PRB: GDI Functions Do Not Affect Printer Device Context (84055)

SYMPTOMS

When certain Windows Graphics Device Interface (GDI) functions are used with a printer Device Context (DC), the functions do not affect the printed results.

RESOLUTION

Modify the application to perform banding or remove any GDI functions that are not supported by metafiles. The "Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Reference Volume 1" for version 3.0 lists on pages 2-41 and 2-42 the functions that are valid in a metafile, and the "Microsoft Windows SDK: Programmer's Reference, Volume 1: Overview," for version 3.1 lists the valid functions on page 107; however, these lists contain some errors. To obtain an updated list of valid functions, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

prod(winsdk) and metafile and valid and functions

MORE INFORMATION

When an application prints to a banding device and does not perform banding, Windows GDI collects all the output function calls and creates a metafile. During the process of printing, GDI plays this metafile into each of the bands received from the printer driver. Any functions that are not supported in metafiles do not work under this scenario.

For more information on adding banding to an application, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

prod(winsdk) and banding and application

Other sources of information are Chapter 12 of the "Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit Guide to Programming" for version 3.0 and "Programming Windows" by Charles Petzold (Microsoft Press).