How to: Show a Print Preview Form for a Workbook

• Dec 04, 2020
• 2 minutes to read

This example demonstrates how to use the DevExpress Printing Library to show a Print Preview for a document loaded into a Workbook instance (workbook, in this example). To do this, follow the steps below:

• Add a reference to the DevExpress.XtraPrinting.v20.2.dll assembly and explicitly import the DevExpress.XtraPrinting namespace into the code with a using directive (Imports in Visual Basic).
• Create a new PrintingSystem instance for creating and printing a document.
• Create a PrintableComponentLink printing link with the specified printing system and assign the workbook to the PrintableComponentLinkBase.Component property.
• Generate a document to print by calling the LinkBase.CreateDocument method.
• Call the the PrintableComponentLink.ShowPreviewDialog method to invoke the print preview form that enables a user to print the document or save it as a PDF or graphic file.

using DevExpress.Spreadsheet;
using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
            // Invoke the Print Preview dialog for the workbook.
            using (PrintingSystem printingSystem = new PrintingSystem()) {
                using (PrintableComponentLink link = new PrintableComponentLink(printingSystem)) {
                    link.Component = workbook;
                    link.CreateDocument();
                    link.ShowPreviewDialog();
                }
            }

Imports DevExpress.Spreadsheet
Imports DevExpress.XtraPrinting
            ' Invoke the Print Preview dialog for the workbook.
            Using printingSystem As New PrintingSystem()
                Using link As New PrintableComponentLink(printingSystem)
                    link.Component = workbook
                    link.CreateDocument()
                    link.ShowPreviewDialog()
                End Using
            End Using

Calculate Formulas Before Print Operation

The default calculation mode for a Workbook is Manual. This mode implies that the Spreadsheet does not calculate formulas before it generates a printout. Call the Workbook.Calculate or Workbook.CalculateFull method to calculate all formulas in the workbook.