Print Mailing Labels

March 1, 1999

.

This article will explain how to print mailing labels using an ODBC
database, OnPrint, and OnDraw. I used VC++ version 5 with service patch 2
installed, but it should work with any version of VC++.
To get my mailing labels printed I first used Crystal Reports. While this
worked, I was not happy with the output of the label. There was too much
seperation between fields, and trying to get them to look right was going
to be a major programming project in itself.

In starting to do my own labels, I needed a font other than the default
one. So, first was to add two variables in the CView header file:

	CFont cfSmall;
	CFont *pOldFont;

Next, in the OnDraw function I needed to know where to print each label.
The first label starts about a half inch down from the top and a quarter of
an inch over to the right. Time for some more variables. This time they
are local to On Draw:

	int xstart,ystart;
	int labelheight,labelwidth;

The TWIPS mapping mode give dimensions in inches. According to the help
for CDC::SetMapMode: “Each logical unit is converted 1/20 of a point. (Because a point is 1/72
inch, a twip is 1/1440 inch.) Positive x is to the right; positive y is
up.”

Therefore, I coded:

	xstart = 1440 / 4;
	ystart = 1440 / 2;
	labelheight = 1440;
	labelwidth = 1440 * 2.5;

OnDraw receives a pointer the the CDC. One of the functions is
IsPrinting(). I put a check in my function and coded the following:

if(pDC->IsPrinting())
{
	if(m_nCurPage == 0l)
		m_pSet->MoveFirst();
	else
		m_pSet->SetAbsolutePosition((long)((m_nCurPage * 30)+1l)));


	iOldMode = pDC->SetMapMode(MM_TWIPS);

	cfSmall.CreateFont(200,0,0,0,
		FW_NORMAL,FALSE,FALSE,
		ANSI_CHARSET,OUT_TT_PRECIS,0,
		PROOF_QUALITY,DEFAULT_PITCH,FF_DONTCARE,"Arial");
	pOldFont = pDC->SelectObject(&cfSmall);

	GetClientRect(&r);

	s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
	textsize = pDC->GetTextExtent(s);
	lx = r.left + xstart;
	ly = r.top - ystart;
	for(a = 0;a < 10;a++)
	{
		for(b = 0;b < 3;b++)
		{
			x = lx;
			y = ly;
			if(!m_pSet->IsEOF())
			{
				m_pSet->m_FirstName.TrimRight();
				m_pSet->m_LastName.TrimRight();
				csOut = m_pSet->m_FirstName;
				csOut += " ";
				csOut += m_pSet->m_LastName;
				pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);

				y -= textsize.cy;
				m_pSet->m_FirstAddr.TrimRight();
				pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_FirstAddr);

				y -= textsize.cy;
				m_pSet->m_SecondAddr.TrimRight();
				pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_SecondAddr);

				y -= textsize.cy;
				m_pSet->m_City.TrimRight();
				m_pSet->m_State.TrimRight();
				m_pSet->m_ZipCode.TrimRight();
				csOut = m_pSet->m_City;
				csOut += ", ";
				csOut += m_pSet->m_State;
				csOut += " ";
				csOut += m_pSet->m_ZipCode;
				pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);
				m_pSet->MoveNext();
			}

			lx += labelwidth;
		}
		ly -= labelheight;
		lx = r.left + xstart;

	}

	pDC->SelectObject(pOldFont);
	cfSmall.DeleteObject();
	pDC->SetMapMode(iOldMode);

}

The whole view file and header is included. I tried putting a while
(!m_pSet->IsEof()) as a part of the controlling loop, then doing the
counting for each label. This didn’t work because pages will be printed
one on top of the other. The key to keeping up with where in the database
you are, and where to start printing is current page. The print engine in
MFC starts counting current pages at 1, so in your OnPrint override you
have this:

	m_nCurPage = pInfo->m_nCurPage;
	m_nCurPage -= 1;
	OnDraw(pDC);
	CView::OnPrint(pDC, pInfo);

m_nCurPage is part of your CView, subtract one, then each time your on draw
gets called you multiply by 30. Why 30? 3 labels accross, 10 down.
Adjust if you only have two accross.

You will also have to determine how many pages you have to print. This
gets done in OnPreparePrinting():

	LONG lNumRecs;
	int iNumPages;
	int iExtra;
	lNumRecs = m_pSet->GetRecordCount();
	iNumPages = (int)(lNumRecs / 30l);
	iExtra = (int)(lNumRecs % 30l);
	if(iExtra > 0)
	iNumPages++;
	pInfo->SetMaxPage(iNumPages);
	return DoPreparePrinting(pInfo);

You get the number of records in your dataset, divide that number by the
number of labels per sheet. Because there might be more labels left over
than can print on a sheet, you do a mod on the number records. This will
tell you if there are any remaining on a partial sheet, if so, add one to
the page count. Then set your page count by callint SetMaxPage().

The y is always decremented using the TWIPS map mode because the bottom of
the page is 0. For each page, you have to reinitialize the font and map
mode–the printer will not remember those things between pages, that’s why
you delete your objects and reinitialize them each time your OnDraw is
called.

That’s about it. You’ve got print preview, and printing for your labels.

The CView .cpp file:

// mlabelView.cpp : implementation of the CMlabelView class
//

#include "stdafx.h"
#include "mlabel.h"
#include "MlistSet.h"
#include "mlabelDoc.h"
#include "mlabelView.h"


#ifdef _DEBUG
#define new DEBUG_NEW
#undef THIS_FILE
static char THIS_FILE[] = __FILE__;
#endif

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
// CMlabelView

IMPLEMENT_DYNCREATE(CMlabelView, CView)

BEGIN_MESSAGE_MAP(CMlabelView, CView)
	//{{AFX_MSG_MAP(CMlabelView)
	// NOTE - the ClassWizard will add and remove mapping macros here.
	//    DO NOT EDIT what you see in these blocks of generated code!
	//}}AFX_MSG_MAP
	// Standard printing commands
	ON_COMMAND(ID_FILE_PRINT, CView::OnFilePrint)
	ON_COMMAND(ID_FILE_PRINT_DIRECT, CView::OnFilePrint)
	ON_COMMAND(ID_FILE_PRINT_PREVIEW, CView::OnFilePrintPreview)
END_MESSAGE_MAP()

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////


// CMlabelView construction/destruction

CMlabelView::CMlabelView()
{
	// TODO: add construction code here
	m_pSet = NULL;

}

CMlabelView::~CMlabelView()
{
}

BOOL CMlabelView::PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs)
{
	// TODO: Modify the Window class or styles here by modifying
	//  the CREATESTRUCT cs

	return CView::PreCreateWindow(cs);
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/
// CMlabelView drawing

void CMlabelView::OnDraw(CDC* pDC)
{
	CMlabelDoc* pDoc = GetDocument();
	ASSERT_VALID(pDoc);
	int xstart,ystart;
	int lx,ly;
	int x,y;
	int a,b;
	int labelheight,labelwidth;
	RECT r;
	CSize textsize;

	xstart = 1440 / 4;
	ystart = 1440 / 2;
	labelheight = 1440;
	labelwidth = 1440 * 2.5;
	CString csOut;
	CString s;

	if(pDC->IsPrinting())
	{
		if(m_nCurPage == 0l)
			m_pSet->MoveFirst();
		else
			m_pSet->SetAbsolutePosition((long)((m_nCurPage * 30)+1l));

		iOldMode = pDC->SetMapMode(MM_TWIPS);

		cfSmall.CreateFont(200,0,0,0,
			FW_NORMAL,FALSE,FALSE,
			ANSI_CHARSET,OUT_TT_PRECIS,0,
			PROOF_QUALITY,DEFAULT_PITCH,FF_DONTCARE,"Arial");
		pOldFont = pDC->SelectObject(&cfSmall);

		GetClientRect(&r);

		s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
		textsize = pDC->GetTextExtent(s);
		lx = r.left + xstart;
		ly = r.top - ystart;
		for(a = 0;a < 10;a++)
		{
			for(b = 0;b < 3;b++)
			{
				x = lx;
				y = ly;
				if(!m_pSet->IsEOF())
				{
					m_pSet->m_FirstName.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_LastName.TrimRight();
					csOut = m_pSet->m_FirstName;
					csOut += " ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_LastName;
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_FirstAddr.TrimRight();
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_FirstAddr);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_SecondAddr.TrimRight();
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_SecondAddr);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_City.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_State.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_ZipCode.TrimRight();
					csOut = m_pSet->m_City;
					csOut += ", ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_State;
					csOut += " ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_ZipCode;
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);
					m_pSet->MoveNext();
				}

				lx += labelwidth;
			}

			ly -= labelheight;
			lx = r.left + xstart;

		}

		pDC->SelectObject(pOldFont);
		cfSmall.DeleteObject();
		pDC->SetMapMode(iOldMode);
	}
	else
	{
		iOldMode = pDC->SetMapMode(MM_TWIPS);

		cfSmall.CreateFont(200,0,0,0,
			FW_NORMAL,FALSE,FALSE,
			ANSI_CHARSET,OUT_TT_PRECIS,0,
			PROOF_QUALITY,DEFAULT_PITCH,FF_DONTCARE,"Arial");
		pOldFont = pDC->SelectObject(&cfSmall);

		GetClientRect(&r);

		s = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ";
		textsize = pDC->GetTextExtent(s);
		lx = r.left + xstart;
		ly = r.top - ystart;

		m_pSet->MoveFirst();
		while(!m_pSet->IsEOF())
		{

			for(b = 0;b < 3;b++)
			{
				x = lx;
				y = ly;
				if(!m_pSet->IsEOF())
				{
					m_pSet->m_FirstName.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_LastName.TrimRight();
					csOut = m_pSet->m_FirstName;
					csOut += " ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_LastName;
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_FirstAddr.TrimRight();
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_FirstAddr);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_SecondAddr.TrimRight();
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,m_pSet->m_SecondAddr);

					y -= textsize.cy;
					m_pSet->m_City.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_State.TrimRight();
					m_pSet->m_ZipCode.TrimRight();
					csOut = m_pSet->m_City;
					csOut += ", ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_State;
					csOut += " ";
					csOut += m_pSet->m_ZipCode;
					pDC->TextOut(x,y,csOut);
					m_pSet->MoveNext();
				}

				lx += labelwidth;
			}
			ly -= labelheight;
			lx = r.left + xstart;

		}
		pDC->SelectObject(pOldFont);
		cfSmall.DeleteObject();
		pDC->SetMapMode(iOldMode);

	}

	// TODO: add draw code for native data here
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/
// CMlabelView printing

BOOL CMlabelView::OnPreparePrinting(CPrintInfo* pInfo)
{
	// default preparation
	LONG lNumRecs;
	int iNumPages;
	int iExtra;
	lNumRecs = m_pSet->GetRecordCount();
	iNumPages = (int)(lNumRecs / 30l);
	iExtra = (int)(lNumRecs % 30l);
	if(iExtra > 0)
		iNumPages++;
	pInfo->SetMaxPage(iNumPages);
	return DoPreparePrinting(pInfo);
}

void CMlabelView::OnBeginPrinting(CDC* /*pDC*, CPrintInfo* /*pInfo*)
{
	// TODO: add extra initialization before printing

}

void CMlabelView::OnEndPrinting(CDC* /*pDC*, CPrintInfo* /*pInfo*)
{
	// TODO: add cleanup after printing
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/
// CMlabelView diagnostics

#ifdef _DEBUG
void CMlabelView::AssertValid() const
{
	CView::AssertValid();
}

void CMlabelView::Dump(CDumpContext& dc) const
{
	CView::Dump(dc);
}

CMlabelDoc* CMlabelView::GetDocument() // non-debug version is inline
{
	ASSERT(m_pDocument->IsKindOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(CMlabelDoc)));
	return (CMlabelDoc*)m_pDocument;
}
#endif //_DEBUG

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/
// CMlabelView message handlers

void CMlabelView::OnPrepareDC(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo)
{
	// TODO: Add your specialized code here and/or call the base class
	iOldMode = pDC->SetMapMode(MM_TWIPS);

	CView::OnPrepareDC(pDC, pInfo);
}


void CMlabelView::OnInitialUpdate()
{
	CView::OnInitialUpdate();
	//CDatabase *d = new CDatabase;
	m_pSet = &GetDocument()->m_mlistSet;
	m_pSet->m_strSort = "LastName,FirstName";
	//d->Open("DSN=c:\mlabel\mlist.mdb",FALSE,TRUE,"ODBC;");
	//m_pSet->m_pDatabase = d;
	m_pSet->Open();
	// TODO: Add your specialized code here and/or call the base class
}

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/
// CMlistView database support
CRecordset* CMlabelView::OnGetRecordset()
{
	return m_pSet;
}

void CMlabelView::OnPrint(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo)
{
	// TODO: Add your specialized code here and/or call the base class
	m_nCurPage = pInfo->m_nCurPage;
	m_nCurPage -= 1;
	OnDraw(pDC);
	CView::OnPrint(pDC, pInfo);
}


The header file for the view:

// mlabelView.h : interface of the CMlabelView class
//
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/

#if
!defined(AFX_MLABELVIEW_H__EA05E9CE_7612_11D1_A4FD_006097160A38__INCLUDED_)
#define AFX_MLABELVIEW_H__EA05E9CE_7612_11D1_A4FD_006097160A38__INCLUDED_

#if _MSC_VER >= 1000
#pragma once
#endif // _MSC_VER >= 1000
class CMlistSet;

class CMlabelView : public CView
{
protected: // create from serialization only
	CMlabelView();
	DECLARE_DYNCREATE(CMlabelView)
		CFont cfSmall;
	CFont *pOldFont;
	int iOldMode;
	int m_nCurPage;
	// Attributes
public:
	CMlabelDoc* GetDocument();
	CMlistSet* m_pSet;

	// Operations
public:

	// Overrides
	// ClassWizard generated virtual function overrides
	virtual CRecordset* OnGetRecordset();
	//{{AFX_VIRTUAL(CMlabelView)
public:
	virtual void OnDraw(CDC* pDC);  // overridden to draw this view
	virtual BOOL PreCreateWindow(CREATESTRUCT& cs);
	virtual void OnPrepareDC(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo = NULL);
	virtual void OnInitialUpdate();
protected:
	virtual BOOL OnPreparePrinting(CPrintInfo* pInfo);
	virtual void OnBeginPrinting(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo);
	virtual void OnEndPrinting(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo);
	virtual void OnPrint(CDC* pDC, CPrintInfo* pInfo);
	//}}AFX_VIRTUAL

	// Implementation
public:
	virtual ~CMlabelView();
#ifdef _DEBUG
	virtual void AssertValid() const;
	virtual void Dump(CDumpContext& dc) const;
#endif

protected:

	// Generated message map functions
protected:
	//{{AFX_MSG(CMlabelView)
	// NOTE - the ClassWizard will add and remove member functions here.
	//    DO NOT EDIT what you see in these blocks of generated code !
	//}}AFX_MSG
	DECLARE_MESSAGE_MAP()
};

#ifndef _DEBUG  // debug version in mlabelView.cpp
inline CMlabelDoc* CMlabelView::GetDocument()
   { return (CMlabelDoc*)m_pDocument; }
#endif

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

/

//{{AFX_INSERT_LOCATION}}
// Microsoft Developer Studio will insert additional declarations
immediately before the previous line.

#endif //
!defined(AFX_MLABELVIEW_H__EA05E9CE_7612_11D1_A4FD_006097160A38__INCLUDED_)

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