Use Telerik Reporting for printing from a Windows Service?

[Chris]

I'm looking at possible solutions for printing from a Windows Service (by "service" I mean a continuous UI-less background process, not a web service).

My question is, can I use and print from Telerik Reporting from within a Windows service, and is that a supported/appropriate use of Telerik Reporting?

I'm aware that the System.Drawing.Printing classes are not supported / not available within a Windows service. I want to check whether that's the case for the Telerik DLLs. I've looked through the documentation and the support forum but I can't see any evidence indicating support or lack of it.

Thanks,

Chris N

[Peter]

Hi Chris,

You can print/export from Windows Service using the respective server side method - ReportProcessor.Print Method. However you will have to set up a default printer to avoid the modal dialogs. About the System.Drawing.Printing namespace, most probably its absent due to a missing reference to the System.Drawing assembly.

Best wishes,
Peter
the Telerik team

[qakmak]

Hi Peter, I can't understand what you mean about : "However you will have to set up a default printer to avoid the modal dialogs. "

Is that necessary? How about there is have multiple printer connect to the server. And I need send a print command in the windows service by printer name?  Is that still OK?  Because sound like you mean there is only "default printer " can be used....Or me confused

[Stef]

Hello Qakmak,

If the provided PrinterSettings are not valid, there will appear a modal dialog, which is not allowed to be popped by the windows service. Check the example in the Telerik Reporting Print Dialog Box forum thread.

You are not limited to the default printer for the machine, but you will have to verify that the set printer settings are correct and allow the ReportProcessor to send the document to the printer machine.

Regards,
Stef
Telerik

[qakmak]

So what you mean is :"only default printer can use, and can't choice a printer by printer name when print report". Right?

[Stef]

Hello qakmak,

You will be able to specify any printer connected to the server machine, as long as the PrinterSettings properties are full and do not cause the application to popup additional dialogs for gathering more printer information that is not initially provided.

Regards,
Stef
Telerik