Batch Script - Printing

Printing can also be controlled from within Batch Script via the NET PRINT command.
PRINT [/D:device] [[drive:][path]filename[...]]

Where /D:device - Specifies a print device.
print c:\example.txt /c /d:lpt1
The above command will print the example.txt file to the parallel port lpt1.
As of Windows 2000, many, but not all, printer settings can be configured from Windows's command line using PRINTUI.DLL and RUNDLL32.EXE
RUNDLL32.EXE PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry [ options ] [ @commandfile ]

Where some of the options available are the following −
/dl − Delete local printer.
/dl − Delete local printer.
/dn − Delete network printer connection.
/dn − Delete network printer connection.
/dd − Delete printer driver.
/dd − Delete printer driver.
/e − Display printing preferences.
/e − Display printing preferences.
/f[file] − Either inf file or output file.
/f[file] − Either inf file or output file.
/F[file] − Location of an INF file that the INF file specified with /f may depend on.
/F[file] − Location of an INF file that the INF file specified with /f may depend on.
/ia − Install printer driver using inf file.
/ia − Install printer driver using inf file.
/id − Install printer driver using add printer driver wizard.
/id − Install printer driver using add printer driver wizard.
/if − Install printer using inf file.
/if − Install printer using inf file.
/ii − Install printer using add printer wizard with an inf file.
/ii − Install printer using add printer wizard with an inf file.
/il − Install printer using add printer wizard.
/il − Install printer using add printer wizard.
/in − Add network printer connection.
/in − Add network printer connection.
/ip − Install printer using network printer installation wizard.
/ip − Install printer using network printer installation wizard.
/k − Print test page to specified printer, cannot be combined with command when installing a printer.
/k − Print test page to specified printer, cannot be combined with command when installing a printer.
/l[path] − Printer driver source path.
/l[path] − Printer driver source path.
/m[model] − Printer driver model name.
/m[model] − Printer driver model name.
/n[name] − Printer name.
/n[name] − Printer name.
/o − Display printer queue view.
/o − Display printer queue view.
/p − Display printer properties.
/p − Display printer properties.
/Ss − Store printer settings into a file.
/Ss − Store printer settings into a file.
/Sr − Restore printer settings from a file.
/Sr − Restore printer settings from a file.
/y − Set printer as the default.
/y − Set printer as the default.
/Xg − Get printer settings.
/Xg − Get printer settings.
/Xs − Set printer settings.
/Xs − Set printer settings.
There can be cases wherein you might be connected to a network printer instead of a local printer. In such cases, it is always beneficial to check if a printer exists in the first place before printing.
The existence of a printer can be evaluated with the help of the RUNDLL32.EXE PRINTUI.DLL which is used to control most of the printer settings.
SET PrinterName = Test Printer
SET file=%TEMP%\Prt.txt
RUNDLL32.EXE PRINTUI.DLL,PrintUIEntry /Xg /n "%PrinterName%" /f "%file%" /q

IF EXIST "%file%" (
   ECHO %PrinterName% printer exists
) ELSE (
   ECHO %PrinterName% printer does NOT exists
)
The above command will do the following −
It will first set the printer name and set a file name which will hold the settings of the printer.
It will first set the printer name and set a file name which will hold the settings of the printer.
The RUNDLL32.EXE PRINTUI.DLL commands will be used to check if the printer actually exists by sending the configuration settings of the file to the file Prt.txt
The RUNDLL32.EXE PRINTUI.DLL commands will be used to check if the printer actually exists by sending the configuration settings of the file to the file Prt.txt
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