The following code contains a function named GetPrinterFullNames that
enumerates through the registry and returns an array of Strings, each
of which names one printer by name followed by port number. E.g.,
"HP Photosmart C8100 on Ne06:". These strings are suitable for
assignment to the ActivePrinter property.
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' Registry API declares and consts.
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Private Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER As Long = &H80000001
Private Const HKCU = HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Private Const KEY_QUERY_VALUE = &H1&
Private Const ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS = 259&
Private Const ERROR_MORE_DATA = 234
Private Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" ( _
ByVal HKey As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegOpenKeyEx Lib "advapi32" _
Alias "RegOpenKeyExA" ( _
ByVal HKey As Long, _
ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
ByVal ulOptions As Long, _
ByVal samDesired As Long, _
phkResult As Long) As Long
Public Declare Function RegEnumValue Lib "advapi32.dll" _
Alias "RegEnumValueA" ( _
ByVal HKey As Long, _
ByVal dwIndex As Long, _
ByVal lpValueName As String, _
lpcbValueName As Long, _
ByVal lpReserved As Long, _
lpType As Long, _
lpData As Byte, _
lpcbData As Long) As Long
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Public Function GetPrinterFullNames() As String()
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' GetPrinterFullNames
' By Chip Pearson, (e-mail address removed),
www.cpearson.com
' Returns an array of printer names, where each printer name
' is the device name followed by the port name. The value can
' be used to assign a printer to the ActivePrinter property.
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Dim Printers() As String ' array of names to be returned
Dim PNdx As Long ' index into Printers()
Dim HKey As Long ' registry key handle
Dim Res As Long ' result of API calls
Dim Ndx As Long ' index for RegEnumValue
Dim ValueName As String ' name of each value in the printer key
Dim ValueNameLen As Long ' length of ValueName
Dim DataType As Long ' registry value data type
Dim ValueValue() As Byte ' byte array of registry value value
Dim ValueValueS As String ' ValueValue converted to String
Dim CommaPos As Long ' position of comma char in ValueValue
Dim ColonPos As Long ' position of colon char in ValueValue
Dim M As Long ' string index
' registry key in HCKU listing printers
Const PRINTER_KEY = "Software\Microsoft\" & _
"Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices"
PNdx = 0
Ndx = 0
' assume printer name is less than 256 characters
ValueName = String$(256, Chr(0))
ValueNameLen = 255
' assume the port name is less than 100 characters
ReDim ValueValue(0 To 99)
' assume there are less than 1000 printers installed
ReDim Printers(1 To 1000)
' open the key whose values enumerate installed printers
Res = RegOpenKeyEx(HKCU, PRINTER_KEY, 0&, _
KEY_QUERY_VALUE, HKey)
' start enumeration loop of printers
Res = RegEnumValue(HKey, Ndx, ValueName, _
ValueNameLen, 0&, DataType, ValueValue(0), 1000)
' loop until all values have been enumerated
Do Until Res = ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS
M = InStr(1, ValueName, Chr(0))
If M > 1 Then
' clean up the ValueName
ValueName = Left(ValueName, M - 1)
End If
' find position of a comma and colon in the port name
CommaPos = InStr(1, ValueValue, ",")
ColonPos = InStr(1, ValueValue, ":")
' ValueValue byte array to ValueValueS string
ValueValueS = Mid(ValueValue, CommaPos + 1, ColonPos - CommaPos)
' next slot in Printers
PNdx = PNdx + 1
Printers(PNdx) = ValueName & " on " & ValueValueS
' reset some variables
ValueName = String(255, Chr(0))
ValueNameLen = 255
ReDim ValueValue(0 To 999)
ValueValueS = vbNullString
' tell RegEnumValue to get the next registry value
Ndx = Ndx + 1
' get the next printer
Res = RegEnumValue(HKey, Ndx, ValueName, ValueNameLen, _
0&, DataType, ValueValue(0), 1000)
If (Res <> 0) And (Res <> ERROR_MORE_DATA) Then
Exit Do
End If
Loop
' shrink Printers down to used size
ReDim Preserve Printers(1 To PNdx)
Res = RegCloseKey(HKey)
GetPrinterFullNames = Printers
End Function
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You can then call this code with something like:
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Sub Test()
Dim Printers() As String
Dim N As Long
Printers = GetPrinterFullNames()
For N = LBound(Printers) To UBound(Printers)
Debug.Print Printers(N)
Next N
End Sub
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Cordially,
Chip Pearson
Microsoft Most Valuable Professional
Excel Product Group, 1998 - 2009
Pearson Software Consulting, LLC
www.cpearson.com
(email on web site)
