How to print PDF with a specific printer

[lorenzwagner]

Hello, I have the following problem/question. How can I print a PDF (not opened but location known) via an action phase? I have a list of printers, whereby I have information about the printers in a collection stage. How can I implement this and what information about the printers do I need in order to be able to select them specifically?

[GeoffHirst]

Hi @lorenzwagner 

Thank you for being a SS&C Blue Prism customer, and for using Blue Prism.

PDFs can be troublesome, especially in the area of printing. The reason for this is very few of the PDF libraries support printing. The one exception is the PDFiumViewer but this project was archived some years ago and is not being developed further. However, it may work and as such I am going to look into it and see if we can get a simple ability to print pdfs. The other method of course may be to use command line switches on pdf reader applications like Acrobat reader and Foxit PDF look like possible candidates but they would need some work as they don't quit after print job completion so some sendkeys might be needed there.

So, I am going to spend a couple of days looking into this and see what I can come up with. If I get anything servicable, I will attach it as an action to the Utility - General asset on the DX. I will keep you posted.

regards

[Athiban_Mahamathi]

Hi @lorenzwagner ,

The easiest workaround to achieve this will be by creating an object for Adobe. Open your PDF in Adobe and send CTRL + P to open the printer window. 

Select the printer name based on your collection and click print.

Regards,

Athiban

[lorenzwagner]

Hey @Athiban_Mahamathi thanks for your help. Would would the process look like? Sorry I am a real newbie.

[GeoffHirst]

Hi @lorenzwagner,

As per my previous communication I have created an asset that will print PDF files from their filepath and also allow the user to state what printer is to be used, if no printer is defined then the default will be used. This asset will be on the DX within the next week or so as it needs to make its way thru internal checks.

I hope this goes some way towards providing you with a solution.

regards

[lorenzwagner]

@GeoffHirst Thank you so much. Is it possible to provide it via a PN beforehand, so that i can test it out? And could you also state how it works? What informations do i need, such as filepath or the informations about the printer, and do i save them in a collection stage or something?

[GeoffHirst]

Hi @lorenzwagner,

Unfortunately, it cannot be released before the marketing QA, Legal and technical checks are done, I hope you understand.

The asset has 2 actions, one for getting a list of available printers, which will return a collection and the other is the actual printing of the PDF. You are only required to provide the filepath of the PDF and the name of the printer if you wish to print to a specific non-default printer. I will keep you posted on its progress through the checks.

regards

[GeoffHirst · Accepted solution]

Hi @lorenzwagner ,

The PDF Printer asset has now cleared QA and is available for general use on the DX.

You will find it here.

There are a couple of things to do to make it work, but the documentation explains what is needed, any issues, please come back here.

I hope this helps to resolve your issues.

Thank you for being a SS&C Blue Prism Customer, and for using Blue Prism.

regards

[Michael_S]

@GeoffHirst thank you so much for solving this through an addition to the DX, and turning it around in 10 days! And great question @lorenzwagner, thank you for posting 🙂

[lorenzwagner]

@GeoffHirst Thank you so much. One final question. Assuming i identified a specific number within the PDF and based on this number i want to trigger a specific printer. Lets say i have the number "123", then i want to trigger the first printer in the first row identified and for "456", the second one and for "789" the third one. I know i would ne kind of a loop and a decision stage, but i am really lost on how such process should look like.

Currently, whatever i do, i can always only trigger the first printer in the list.