From: "Joe C. Hecht" <joehecht@code4sale.com>
Subject: Re: Why do color bitmaps print BW on color printer?
Date: Monday, March 05, 2001 12:59 PM

> I'm trying to print out simple TImage.Picture.Bitmaps on an HP color inkjet
> using code gleaned from the newsgroup. I always get monochrome printouts
> instead of color. Why?
> [StretchDIBits code snipped]

Hi Jim!

You may very well need to kick the printer into color
mode. Below is some functions to help. Enjoy :)

Next, let me say that if you are planning to deploy your code,
StretchDIBits() requires about 2000 lines of low level graphics
support code to work well, else many of your customers may
receive blank or garbled pages, and or system crashes.

Our TExcellentImagePrinter product can help, and is available
at: http://www.code4sale.com/joehecht/


function IsColorPrinter : bool;
var
  Device : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  Driver : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  Port   : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  hDMode : THandle;
  PDMode : PDEVMODE;
begin
  result := FALSE;
  Printer.PrinterIndex := Printer.PrinterIndex;
  Printer.GetPrinter(Device, Driver, Port, hDMode);
  if hDMode <> 0 then begin
    pDMode := GlobalLock(hDMode);
    if pDMode <> nil then begin
      if ((pDMode^.dmFields AND dm_Color) = dm_Color) then begin
        result := TRUE;
      end;
      GlobalUnlock(hDMode);
    end;
  end;
end;


function SetPrinterColorMode(InColor : BOOL) : BOOL;
var
  Device : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  Driver : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  Port   : array[0..MAX_PATH] of char;
  hDMode : THandle;
  PDMode : PDEVMODE;
begin
  result := FALSE;
  Printer.PrinterIndex := Printer.PrinterIndex;
  Printer.GetPrinter(Device, Driver, Port, hDMode);
  if hDMode <> 0 then begin
    pDMode := GlobalLock(hDMode);
    if pDMode <> nil then begin
      if (pDMode^.dmFields AND dm_Color) = dm_Color then begin
        if (InColor) then begin
          pDMode^.dmColor := DMCOLOR_COLOR;
        end else begin
          pDMode^.dmColor := DMCOLOR_MONOCHROME;
        end;
        result := TRUE;
      end;
      GlobalUnlock(hDMode);
      Printer.PrinterIndex := Printer.PrinterIndex;
    end;
  end;
end;

Joe
--
Cycling to cure cancer: http://homepages.borland.com/jkaster/tnt/