Automatically printing a Word document (w/o user interviention)

[wparrott]

Hello experts! I'm having trouble coding a button on a form and could use some help.

In a nutshell, I'm attempting to code the button to do the following:

1. Choose the appropriate Word document
2. Fill in form fields on the doc using fields from the record
3. Print the document.
4. Close the word document suppressing any save dialogs.

I'd like to do all of this without user intervention (after clicking the button, of course). The problem I'm having is steps 3 and 4. How do I code it to print the Word document (using the default printer) and close it while suppressing any save dialogs?

Here's the snippet from the relevent section of the code:

With appWord
 
    Set doc = .Documents.Open(DOC_PATH & DOC_NAME, , True)
    Set rst = New ADODB.Recordset
 
    With doc
        .FormFields("fldFNAME").Result = Nz(Me!txtFNAME)
        .FormFields("fldLNAME").Result = Nz(Me!txtLNAME)
        .FormFields("fldPOSIT2").Result = Nz(subContractData!txtPOSIT2)
        .FormFields("fldSCHNAME1").Result = Nz(subContractData!txtSCHNAME1)
        .FormFields("fldCONTRACTPAY").Result = Nz(subContractData!numCONTRACTPAY)
        .FormFields("fldCONTRACTLENGTH").Result = Nz(subContractData!numCONTRACTLENGTH)
        .FormFields("fldCONTRACTDATE").Result = Nz(dteCONTRACTDATE, Date)
    End With
    .Visible = True
    .Activate
End With
 

Any suggestions are welcomed! TIA

William

[wparrott]

Actually number of copies was easy. Just added another inputbox and used that value to set the .ActiveDocument .Application.Pr intOut Copies:=numCOPI ES option.

[ADezii]

If I use .ActiveDocument .Close (wdDoNotSaveCha nges) instead of .Quit (wdDoNotSaveCha nges) it will print then close the document window in Word. However Word is still open. Not exactly what I am trying to do but closer.

On another note, is there a way to programmaticall y set the number of copies? I'd like to add a 2nd inputbox to allow multiple copies to be printed.

Are you setting the Object Variable referring to the Instance of Word to nothing?

Set wdApp = Nothing

[wparrott]

Are you setting the Object Variable referring to the Instance of Word to nothing?

Set wdApp = Nothing

Yes, after the last With/End With and right before the Exit Sub. I called it appWord, not wdApp. Would this make any difference?

Dim appWord As Word.Application
 

End With
 
Set rst = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
Set appWord = Nothing
Exit Sub

[ADezii]

Yes, after the last With/End With and right before the Exit Sub. I called it appWord, not wdApp. Would this make any difference?

Dim appWord As Word.Application
 

End With
 
Set rst = Nothing
Set doc = Nothing
Set appWord = Nothing
Exit Sub

The actual Object variable name makes no difference as long as it is the same as the Declaration.

[wparrott]

Thanks for the help, ADezii. I've got it doing everything that I'd hoped except that it leaves MS-Word open and minimized. This is acceptable since it will require only minimal user intervention and the contract document is closed automatically w/o saving the changes. Now I will move on to my next problem and will post it as a new discussion.

[ADezii]

Thanks for the help, ADezii. I've got it doing everything that I'd hoped except that it leaves MS-Word open and minimized. This is acceptable since it will require only minimal user intervention and the contract document is closed automatically w/o saving the changes. Now I will move on to my next problem and will post it as a new discussion.

Anytime. It just puzzles me since you obviously conquered the more difficult aspects but the simple task of closing Word remains. Even if the Object Variable (appWord) is not set to Nothing, simply exiting the Print Sub-Routine would make it lose its scope, thereby destroying the Instance of Word. The more I think about it, the more puzzling it gets. Good luck.

[wparrott]

Update:

I accidently stumbled across the solution to the problem of not being able to close Word after the document prints.

'Code to Print document and close Word after printing
    .Visible = True
    .ActiveDocument.Application.Options.PrintBackground = False
    .ActiveDocument.Application.PrintOut Copies:=numCOPIES
    .DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsNone
    .Quit (wdDoNotSaveChanges)
 

The missing line was the 'PrintBackgroun d = False' property. I was trying to print then close Word. Apparently there's a problem with background printing and performing these steps so the solution was to turn off background printing. The command button works fine now. There is a slight delay returning the focus back to the form while the document is printing but that's the only issue I see.

Thanks again, ADezii....you'v e been most helpful to this novice!

William

[ADezii]

Update:

I accidently stumbled across the solution to the problem of not being able to close Word after the document prints.

'Code to Print document and close Word after printing
    .Visible = True
    .ActiveDocument.Application.Options.PrintBackground = False
    .ActiveDocument.Application.PrintOut Copies:=numCOPIES
    .DisplayAlerts = wdAlertsNone
    .Quit (wdDoNotSaveChanges)
 

The missing line was the 'PrintBackgroun d = False' property. I was trying to print then close Word. Apparently there's a problem with background printing and performing these steps so the solution was to turn off background printing. The command button works fine now. There is a slight delay returning the focus back to the form while the document is printing but that's the only issue I see.

Thanks again, ADezii....you'v e been most helpful to this novice!

William

No problem, way to stick with it and arrive at a solution! I commend your efforts!