a short description

C# Signature:

[DllImport("winspool.drv", SetLastError=true)]
public static extern bool GetPrinter(IntPtr hPrinter, Int32 dwLevel, IntPtr pPrinter, Int32 dwBuf, out Int32 dwNeeded);

[DllImport("winspool.drv", SetLastError=true)]
public static extern bool GetPrinter(IntPtr hPrinter, uint dwLevel, IntPtr pPrinter, uint dwBuf, ref uint dwNeeded);

VB Signature:

Public Declare Function GetPrinter Lib "winspool.drv" Alias "GetPrinterW" (ByVal hPrinter As IntPtr, ByVal Level As Integer, ByVal pPrinter As IntPtr, ByVal cbBuf As Integer, ByRef pcbNeeded As Integer) As Integer

User-Defined Types:

PRINTER_INFO_2

            IntPtr pHandle;
            PRINTER_DEFAULTS defaults = new PRINTER_DEFAULTS();
            OpenPrinter(PrinterName, out pHandle, defaults);
            uint cbNeeded = 0;

            bool bRet = GetPrinter(pHandle, 2, IntPtr.Zero, 0, ref cbNeeded);
            if (cbNeeded > 0)
            {
                IntPtr pAddr = Marshal.AllocHGlobal((int)cbNeeded);
                bRet = GetPrinter(pHandle, 2, pAddr, cbNeeded, ref cbNeeded);
                if (bRet)
                {
                    PRINTER_INFO_2 Info2 = new PRINTER_INFO_2();
                    Info2 = (PRINTER_INFO_2)Marshal.PtrToStructure(pAddr, typeof(PRINTER_INFO_2));
                    // Now use the info from Info2 structure etc
                }
                Marshal.FreeHGlobal(pAddr);

            }

            ClosePrinter(pHandle);

VB.NET Sample Code:

            Dim PI2 As New PRINTER_INFO_2
            Dim pBuf As IntPtr
            Dim hPrinter As Integer
            Dim cbNeeded As Integer
            Dim rc As Integer

            rc = OpenPrinter(sPrinterName, hPrinter, 0&)
            If rc = 0 Then Throw New System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error())

            'The first call will fail, but it will return the length of the buffer we need to allocate
            rc = GetPrinter(hPrinter, 2, Nothing, 0, cbNeeded)

            'Allocate a memory buffer and fill the buffer with the printer info
            pBuf = Marshal.AllocHGlobal(cbNeeded)

            rc = GetPrinter(hPrinter, 2, pBuf, cbNeeded, cbNeeded)
            If rc = 0 Then Throw New System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception(Marshal.GetLastWin32Error())

            'Convert the memory pointer to the printer info structre and free the pointer
            PI2 = Marshal.PtrToStructure(pBuf, GetType(PRINTER_INFO_2))
            Marshal.FreeHGlobal(pBuf)

            ClosePrinter(hPrinter)

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