Save all print jobs as PDF

Question

goal

The company I work with currently uses a black box delivery system. Every morning our delivery manager prints tickets for the delivery of their drivers. Using C #, I would like to keep a copy of each ticket printed in PDF format. The save action in PDF should be performed behind the scenes.

Note : a copy of the PDF will be in addition to the printed copy, however I would like to create a copy of the PDF when the printed copy is printed (or immediately after if I can use the saved print).

The end result . The manager prints a hard copy and the PDF file is saved in the archive folder without any interaction with the manager.

What i tried

I instructed the printer to keep printed documents after printing. This leaves the .shd and .spl file in the print queue folder. I experimented with the PrintDocument class, but I cannot find a way to reassign the job (to the PDF driver) using the completed print job.

Question

Am I trying to do this?

Further clarification :

If this was unclear, I do not want the manager to print the document twice in the PDF driver. On average, he needs to print 60 tickets every morning before he can send his drivers. I do not want to increase this number to 120 And force it to enter file names.

In addition, the “black box” delivery system includes other modules that use other parts of our manufacturing enterprise — no plug-in software.

Answer 1

I suggest you move on to the existing solution to such problems: use software that can install virtual printers that print the document on the required printers. One such program is PrintDistributor . I have no experience with this software, but a screenshot with the name "Virtual Printers" looks promising: the second printer is called "Printing and Saving".

There is other software here , see here .

Answer 2

According to your goal, that you do not want to force it to enter file names, you should do this:

Use PDF printer software that provides automatic file naming, for example:

PDF Desk

Nice pdf

And ask the manager to print tickets only with this PDF printer.

Then write a C # application or vb.net. use FileSystemWatcher to determine if a new file has been created in the PDF directory. and when a new PDF file is created, print it.

Here are some guides that explain how to print a PDF file in C #:

Print existing PDF (or other files) in C #

Printing PDF documents in C #

Answer 3

The trap sent to the printer can be very complex.

The simplest way would be to create a "pdf printer" using software such as: http://www.bullzip.com/products/pdf/info.php

Configure this to output to a specific directory, and then start the Windows service to control the directory and automatically send PDF files to a physical printer and archive the file to a network folder.

[and remove the printer driver from your PC so that it cannot bypass your new system]

Answer 4

Issue two print commands ... one to a paper printer, one to a PDF printer.