C# Signature:

[DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
public static extern IntPtr CreateFile(
    string lpFileName,
    EFileAccess dwDesiredAccess,
    EFileShare dwShareMode,
    IntPtr lpSecurityAttributes,
    ECreationDisposition dwCreationDisposition,
    EFileAttributes dwFlagsAndAttributes,
    IntPtr hTemplateFile);

User-Defined Types:

[Flags]
public enum EFileAccess : uint
{
    GenericRead = 0x80000000,
    GenericWrite = 0x40000000,
    GenericExecute = 0x20000000,
    GenericAll = 0x10000000,
}

[Flags]
public enum EFileShare : uint
{
    None = 0x00000000,
    Read = 0x00000001,
    Write = 0x00000002,
    Delete = 0x00000004,
}

public enum ECreationDisposition : uint
{
    New = 1,
    CreateAlways = 2,
    OpenExisting = 3,
    OpenAlways = 4,
    TruncateExisting = 5,
}

[Flags]
public enum EFileAttributes : uint
{
    Readonly = 0x00000001,
    Hidden = 0x00000002,
    System = 0x00000004,
    Directory = 0x00000010,
    Archive = 0x00000020,
    Device = 0x00000040,
    Normal = 0x00000080,
    Temporary = 0x00000100,
    SparseFile = 0x00000200,
    ReparsePoint = 0x00000400,
    Compressed = 0x00000800,
    Offline= 0x00001000,
    NotContentIndexed = 0x00002000,
    Encrypted = 0x00004000,
    Write_Through = 0x80000000,
    Overlapped = 0x40000000,
    NoBuffering = 0x20000000,
    RandomAccess = 0x10000000,
    SequentialScan = 0x08000000,
    DeleteOnClose = 0x04000000,
    BackupSemantics = 0x02000000,
    PosixSemantics = 0x01000000,
    OpenReparsePoint = 0x00200000,
    OpenNoRecall = 0x00100000,
    FirstPipeInstance = 0x00080000
}

Instead of the enum "EFileAttributes" supplied on this page, you can also use "System.IO.FileAttributes". The enum values are identical up to "Encrypted".

This is NOT true for "EFileAccess" and "System.IO.FileAccess"!

Notes:

None.

Tips & Tricks:

You can use the IntPtr from Createfile with FileStream. This is usefull for opening devices such as Com1:, Lpt1: and Prn.

Unlike the FileStream ctor, CreateFile also allows you to open or create Windows 2000 sub-streams (e.g. "C:\Temp.dat:SubStream1").

For example:

IntPtr ptr = CreateFile(filename,access, share,0, mode,0, IntPtr.Zero);
/* Is bad handle? INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE */
if (ptr.ToInt32() == -1)
{
    /* ask the framework to marshall the win32 error code to an exception */
    Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
}
else
{
    return new FileStream(ptr,access);
}

Alternative Managed API:

Do you know one? Please contribute it!

Thought I post a sample code to help out anyone else who may need help : )

/// Sample code provided as is.
/// Sample Composed by Wijaya "Wi" T
/// References:
/// http://www.dotnettalk.net/Needed_help_on_printing_from_C_and_printer-6941579-1297-a.html
/// http://www.dotnet247.com/247reference/msgs/16/84730.aspx
/// http://www.groupsrv.com/dotnet/viewtopic.php?t=72572
/// http://www.pinvoke.net/default.aspx/kernel32.CreateFile
///    Usage:  
///        Initialize this class in your main code (see below),
///        and walla you are now printing!
///        
///        e.g.:
///        PrintFactory objPrintFactory = new PrintFactory();
///    Thank you:
///        Thank you all who have been contributing to printing to LPT port.
///        God Bless you! : )
///    Addt'l info:
///        Don't forget to reference:
///            using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
///            using System.IO;
///            
public class PrintFactory
{
   public const short FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL = 0x80;
   public const short INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE = -1;
   public const uint GENERIC_READ = 0x80000000;
   public const uint GENERIC_WRITE = 0x40000000;
   public const uint CREATE_NEW = 1;
   public const uint CREATE_ALWAYS = 2;
   public const uint OPEN_EXISTING = 3;        

   [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
   static extern IntPtr CreateFile(string lpFileName, uint dwDesiredAccess,
       uint dwShareMode, IntPtr lpSecurityAttributes, uint dwCreationDisposition,
       uint dwFlagsAndAttributes, IntPtr hTemplateFile);

   public PrintFactory()
   {
      IntPtr ptr = CreateFile("LPT1", GENERIC_WRITE, 0,
               IntPtr.Zero, OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);

      /* Is bad handle? INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE */
      if (ptr.ToInt32() == -1)
      {
     /* ask the framework to marshall the win32 error code to an exception */
     Marshal.ThrowExceptionForHR(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error());
      }
      else
      {                                    
     String Temp = "This is a test print";
     //This is the cut command on Star TSP 600 Printer
     char[] prnCmdCut = {(char)27, (char)100, (char)51};                
     FileStream lpt = new FileStream(ptr,FileAccess.ReadWrite);
     Byte[] Buff = new Byte[1024];
     //Check to see if your printer support ASCII encoding or Unicode.
     //If unicode is supported, use the following:
     //Buff = System.Text.Encoding.Unicode.GetBytes(Temp);
     Buff = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(Temp);
     lpt.Write(Buff,0,Buff.Length);                     
     Buff = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(prnCmdCut);
     lpt.Write(Buff,0,Buff.Length);
     lpt.Close();
       }
    }
}

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