CODEWITHSUNDEEP
pythonwin32com
Trying_hard
Trying_hard

Reputation: 9501

Python Printing from python32

I can't get Python to print a word doc. What I am trying to do is to open the Word document, print it and close it. I can open Word and the Word document:

import win32com.client

msword = win32com.client.Dispatch("Word.Application") 
msword.Documents.Open("X:\Backoffice\Adam\checklist.docx")

msword.visible= True

I have tried next to print

msword.activedocument.printout("X:\Backoffice\Adam\checklist.docx")

I get the error of "print out not valid".

Could someone shed some light on this how I can print this file from Python. I think it might be as simple as changing the word "printout". Thanks, I'm new to Python.

Upvotes: 1

Views: 2898

Answers (2)

Duncan
Duncan

Reputation: 95722

msword.ActiveDocument gives you the current active document. The PrintOut method prints that document: it doesn't take a document filename as a parameter.

From http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa220363(v=office.11).aspx:

expression.PrintOut(Background, Append, Range, OutputFileName, From, To, Item, 
  Copies, Pages, PageType, PrintToFile, Collate, FileName, ActivePrinterMacGX, 
  ManualDuplexPrint, PrintZoomColumn, PrintZoomRow, PrintZoomPaperWidth, 
  PrintZoomPaperHeight)

Specifically Word is trying to use your filename as a boolean Background which may be set True to print in the background.

Edit: Case matters and the error is a bit bizarre. msword.ActiveDocument.Printout() should print it. msword.ActiveDocument.printout() throws an error complaining that 'PrintOut' is not a property.

I think what happens internally is that Python tries to compensate when you don't match the case on properties but it doesn't get it quite right for methods. Or something like that anyway. ActiveDocument and activedocument are interchangeable but PrintOut and printout aren't.

Upvotes: 2

Constantinius
Constantinius

Reputation: 35069

You probably have to escape the backslash character \ with \\:

msword.Documents.Open("X:\\Backoffice\\Adam\\checklist.docx")

EDIT: Explanation

The backslash is usually used to declare special characters. For example \n is the special character for a new-line. If you want a literal \ you have to escape it.

Upvotes: 1

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