impressora específica pode alterar a impressora a usar no processo.

Se o processo de impressão não estiver terminado após 10 segundos, matamos o processo de impressão.

'Declare a printerSettings
Dim defaultPrinterSetting As System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings = Nothing


Private Sub cmdPrint_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles cmdPrint.Click

    Try

        dim fileName As String = "C:\534679.pdf"


        'Get de the default printer in the system
        defaultPrinterSetting = DocumentPrinter.GetDefaultPrinterSetting


        'uncomment if you want to change the default printer before print
        'DocumentPrinter.ChangePrinterSettings(defaultPrinterSetting)


        'print your file 
         If PrintFile(fileName, defaultPrinterSetting) then
             msgbox ("your print file success message")
         else
             msgbox ("your print file failed message")

         end if

    Catch ex As Exception
        mssbox(ex.Message.toString)
    End Try

End Sub


Public NotInheritable Class DocumentPrinter

    Shared Sub New()

    End Sub

    Public Shared Function PrintFile(ByVal fileName As String, printerSetting As System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings) As Boolean

        Dim printProcess As System.Diagnostics.Process = Nothing
        Dim printed As Boolean = False

        Try

            If PrinterSetting IsNot Nothing Then


                Dim startInfo As New ProcessStartInfo()

                startInfo.Verb = "Print"
                startInfo.Arguments = defaultPrinterSetting.PrinterName     ' <----printer to use---- 
                startInfo.FileName = fileName 
                startInfo.UseShellExecute = True
                startInfo.CreateNoWindow = True
                startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden

                Using print As System.Diagnostics.Process = Process.Start(startInfo)

                   'Close the application after X milliseconds with WaitForExit(X)   

                    print.WaitForExit(10000)

                    If print.HasExited = False Then

                        If print.CloseMainWindow() Then
                            printed = True
                        Else
                            printed = True
                        End If

                    Else
                        printed = True

                    End If

                    print.Close()

                End Using


        Else
            Throw New Exception("Printers not found in the system...")
        End If


        Catch ex As Exception
            Throw
        End Try

        Return printed

    End Function


    ''' <summary>
    ''' Change the default printer using a print dialog Box
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="defaultPrinterSetting"></param>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Shared Sub ChangePrinterSettings(ByRef defaultPrinterSetting As System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings)

        Dim printDialogBox As New PrintDialog

        If printDialogBox.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then

            If printDialogBox.PrinterSettings.IsValid Then
                defaultPrinterSetting = printDialogBox.PrinterSettings
            End If

        End If

    End Sub



    ''' <summary>
    ''' Get the default printer settings in the system
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Shared Function GetDefaultPrinterSetting() As System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings

        Dim defaultPrinterSetting As System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings = Nothing

        For Each printer As String In System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters


            defaultPrinterSetting = New System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings
            defaultPrinterSetting.PrinterName = printer

            If defaultPrinterSetting.IsDefaultPrinter Then
                Return defaultPrinterSetting
            End If

        Next

        Return defaultPrinterSetting

    End Function

End Class