Printer driver development in .Net.

Guys, I'll make this quick and a quick yes or no will do. Is it possible to
develop a printer driver using .Net 2008/2010? I'd like to open a Word
document for example, and File -> Print and select my driver. It would then
launch a UI form, get some information from the user, etc. When OK is
clicked, I'd need to save the original document to disk and create a file
containing the selected UI options. Another program will later pick up those
details and will process the files further.

Ideally, I'd like to use .Net as my C++ is quite weak! So, is it possible
and if so could someone point me in the general direction?

Kind regards.

Peter

> Ideally, I'd like to use .Net as my C++ is quite weak!

Write in C, it's easier.

--
Maxim S. Shatskih
Windows DDK MVP

http://www.storagecraft.com

Maxim,

I can appreciate your comment but the last time I came across printer driver
development was when MS were having a barroom brawl with Sun over Java and
for some reason the original DDK had to be withdrawn and was never heard of
again? Perhaps it has been rescusitated under a different name. If there's an
official download for one could you provide me with a link? I have an MSDN
subscription which expires in a few weeks so I'd like to make a start while I
still have access to things.

I'm ok with general C but it's finding a usable sample and getting access to
the right tools that'll be my immediate problem to solve. Anything you can
advise on will be appreciated.

> for some reason the original DDK had to be withdrawn and was never heard of
> again? Perhaps it has been rescusitated under a different name. If there's an

I think WDK is easily downloadable from MS Connect.

--
Maxim S. Shatskih
Windows DDK MVP

http://www.storagecraft.com

"Maxim S. Shatskih" wrote:

> > for some reason the original DDK had to be withdrawn and was never heard of
> > again? Perhaps it has been rescusitated under a different name. If there's an
>
> I think WDK is easily downloadable from MS Connect.
>
> --
> Maxim S. Shatskih
> Windows DDK MVP
>
> http://www.storagecraft.com
>
> .
>

Thanks. I did find it and install it. Not sure what to do next but hopefully
I'll find something relevant for printer drivers in their somewhere.

the DDK is now called the WDK, it is easily and readily available for
download

d

"PHS" wrote in message
news:1BE7B8FD-B652-4931-9EBE-...

Maxim,

I can appreciate your comment but the last time I came across printer driver
development was when MS were having a barroom brawl with Sun over Java and
for some reason the original DDK had to be withdrawn and was never heard of
again? Perhaps it has been rescusitated under a different name. If there's
an
official download for one could you provide me with a link? I have an MSDN
subscription which expires in a few weeks so I'd like to make a start while
I
still have access to things.

I'm ok with general C but it's finding a usable sample and getting access to
the right tools that'll be my immediate problem to solve. Anything you can
advise on will be appreciated.

PHS <> wrote:
>
>Guys, I'll make this quick and a quick yes or no will do. Is it possible to
>develop a printer driver using .Net 2008/2010?

..Net is not a language. It's just a marketing term. C# is a language.

>I'd like to open a Word
>document for example, and File -> Print and select my driver. It would then
>launch a UI form, get some information from the user, etc. When OK is
>clicked, I'd need to save the original document to disk and create a file
>containing the selected UI options. Another program will later pick up those
>details and will process the files further.
>
>Ideally, I'd like to use .Net as my C++ is quite weak! So, is it possible
>and if so could someone point me in the general direction?

A printer driver is just a DLL, so theoretically, it is possible, but it's
going to hurt. There are certainly no header files, libraries, or samples
to get you started.
--
Tim Roberts,
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.