How to print a file directly?

**MIL** · 09-21-2005, 06:14 PM

HI,

I am going to try to explain what I want. This is far from easy. I hope I am going to make myself clear!

Well, I have a lot of reports of meetings on my website. They are all ".doc" files.
However nobody looks at the files on the web. Instead they all click on the link, Word opens and they go straight for the print button.

I was wondering wether it was posible to make a special button or link where people could click on and printing would start immediately. Just one document or even groups of documents by one click.

So, I am not asking to print the page, but the doument(s) on the page...

I never saw something doing this... Is it possible???

Best Regards

**Twey** · 09-21-2005, 06:19 PM

No. It's the word processor that handles what's sent to the printer drivers, in this case, so the processor must be started in order to print it.

**MIL** · 09-21-2005, 07:59 PM

Does nobody else knows how to solve this one? Anybody? Please

**Twey** · 09-22-2005, 06:43 AM

It isn't possible.

**MIL** · 09-22-2005, 09:57 AM

Impossible is nothing!
Could you use some visual basic maybe, so that word opens but closes immediately after the print commando is given by basic...
I am just saying something...
I need the help of a genious...
However, thank you very much TWEY, a realy apreciate you answering to my stupid questions...

Best Regards

**Twey** · 09-22-2005, 02:52 PM

I'm sorry, it really is literally impossible. There may be some odd Windows- or IE-only way of doing it, but it would be a very grave mistake to use it, and would cause even IE/Windows users quite some inconvenience.

**Jerome** · 09-22-2005, 03:45 PM

Put a note on the page:

To print the document, right mouse click on the link(s) below then click on "Print Target".

**mwinter** · 09-22-2005, 04:08 PM

Originally Posted by MIL

Well, I have a lot of reports of meetings on my website. They are all ".doc" files.
However nobody looks at the files on the web. Instead they all click on the link, Word opens and they go straight for the print button.

Everyone? Every single person that has ever, and will ever, download those reports will never want to look at them before printing? That's a very strong statement, and one that I doubt is true.

Impossible is nothing!

I think you meant that nothing is impossible. Well, that isn't true. Moreover, even if something is possible, it isn't necessarily wise to do it.

Originally Posted by Twey

I'm sorry, it really is literally impossible. There may be some odd Windows- or IE-only way of doing it

It wouldn't be impossible then, would it.

but it would be a very grave mistake to use it, and would cause even IE/Windows users quite some inconvenience.

Absolutely. Essentially forcing a print action isn't a good thing. Certainly not without letting a user preview what is being printed.

Unfortunately, it can be achieved with IE/Win if Word is installed using Automation (formerly OLE). However, that in itself means the approach is subject to security restraints which could render it impossible once again.

This also raises a far more serious problem: if permission is denied, an instance of Word will be created, but it will not be accessible. This means that it cannot be closed and will cause a memory leak (whilst testing, I almost hit my swap file limit before noticing this). If there's a way around it, I don't know it - I don't 'do' VB.

Mike