Adobe® Flex® 4 Language Reference
Show Packages and Classes List |  Packages  |  Classes  |  Index  |  Appendixes
mx.printing 
FlexPrintJob 
Packagemx.printing
Classpublic class FlexPrintJob
InheritanceFlexPrintJob Inheritance Object

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The FlexPrintJob class is a wrapper for the flash.printing.PrintJob class. It supports automatically slicing and paginating the output on multilple pages, and scaling the grid contents to fit the printer's page size.

View the examples

See also



Public Properties
 PropertyDefined By
 Inheritedconstructor : Object
A reference to the class object or constructor function for a given object instance.
Object
  pageHeight : Number
[read-only] The height of the printable area on the printer page; it does not include any user-set margins.
FlexPrintJob
  pageWidth : Number
[read-only] The width of the printable area on the printer page; it does not include any user-set margins.
FlexPrintJob
  printAsBitmap : Boolean
Specifies whether to print the job content as a bitmap (true) or in vector format (false).
FlexPrintJob
 Inheritedprototype : Object
[static] A reference to the prototype object of a class or function object.
Object
Public Methods
 MethodDefined By
  
Constructor.
FlexPrintJob
  
addObject(obj:IUIComponent, scaleType:String = "matchWidth"):void
Adds a UIComponent object to the list of objects being printed.
FlexPrintJob
 Inherited
Indicates whether an object has a specified property defined.
Object
 Inherited
Indicates whether an instance of the Object class is in the prototype chain of the object specified as the parameter.
Object
 Inherited
Indicates whether the specified property exists and is enumerable.
Object
  
Sends the added objects to the printer to start printing.
FlexPrintJob
 Inherited
Sets the availability of a dynamic property for loop operations.
Object
  
Initializes the PrintJob object.
FlexPrintJob
 Inherited
Returns the string representation of this object, formatted according to locale-specific conventions.
Object
 Inherited
Returns the string representation of the specified object.
Object
 Inherited
Returns the primitive value of the specified object.
Object
Property Detail

pageHeight

property
pageHeight:Number  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The height of the printable area on the printer page; it does not include any user-set margins. It is set after start() method returns.



Implementation
    public function get pageHeight():Number

pageWidth

property 
pageWidth:Number  [read-only]

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

The width of the printable area on the printer page; it does not include any user-set margins. This property is set after start() method returns.



Implementation
    public function get pageWidth():Number

printAsBitmap

property 
printAsBitmap:Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Specifies whether to print the job content as a bitmap (true) or in vector format (false). Printing as a bitmap supports output that includes a bitmap image with alpha transparency or color effects. If the content does not include any bitmap images with alpha transparency or color effects, you can print in higher quality vector format by setting the printAsBitmap property to false.

The default value is true.



Implementation
    public function get printAsBitmap():Boolean
    public function set printAsBitmap(value:Boolean):void
Constructor Detail

FlexPrintJob

()Constructor
public function FlexPrintJob()

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Constructor.

Method Detail

addObject

()method
public function addObject(obj:IUIComponent, scaleType:String = "matchWidth"):void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Adds a UIComponent object to the list of objects being printed. Call this method after the start() method returns. Each call to this method starts a new page, so you should format your objects in page-sized chunks. You can use the PrintDataGrid class to span a data grid across multiple pages.

Parameters

obj:IUIComponent — The Object to be printed.
 
scaleType:String (default = "matchWidth") — The scaling technique to use to control how the object fits on one or more printed pages. Must be one of the constant values defined in the FlexPrintJobScaleType class.

See also

send

()method 
public function send():void

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Sends the added objects to the printer to start printing. Call this method after you have used the addObject() method to add the print pages.

start

()method 
public function start():Boolean

Language Version: ActionScript 3.0
Product Version: Flex 3
Runtime Versions: Flash Player 9, AIR 1.1

Initializes the PrintJob object. Displays the operating system printer dialog to the user. Flex sets the pageWidth and pageHeight properties after this call returns.

Returns
Booleantrue if the user clicks OK when the print dialog box appears, or false if the user clicks Cancel or if an error occurs.
FormPrintHeader.mxml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- Custom control for the header area of the printed page. -->
<s:VGroup name="FormPrintHeader"
        xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
        xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
        width="60%"
        horizontalAlign="right" >

    <s:Label text="This is a placeholder for first page contents"/>

</s:VGroup>
FormPrintFooter.mxml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- Custom control for the footer area of the printed page. -->
<s:VGroup name="FormPrintFooter"
        xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
        xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
        width="60%"
        horizontalAlign="right" >

    <!-- Declare and initialize the product total variable. -->
    <fx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            [Bindable]
            public var pTotal:Number = 0;
        ]]>
    </fx:Script>

    <s:Label text="Product Total: {pTotal}"/>

</s:VGroup>
FormPrintView.mxml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- Custom control to print the Halo DataGrid control on multiple pages. -->
<s:VGroup name="FormPrintView"
        xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
        xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
        xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
        xmlns="*">

    <fx:Script>
        <![CDATA[
            import mx.core.*;

            // Declare and initialize the variables used in the component.
            // The application sets the actual prodTotal value.
            [Bindable]
            public var pageNumber:Number = 1;

            [Bindable]
            public var prodTotal:Number = 0;

            // Control the page contents by selectively hiding the header and
            // footer based on the page type.
            public function showPage(pageType:String):void {
                if (pageType == "first" || pageType == "middle") {
                    // Hide the footer.
                    footer.includeInLayout = false;
                    footer.visible = false;
                }
                if (pageType == "middle" || pageType == "last") {
                    // The header won't be used again; hide it.
                    header.includeInLayout = false;
                    header.visible = false;
                }
                if (pageType == "last") {
                    // Show the footer.
                    footer.includeInLayout = true;
                    footer.visible = true;
                }
                //Update the DataGrid layout to reflect the results.
                validateNow();
            }
        ]]>
    </fx:Script>

    <!-- The template for the printed page, with the contents for all pages. -->
    <s:VGroup width="80%" horizontalAlign="left">
        <s:Label text="Page {pageNumber}"/>
    </s:VGroup>

    <FormPrintHeader id="header" />

    <!-- The data grid. The sizeToPage property is true by default, so the last
        page has only as many grid rows as are needed for the data. -->
    <mx:PrintDataGrid id="myDataGrid" width="60%" height="100%">
        <!-- Specify the columns to ensure that their order is correct. -->
        <mx:columns>
            <mx:DataGridColumn dataField="Index" />
            <mx:DataGridColumn dataField="Qty" />
        </mx:columns>
    </mx:PrintDataGrid>

    <!-- Create a FormPrintFooter control and set its prodTotal variable. -->
    <FormPrintFooter id="footer" pTotal="{prodTotal}" />

</s:VGroup>
PrintDataGridExample.mxml
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- Main application to print a Halo DataGrid control on multiple pages. -->
<s:Application name="PrintDataGridExample.mxml"
        xmlns:fx="http://ns.adobe.com/mxml/2009"
        xmlns:s="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/spark"
        xmlns:mx="library://ns.adobe.com/flex/mx"
        initialize="initData();">

    <fx:Script>
        <![CDATA[

        import mx.printing.*;
        import mx.collections.ArrayCollection;
        import FormPrintView;
        import mx.core.FlexGlobals;

        // Declare variables and initialize simple variables.
        [Bindable]
        public var dgProvider:ArrayCollection;
        public var footerHeight:Number = 20;
        public var prodIndex:Number;
        public var prodTotal:Number = 0;

        // Data initialization.
        public function initData():void {
            // Create the data provider for the DataGrid control.
            dgProvider = new ArrayCollection;
        }

        // Fill the dgProvider ArrayCollection with the specified items.
        public function setdgProvider(items:int):void {
            prodIndex=1;
            dgProvider.removeAll();
            for (var z:int=0; z<items; z++) {
                var prod1:Object = {};
                prod1.Qty = prodIndex * 7;
                prod1.Index = prodIndex++;
                prodTotal += prod1.Qty;
                dgProvider.addItem(prod1);
            }
        }

        // The function to print the output.
        public function doPrint():void {
            var printJob:FlexPrintJob = new FlexPrintJob();
            if (printJob.start()) {
                // Create a FormPrintView control as a child of the current view.
                var thePrintView:FormPrintView = new FormPrintView();
                FlexGlobals.topLevelApplication.addElement(thePrintView);

                //Set the print view properties.
                thePrintView.width=printJob.pageWidth;
                thePrintView.height=printJob.pageHeight;
                thePrintView.prodTotal = prodTotal;
                // Set the data provider of the FormPrintView component's data grid
                // to be the data provider of the displayed data grid.
                thePrintView.myDataGrid.dataProvider = myDataGrid.dataProvider;
                // Create a single-page image.
                thePrintView.showPage("single");
                // If the print image's data grid can hold all the provider's rows,
                // add the page to the print job.
                if (!thePrintView.myDataGrid.validNextPage)  {
                    printJob.addObject(thePrintView);
                }
                // Otherwise, the job requires multiple pages.
                else {
                    // Create the first page and add it to the print job.
                    thePrintView.showPage("first");
                    printJob.addObject(thePrintView);
                    thePrintView.pageNumber++;
                    // Loop through the following code until all pages are queued.
                    while (true) {
                        // Move the next page of data to the top of the print grid.
                        thePrintView.myDataGrid.nextPage();
                        thePrintView.showPage("last");
                        // If the page holds the remaining data, or if the last page
                        // was completely filled by the last grid data, queue it for printing.
                        // Test if there is data for another PrintDataGrid page.
                        if (!thePrintView.myDataGrid.validNextPage) {
                            // This is the last page; queue it and exit the print loop.
                            printJob.addObject(thePrintView);
                            break;
                        } else {
                            // This is not the last page. Queue a middle page.
                            thePrintView.showPage("middle");
                            printJob.addObject(thePrintView);
                            thePrintView.pageNumber++;
                        }
                    }
                }
                // All pages are queued; remove the FormPrintView control to free memory.
                FlexGlobals.topLevelApplication.removeElement(thePrintView);
            }
            // Send the job to the printer.
            printJob.send();
        }
        ]]>
    </fx:Script>

    <s:Panel title="DataGrid Printing Example"
            width="75%" height="75%"
            horizontalCenter="0" verticalCenter="0">
        <s:VGroup left="10" right="10" top="10" bottom="10">
            <mx:DataGrid id="myDataGrid" dataProvider="{dgProvider}">
                <mx:columns>
                    <mx:DataGridColumn dataField="Index"/>
                    <mx:DataGridColumn dataField="Qty"/>
                </mx:columns>
            </mx:DataGrid>

            <s:Label width="100%" color="blue"
                text="Specify the number of lines and click Fill Grid first. Then you can click Print."/>

            <s:TextInput id="dataItems" text="35"/>

            <s:HGroup>
                <s:Button id="setDP" label="Fill Grid" click="setdgProvider(int(dataItems.text));"/>
                <s:Button id="printDG" label="Print" click="doPrint();"/>
            </s:HGroup>
        </s:VGroup>
    </s:Panel>

</s:Application>