Print Word Documents

• Apr 11, 2024
• 6 minutes to read

This document outlines the techniques used to print from the Word Processing Document API.

Print with the Default Printer

Use the RichEditDocumentServer.Print method to print a document with the default settings without end user interaction.

View Example

BasicActions.cs

// Load a document from a file.
wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Documents\\Grimm.docx", DocumentFormat.OpenXml);

// Print the document to the default printer with the default settings.
wordProcessor.Print();

BasicActions.vb

' Load a document from a file.
wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Documents\Grimm.docx", DevExpress.XtraRichEdit.DocumentFormat.OpenXml)
' Print the document to the default printer with the default settings.
wordProcessor.Print()

Change Printer Settings

Pass the PrinterSettings instance as the RichEditDocumentServer.Print method parameter to specify printer options (page range, number of copies, etc.).

Warning

The Print(PrinterSettings) method oberload works only on Windows OS. The PlatformNotSupportedException is thrown on other operating systems. Use the Print method overloads with DXPrinterSettings printerSettings parameter to print on other operating systems.

View Example

XtraForm1.cs

using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;
using System.Drawing.Printing;

using (var wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer())
{
    wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Grimm.docx");

    PrinterSettings printerSettings = new PrinterSettings();

    // Set the document pages to print:
    printerSettings.FromPage = 2;
    printerSettings.ToPage = 3;

    // Specify the number of copies:
    printerSettings.Copies = 2;

    // Print the document: 
    wordProcessor.Print(printerSettings);
}

XtraForm1.vb

Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit
Imports System.Drawing.Printing

Using wordProcessor = New RichEditDocumentServer()
    wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Grimm.docx")

    Dim printerSettings As New PrinterSettings()

    ' Set the document pages to print:
    printerSettings.FromPage = 2
    printerSettings.ToPage = 3

    ' Specify the number of copies:
    printerSettings.Copies = 2

    ' Print the document: 
    wordProcessor.Print(printerSettings)
End Using

Note

The Margins or Landscape property (accessible by the PrinterSettings.DefaultPageSettings property) do not affect the printed document’s layout. Change document section settings (accessible by the Section.Page property) to modify page layout properties before printing.

You can use the PrintingOptions class properties to specify additional print settings (to print the comment background color or update document variables before printing).

C#

using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;

PrintingOptions printOptions = wordProcessor.Options.Printing;
printOptions.EnableCommentBackgroundOnPrint = false;
printOptions.EnablePageBackgroundOnPrint = true;

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit

Dim printOptions As PrintingOptions = wordProcessor.Options.Printing
printOptions.EnableCommentBackgroundOnPrint = False
printOptions.EnablePageBackgroundOnPrint = True

Warning

The Print(PrinterSettings) method overload works only on Windows OS. The PlatformNotSupportedException is thrown on other operating systems. Use the Print method overloads with DXPrinterSettings printerSettings parameter to print on other operating systems.

Print Word Documents in Unix-based Systems

Use the Print method overloads with the DXPrinterSettings printerSettings parameter to print documents in non-Windows environments ( macOS and Unix-based systems that support printing through Common UNIX Printing System (CUPS)).

Note

Install the libcups2 package separately to enable printing.

The following code sample specifies printing settings and prints the loaded document:

C#

using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;
using DevExpress.Drawing.Printing;

using RichEditDocumentServer wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer();
wordProcessor.LoadDocument(@"C:\\Downloads\Document.docx");

DXPrinterSettings printerSettings = new DXPrinterSettings();
printerSettings.Copies = 2;
printerSettings.PageRange = "2-3";

wordProcessor.Print(printerSettings);

VB.NET

Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit
Imports DevExpress.Drawing.Printing

Imports RichEditDocumentServer wordProcessor = New RichEditDocumentServer()

wordProcessor.LoadDocument("C:\\Downloads\Document.docx")

Dim printerSettings As New DXPrinterSettings()
printerSettings.Copies = 2
printerSettings.PageRange = "2-3"

wordProcessor.Print(printerSettings)

DevExpress Printing Library (WinForms)

Use the DevExpress Printing Library to set options that are unavailable from RichEditDocumentServer directly. The PrintableComponentLinkBase class from this library allows you to change print settings (e.g., use a specific printer or disable error messages).

The Margins, PageHeaderFooter, PaperKind properties do not affect the printed document’s layout. Change a document section settings (accessible by the Section.Page property) to modify the page layout properties before printing.

The code sample below changes document layout settings and prints a document with the specified printer.

View Example

Form1.cs

using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
using DevExpress.XtraPrintingLinks;
using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;
using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit.API.Native;
using System;
using DevExpress.Drawing.Printing;
using System.Windows.Forms;


private void btn_PrintFromServer_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    using (RichEditDocumentServer wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer())
    {
        wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Grimm.docx");

        // Specify page layout settings.
        SetPrintOptions(wordProcessor);
        wordProcessor.EndUpdate();

        // Create a printable link to print a document.
        PrintWithLink(wordProcessor);
    }
}
private static void SetPrintOptions(IRichEditDocumentServer richEdit)
{
    foreach (Section _section in richEdit.Document.Sections)
    {
        _section.Page.PaperKind = DXPaperKind.A4;
        _section.Page.Landscape = false;
        _section.Margins.Left = 150f;
        _section.Margins.Right = 150f;
        _section.Margins.Top = 50f;
        _section.Margins.Bottom = 50f;
        _section.PageNumbering.NumberingFormat = NumberingFormat.CardinalText;
        _section.PageNumbering.FirstPageNumber = 0;
    }
}
private static void PrintWithLink(RichEditDocumentServer wordProcessor)
{
    if (!wordProcessor.IsPrintingAvailable) return;
    using (PrintingSystemBase ps = new PrintingSystemBase()) {
        using (PrintableComponentLinkBase link = new PrintableComponentLinkBase(ps)) {
            link.Component = wordProcessor;

            // Disable warnings.
            ps.ShowMarginsWarning = false;
            ps.ShowPrintStatusDialog = false;

            // Find a printer containing 'PDF' in its name.
            string printerName = String.Empty;
            for (int i = 0; i < PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters.Count; i++)
            {
                string pName = PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters[i];
                if (pName.Contains("PDF"))
                {
                    printerName = pName;
                    break;
                }
            }

            // Run document creation
            link.CreateDocument();

            // Print to the specified printer.
            PrintToolBase tool = new PrintToolBase(ps);
            tool.Print(printerName);
        }
    }
}

Form1.vb

Imports DevExpress.XtraPrinting
Imports DevExpress.XtraPrintingLinks
Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit
Imports DevExpress.XtraRichEdit.API.Native
Imports System
Imports DevExpress.Drawing.Printing
Imports System.Windows.Forms


Private Sub btn_PrintFromServer_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Using wordProcessor As New RichEditDocumentServer()
        wordProcessor.LoadDocument("Grimm.docx")

        ' Insert a field with the current date/time into the document header.
        wordProcessor.BeginUpdate()
        Dim _header As SubDocument = wordProcessor.Document.Sections(0).BeginUpdateHeader()
        _header.Fields.Create(_header.Range.Start, "DATE \@ ""dddd, MMMM dd, yyyy  HH:mm:ss"" \MERGEFORMAT")
        _header.Paragraphs(0).Alignment = ParagraphAlignment.Right
        wordProcessor.Document.Sections(0).EndUpdateHeader(_header)

        ' Specify page layout settings.
        SetPrintOptions(wordProcessor)
        wordProcessor.EndUpdate()

        ' Display field values instead of code.
        wordProcessor.Options.MailMerge.ViewMergedData = True

        ' Create a printable link to print a document.
        PrintWithLink(wordProcessor)
    End Using
End Sub

Private Shared Sub SetPrintOptions(ByVal richEdit As IRichEditDocumentServer)
    For Each _section As Section In richEdit.Document.Sections
        _section.Page.PaperKind = DXPaperKind.A4
        _section.Page.Landscape = False
        _section.Margins.Left = 150F
        _section.Margins.Right = 150F
        _section.Margins.Top = 50F
        _section.Margins.Bottom = 50F
        _section.PageNumbering.NumberingFormat = NumberingFormat.CardinalText
        _section.PageNumbering.FirstPageNumber = 0
    Next _section
End Sub

Private Shared Sub PrintWithLink(ByVal wordProcessor As RichEditDocumentServer)
    If Not wordProcessor.IsPrintingAvailable Then
        Return
    End If
    Using ps As New PrintingSystemBase()
        Using link As New PrintableComponentLinkBase(ps)
        link.Component = wordProcessor

        ' Disable warnings.
        ps.ShowMarginsWarning = False
        ps.ShowPrintStatusDialog = False

        ' Find a printer containing 'PDF' in its name.
        Dim printerName As String = String.Empty
        For i As Integer = 0 To PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters.Count - 1
            Dim pName As String = PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters(i)
            If pName.Contains("PDF") Then
                printerName = pName
                Exit For
            End If
        Next i

        ' Run document creation
        link.CreateDocument()

        ' Print to the specified printer.
        Dim tool As New PrintToolBase(ps)
        tool.Print(printerName)
        End Using
    End Using
End Sub

Export to PDF (ASP.NET)

Use the RichEditDocumentServer.ExportToPdf method which sends PDF output to a stream, as illustrated in the following code snippet:

Tip

Create the PdfExportOptions instance, set its PdfExportOptions.ShowPrintDialogOnOpen property to true and pass this object to the RichEditDocumentServer.ExportToPdf method to show the Print dialog when opening the file.

C#

using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;
using System;
using System.IO;

using (var wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer()) {

    // Your code here to create, load or modify a document

    using (MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream()) {
        PdfExportOptions options = new PdfExportOptions();
        options.ShowPrintDialogOnOpen = true;
        wordProcessor.ExportToPdf(stream, options);
        stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);

        Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
        Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "inline; filename=ExportedPdf.pdf");
        stream.CopyTo(Response.OutputStream);
        Response.End();
    }
}

VB.NET

using DevExpress.XtraPrinting;
using DevExpress.XtraRichEdit;
using System;
using System.IO;

using (var wordProcessor = new RichEditDocumentServer()) {

    ' Your code here to create, load or modify a document

    using (MemoryStream stream = new MemoryStream()) {
        PdfExportOptions options = new PdfExportOptions();
        options.ShowPrintDialogOnOpen = true;
        wordProcessor.ExportToPdf(stream, options);
        stream.Seek(0, SeekOrigin.Begin);

        Response.ContentType = "application/pdf";
        Response.AddHeader("content-disposition", "inline; filename=ExportedPdf.pdf");
        stream.CopyTo(Response.OutputStream);
        Response.End();
    }
}

Important

If an application is hosted on Microsoft Azure, set the AzureCompatibility.Enable property to true.