how to send raw data to printer

[sushmi shrestha]

I gotta need to print some pin codes on paper directly after generating pin code. Any references of APIs in java ?

I am looking into javax.print library
Any other better alternatives?

Please help me out.

[Paul Sturrock]

Nope. The Print Service API is the extent of your options.

[Joe Ess]

If your OS and printer supports it, you can access a printer like you would a file, like in this example from the old Java Programmer's FAQ:

     // class that opens the printer as a file
     // and writes "Hello World" to it
 
     import java.io.*;
     public class lpt {
         public static void main (String[] argv) {
             try {
                 FileOutputStream os = new FileOutputStream("LPT1");
                 //wrap stream in "friendly" PrintStream
                 PrintStream ps = new PrintStream(os);
 
                 //print text here
                 ps.println("Hello world!");
 
                 //form feed -- this is important
                 //Without the form feed, the text will simply sit
                 // in print buffer until something else gets printed.
                 ps.print("\f");
                 //flush buffer and close
                 ps.close();
             } catch (Exception e) {
                 System.out.println("Exception occurred: " + e);
             }
         }
     }
    

[sushmi shrestha]

Thankyou very much for helping.
I tried your code. Nothing got printed neither any errors.

I tried for the code below. The code also didn't work.

    
 
import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
import java.io.InputStream;
 
import javax.print.Doc;
import javax.print.DocFlavor;
import javax.print.DocPrintJob;
import javax.print.PrintService;
import javax.print.PrintServiceLookup;
import javax.print.SimpleDoc;
 
public class MyPrintTest {

public void executePrint(String sample){
//data for printing
String data = sample;

try {
//locate printer
PrintService printService = PrintServiceLookup.lookupDefaultPrintService();
System.out.println("Printer online: "+printService);

//create a print job
DocPrintJob job = printService.createPrintJob();

//define the format of print document
InputStream is = new ByteArrayInputStream(data.getBytes());
DocFlavor flavor = DocFlavor.INPUT_STREAM.AUTOSENSE;

//print the data
Doc doc = new SimpleDoc(is, flavor, null);
job.print(doc, null);

is.close();
System.out.println("Printing Done!!");

} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}

public static void main(String[] args) {

new MyPrintTest().executePrint("testing Printing");
}
}
 

I am quite screwed up here. Neither I'm getting the expected output nor any errors are traced. I'm using network printer. Printer gets the document printed from other application but the code doesn't work leaving me no clue.

Waiting for helping hands.

[Ritesh Agrawal]

Hi,

Please refer to the following URL.

http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=1126898&page=1

I tried your code and although it seems correct and same as the sample provided in the Java 6 API Docs, you need to wait for the Printing Job to be completed before closing the InputStream.

I added the code provided in the above URL, but it still didn't work for me. Thus, I added a Thread.sleep(20000); //sleep for 20 seconds to allow for Job to be completed, and then close the input stream.

Try this, hopefully it will work for you.

[Albert Kam]

Yupe, you'd have to wait.

I learned about it in the online Java Almanac 1.4 at http://www.exampledepot.com/egs/javax.print/WaitForDone.html?l=rel

Here's my exerpt :

// create the input stream
InputStream in = null;
try {
log.debug("preparing input stream");
in = getFileTobePrinted();
DocFlavor flavor = DocFlavor.INPUT_STREAM.AUTOSENSE;

// find the printing service
log.debug("fetching print service");
AttributeSet attributeSet = new HashAttributeSet();
attributeSet.add(new PrinterName("lq2170", null));
PrintService[] services = PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(null, attributeSet);

// create the print job
log.debug("creating print job");
DocPrintJob job = services[0].createPrintJob();
Doc doc = new SimpleDoc(in, flavor, null);

// monitor print job events
log.debug("preparing print job monitor");
PrintJobWatcher watcher = new PrintJobWatcher(job);

// print it
log.debug("start printing");
job.print(doc, null);

// wait for the print job is done
log.debug("waiting for the printing to finish");
watcher.waitForDone();

log.debug("done !");
} finally {
if (in != null) try { in.close(); } catch(Exception e) {}
}

Good Luck,
Albert Kam
[ October 31, 2008: Message edited by: Albert Kam ]