How to Print in ASP.NET 2.0
One
of the most common functionality in any ASP.NET application is to print
forms and controls. There are a lot of options to print forms using
client scripts. In the article, we will see how to print controls in
ASP.NET 2.0 using both server side code and javascript.
Step 1:
Create a PrintHelper class. This class contains a method called
PrintWebControl that can print any control like a GridView, DataGrid,
Panel, TextBox etc. The class makes a call to window.print() that
simulates the print button.
Note:
I have not written this class and neither do I know the original
author. I will be happy to add a reference in case someone knows.
C#
using System;
using System.Data;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Web;
using System.Web.Security;
using System.Web.UI;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls;
using System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts;
using System.Web.UI.HtmlControls;
using System.IO;
using System.Text;
using System.Web.SessionState;
public class PrintHelper
{
public PrintHelper()
{
}
public static void PrintWebControl(Control ctrl)
{
PrintWebControl(ctrl, string.Empty);
}
public static void PrintWebControl(Control ctrl, string Script)
{
StringWriter stringWrite = new StringWriter();
System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter htmlWrite = new System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter(stringWrite);
if (ctrl is WebControl)
{
Unit w = new Unit(100, UnitType.Percentage); ((WebControl)ctrl).Width = w;
}
Page pg = new Page();
pg.EnableEventValidation = false;
if (Script != string.Empty)
{
pg.ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(pg.GetType(),"PrintJavaScript", Script);
}
HtmlForm frm = new HtmlForm();
pg.Controls.Add(frm);
frm.Attributes.Add("runat", "server");
frm.Controls.Add(ctrl);
pg.DesignerInitialize();
pg.RenderControl(htmlWrite);
string strHTML = stringWrite.ToString();
HttpContext.Current.Response.Clear();
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(strHTML);
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write("<script>window.print();</script>");
HttpContext.Current.Response.End();
}
}
VB.NET
Imports System
Imports System.Data
Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.Web
Imports System.Web.Security
Imports System.Web.UI
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls
Imports System.Web.UI.WebControls.WebParts
Imports System.Web.UI.HtmlControls
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Text
Imports System.Web.SessionState
Public Class PrintHelper
Public Sub New()
End Sub
Public Shared Sub PrintWebControl(ByVal ctrl As Control)
PrintWebControl(ctrl, String.Empty)
End Sub
Public Shared Sub PrintWebControl(ByVal ctrl As Control, ByVal Script As String)
Dim stringWrite As StringWriter = New StringWriter()
Dim htmlWrite As System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter = New System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter(stringWrite)
If TypeOf ctrl Is WebControl Then
Dim w As Unit = New Unit(100, UnitType.Percentage)
CType(ctrl, WebControl).Width = w
End If
Dim pg As Page = New Page()
pg.EnableEventValidation = False
If Script <> String.Empty Then
pg.ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(pg.GetType(), "PrintJavaScript", Script)
End If
Dim frm As HtmlForm = New HtmlForm()
pg.Controls.Add(frm)
frm.Attributes.Add("runat", "server")
frm.Controls.Add(ctrl)
pg.DesignerInitialize()
pg.RenderControl(htmlWrite)
Dim strHTML As String = stringWrite.ToString()
HttpContext.Current.Response.Clear()
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(strHTML)
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write("<script>window.print();</script>")
HttpContext.Current.Response.End()
End Sub
End Class
Step 2:
Create two pages, Default.aspx and Print.aspx. Default.aspx will
contain the controls to be printed. Print.aspx will act as a popup page
to invoke the print functionality.
Step 3:
In your Default.aspx, drag and drop a few controls that you would like
to print. To print a group of controls, place them all in a container
control like a panel. This way if we print the panel using our
PrintHelper class, all the controls inside the panel gets printed.
Step 4: Add a print button to the Default.aspx and in the code behind, type the following code:
C#
protected void btnPrint_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Session["ctrl"] = Panel1;
ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(this.GetType(), "onclick", "<script language=javascript>window.open('Print.aspx','PrintMe','height=300px,width=300px,scrollbars=1');</script>");
}
VB.NET
Protected Sub btnPrint_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnPrint.Click
Session("ctrl") = Panel1
ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(Me.GetType(), "onclick", "<script language=javascript>window.open('Print.aspx','PrintMe','height=300px,width=300px,scrollbars=1');</script>")
End Sub
The
code stores the control in a Session variable to be accessed in the pop
up page, Print.aspx. If you want to print directly on button click,
call the Print functionality in the following manner :
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(Panel1);
Step 5: In the Page_Load event of Print.aspx.cs, add the following code:
C#
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Control ctrl = (Control)Session["ctrl"];
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(ctrl);
}
VB.NET
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
Dim ctrl As Control = CType(Session("ctrl"), Control)
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(ctrl)
End Sub
Dim htmlWrite As System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter = New System.Web.UI.HtmlTextWriter(stringWrite)
If TypeOf ctrl Is WebControl Then
Dim w As Unit = New Unit(100, UnitType.Percentage)
CType(ctrl, WebControl).Width = w
End If
Dim pg As Page = New Page()
pg.EnableEventValidation = False
If Script <> String.Empty Then
pg.ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(pg.GetType(), "PrintJavaScript", Script)
End If
Dim frm As HtmlForm = New HtmlForm()
pg.Controls.Add(frm)
frm.Attributes.Add("runat", "server")
frm.Controls.Add(ctrl)
pg.DesignerInitialize()
pg.RenderControl(htmlWrite)
Dim strHTML As String = stringWrite.ToString()
HttpContext.Current.Response.Clear()
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write(strHTML)
HttpContext.Current.Response.Write("<script>window.print();</script>")
HttpContext.Current.Response.End()
End Sub
End Class
Step 2:
Create two pages, Default.aspx and Print.aspx. Default.aspx will
contain the controls to be printed. Print.aspx will act as a popup page
to invoke the print functionality.
Step 3:
In your Default.aspx, drag and drop a few controls that you would like
to print. To print a group of controls, place them all in a container
control like a panel. This way if we print the panel using our
PrintHelper class, all the controls inside the panel gets printed.
Step 4: Add a print button to the Default.aspx and in the code behind, type the following code:
C#
protected void btnPrint_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Session["ctrl"] = Panel1;
ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(this.GetType(), "onclick", "<script language=javascript>window.open('Print.aspx','PrintMe','height=300px,width=300px,scrollbars=1');</script>");
}
VB.NET
Protected Sub btnPrint_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnPrint.Click
Session("ctrl") = Panel1
ClientScript.RegisterStartupScript(Me.GetType(), "onclick", "<script language=javascript>window.open('Print.aspx','PrintMe','height=300px,width=300px,scrollbars=1');</script>")
End Sub
The
code stores the control in a Session variable to be accessed in the pop
up page, Print.aspx. If you want to print directly on button click,
call the Print functionality in the following manner :
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(Panel1);
Step 5: In the Page_Load event of Print.aspx.cs, add the following code:
C#
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
Control ctrl = (Control)Session["ctrl"];
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(ctrl);
}
VB.NET
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
Dim ctrl As Control = CType(Session("ctrl"), Control)
PrintHelper.PrintWebControl(ctrl)
End Sub
Well that’s it. Try out the sample attached with this article and print any control you desire. The entire source code of this article can be downloaded over http://cid-2c5f5b0560e374cb.skydrive.live.com/self.aspx/.Public/Uploads/PrintingInASPNET.zip.
I hope this article was useful and I thank you for viewing it.