Can I print a standard test page in code-behind in .NET 3.5?

Question

Is there a way to print a standard test page in WPF from C# code if I have the name of a network printer?

Thanks!

Answer 1

The following is an example of using the System.Management namespace to access WMI and print a Test Page to a Printer. This relies on the Printer being connected to the Computer, I can provide code for connecting a Network printer through System.Management if you want that as well. This code should work for any version of the .Net Framework

using System;
using System.Management;

public class PrintTestPageUsingWMI
{
    private String _name;
    private ManagementObject _printer = null;

    public PrintTestPageUsingWMI(String printerName)
    {
        this._name = printerName;

        //Find the Win32_Printer which is a Network Printer of this name

        //Declare WMI Variables
        ManagementObject MgmtObject;
        ManagementObjectCollection MgmtCollection;
        ManagementObjectSearcher MgmtSearcher;

        //Perform the search for printers and return the listing as a collection
        MgmtSearcher = new ManagementObjectSearcher("Select * from Win32_Printer");
        MgmtCollection = MgmtSearcher.Get();

        foreach (ManagementObject objWMI in MgmtCollection)
        {
            if (objWMI.Item("sharename").ToString().Equals(this._name))
            {
                this._printer = objWMI;
            }
        }

        if (this._printer == null)
        {
            throw new Exception("Selected Printer is not connected to this Computer");
        }        
    }

    public void PrintTestPage()
    {
        this.InvokeWMIMethod("PrintTestPage");
    }

    /// 

    /// Helper Method which Invokes WMI Methods on this Printer
    /// 
    /// The name of the WMI Method to Invoke
    /// 
    private void InvokeWMIMethod(String method) {
        if (this._printer == null)
        {
            throw new Exception("Can't Print a Test Page on a Printer which is not connected to the Computer");
        }

        Object[] objTemp = new Object[0] { null };
        ManagementObject objWMI;

        //Invoke the WMI Method
        this._printer.InvokeMethod(method, objTemp);
    }
}

Alternatively you could look at the System.Printing Namespace which is supported in .Net 3.0 and higher