Dundas Chart for Windows Forms
Printing a Chart
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Using Dundas Chart > Printing a Chart



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Printing a Chart

Printing Basics

Printing of a chart is accomplished via the PrintingManager class, which is exposed as the Printing property of the root Chart object. This PrintManager class belongs to the Dundas.Charting.WinControl.Utilities namespace.

When a chart is printed all chart elements, except for scrollbars, will be printed.

To print only part of a chart first create a view, then print the chart and then reset the chart to its previous view state. For further information on data views see the Scrolling and Zooming topic for further details.

To access a .NET PrintDocument object use the PrintDocument property (described in the next section of this article). The PrintDocument class is a reusable object that allows for the setting of printing properties (e.g. margins) and then sends output to a printer.

To embed a chart inside a custom paint routine use the PrintPaint method (described in detail in the Custom Drawing Routines section).

Using the PrintDocument Object

The .NET PrintDocument class is a reusable object that can be used to set printing-related properties and then send output to a printer, and is exposed via the PrintDocument property. Use this object when you need to perform a printing-related task that isn't possible using the utility methods of the chart's PrintingManager object.

Example

In the following sample we set the margins to 0.5 inches, and then print the chart without displaying the Print Dialog. Note that margins are measured in 1/100 of an inch.

Visual Basic Copy Code
Imports Dundas.Charting.WinControl
Imports System.Drawing.Printing
  ...

Dim myMargin As New Margins(50, 50, 50, 50)
chart1.Printing.PrintDocument.DefaultPageSettings.Margins = myMargin
chart1.Printing.Print(False)
C# Copy Code
using Dundas.Charting.WinControl;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
  ...

Margins myMargins = new Margins(50,50,50,50);
chart2.Printing.PrintDocument.DefaultPageSettings.Margins = myMargins
chart2.Printing.Print(false);

Custom Drawing Routines and the PrintPaint method

Custom printing routines are implemented using the PrintPage event of a PrintDocument object, and the PrintPaint method of the chart's PrintingManager class is designed to facilitate embedding a chart in this event.

The PrintPaint method prints a chart at the page location that is set by the Position parameter value, which is of type Rectangle.

When using this method the Graphics object used for the g parameter MUST be the Graphics object of the PrintPageEventArgs parameter (see sample source code below).

Example

The following example prints a line of text, the chart and then another line of text using a custom drawing routine via the PrintPage event of a PrintDocument object. Note that we use the Graphics object from the PrintPageEventArgs parameter as the Graphics parameter for the PrintPaint method call.

Visual Basic Copy Code
Imports Dundas.Charting.WinControl
  ...
Public Class Form1

' Create new PrintDocument
Dim pd As New PrintDocument()
' Add the event handler, and then print
AddHandler pd.PrintPage, AddressOf pd_PrintPage
' Print the chart
pd.Print()

  ...

Private Sub pd_PrintPage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal ev As PrintPageEventArgs)
' this event is raised for every page to be printed

' Create and initialize print font
Dim printFont As System.Drawing.Font
printFont = New Font("Arial", 10)

' Create Rectangle structure, used to set the position of the chart
Dim myRec As New Drawing.Rectangle(10, 30, 150, 150)

' Draw a line of text, followed by the chart, and then another line of text
ev.Graphics.DrawString("Line before chart", printFont, Brushes.Black, 10, 10)
chart1.Printing.PrintPaint (ev.Graphics, myRec)
ev.Graphics.DrawString("Line after chart", printFont, Brushes.Black, 10, 200)

End Sub

End Class
C# Copy Code
using Dundas.Charting.WinControl;
using System.Drawing.Printing;
  ...
  
// Create new PrintDocument
PrintDocument pd = new PrintDocument();

// Hook up to the PrintPage event of the document
pd.PrintPage += new PrintPageEventHandler(pd_PrintPage);

// Print the chart
pd.Print();

  ...

private void pd_PrintPage(object sender, PrintPageEventArgs ev){

// Create and initialize print font
System.Drawing.Font printFont = new System.Drawing.Font("Arial", 10);

// Create Rectangle structure, used to set the position of the chart
Rectangle myRec = new Rectangle(10, 30, 150, 150);

// Draw a line of text, followed by the chart, and then another line of text
ev.Graphics.DrawString("Line before chart", printFont, Brushes.Black, 10, 10);
chart1.Printing.PrintPaint (ev.Graphics, myRec);
ev.Graphics.DrawString("Line after chart", printFont, Brushes.Black, 10, 200);

}

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