Text on Image Resolution

[CG3000]

I create a .PNG image ( in Macromedia Fireworks ) which has an gif in
it in the top left corner and a lot of empty canvas space to the right.


I use about 10 text boxes on a form to populate that empty space with
text.


I then print the image ( from a picture box on my form) on a UPS
Thermal Printer ( label printer)


Problem is the resolution of the text is blurry.


I tried changing the image resolution but that made it print very
small.


I dont know if I should try a differnt image type other then .png.


The PC that prints the label is running XP. The below code is what
creates the image and prints it:
Private Sub btnMakeLabel_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e
As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim imageName As String = "C:\Projects\Vitex\VPG_Small_3.png"
Dim i As Image = Image.FromFile(imageName)
Dim g As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(i)
Dim sf As StringFormat =
CType(StringFormat.GenericTypographic.Clone(), StringFormat)
sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Center
sf.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center
Dim dt As Date =
Date.Parse(Me.MonthCalendar1.SelectionRange.Start)
Dim lblMonth As Integer = dt.Month
Dim lblDay As Integer = dt.Day
'g.TextRenderingHint =
Drawing.Text.TextRenderingHint.AntiAliasGridFit
g.DrawString(lblMonth.ToString() + " " + lblDay.ToString(), New

Font("Helvetica", 9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New
RectangleF(65, 49, 50, 25), sf)
'g.DrawString("Set # ", New Font("Helvetica", 7,
GraphicsUnit.Point), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(50, 34, 50, 25), sf)

g.DrawString(Me.txtSet.Text + "", New Font("Helvetica", 9,
GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(48, 49, 50, 25), sf)

g.DrawString(Me.txtBackroll.Text, New Font("Helvetica", 9,
GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(38, 49, 50, 25), sf)

g.DrawString("Op: " + Me.txtOperatorInitls.Text, New
Font("Helvetica", 9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New
RectangleF(5, 50, 50, 25), sf)
g.DrawString("Code: " + Me.txtCode.Text, New Font("Helvetica",
9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(38, 2, 100, 25),
sf)
g.DrawString("SO: " + Me.txtS0.Text, New Font("Helvetica", 9,
GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(155, 1, 60, 25), sf)

g.DrawString("Desc:" + Me.txtDescript1.Text, New
Font("Helvetica", 9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New
RectangleF(40, 12, 120, 25), sf)
g.DrawString(Me.txtDescript2.Text, New Font("Helvetica", 9,
GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(49, 22, 120, 25),
sf)
g.DrawString("PO: " + Me.txtPurchOrd.Text, New
Font("Helvetica", 9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New
RectangleF(38, 34, 80, 25), sf)
g.DrawString("Qty: " + Me.txtPressRepeats.Text, New
Font("Helvetica", 9, GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New
RectangleF(127, 17, 90, 60), sf)
g.DrawString("Roll # 1", New Font("Helvetica", 9,
GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(107, 30, 120, 60),
sf)
g.Dispose()
Me.PictureBox1.Image = i
End Sub
Private Sub btnPrintLabels_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e

As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
Try
'If you do not specify a printer it uses the default
'Me.PrntDoc_Img.PrinterSettings.PrinterName = "Canon
MF3110"
Me.PrntDoc_Img.DocumentName = "Vitex Label"
AddHandler PrntDoc_Img.PrintPage, AddressOf Me.pd_PrintPage

PrntDoc_Img.Print()
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show("An error occurred while printing", _
ex.ToString())
End Try


End Sub
' Specifies what happens when the PrintPage event is raised.
Private Sub pd_PrintPage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal ev As
System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs)
' Draw a picture.
'ev.Graphics.
ev.Graphics.DrawImage(Me.PictureBox1.Image, _
ev.Graphics.VisibleClipBounds.Location)


' Indicate that this is the last page to print.
ev.HasMorePages = False
End Sub
End Class


Anything I can do to increase the text quality.

 

[Enfor]

Sounds like you're adding the text to the image and then printing the image.
You should probably send the image and then the text to the printer. The
printer driver will then render the text at the full resolution of the
printer.

 

[CG3000]

I am adding the text to the image and then printing it.

How do you send the image and the text separate?

Ill be honest and see I know how to print ONE document at a time. Not
send a document in "pieces"

 

[Enfor]

I use VB6 and have only used dot net a couple of times (don't even have it
installed at work yet). But I would assume that after you send the image to
the printer with:

ev.Graphics.DrawImage(Me.PictureBox1.Image,
ev.Graphics.VisibleClipBounds.Location)

You could then send the text.

ev.Graphics.DrawString(Me.txtSet.Text + "", New Font("Helvetica",
9,GraphicsUnit.Pixel), Brushes.Black, New RectangleF(48, 49, 50, 25), sf)

You will probably need to adjust the sizes of the font, and the rectangle as
you are now working with the printer units, not the image units. I think in
VB6 by default each inch = 1440 pixels... not sure what it is in dot net.
Hopefully this will point you in the right direction as I can't test it
here.

 

[CG3000]

Enfor thank you. I think you are right.

I did what you said in a small test and it worked.

I dont understand GDI+ to a greath depth but I read this has something
to do with the text resolution being separate from the PCs resolution.

Ill let you know after I add all my text box values. I initially tried
one text box value and I saw a HUGE diff in the resolution.