How to display a print dialog box (WPF .NET)

Want to print from your application? You can use the PrintDialog class to open a standard Microsoft Windows print dialog box. Here's how.

The PrintDialog class provides a single control for print configuration and print job submission. The control is easy to use and can be instantiated by using XAML markup or code. The following examples create and display a PrintDialog instance using code.

You can use the print dialog to configure print options, such as:

• Print only a specific range of pages.
• Select from printers installed on your computer. You can use the Microsoft XPS Document Writer option to create these document types:
  • XML Paper Specification (XPS)
  • Open XML Paper Specification (OpenXPS)

Print the whole document

This example prints all pages of an XPS document. By default, the code will:

1. Open a print dialog window that prompts the user to select a printer and start a print job.
2. Instantiate an XpsDocument object with the content of the XPS document.
3. Use the XpsDocument object to generate a DocumentPaginator object that holds all pages of the XPS document.
4. Call the PrintDocument method, passing in the DocumentPaginator object, to send all pages to the specified printer.

/// <summary>
/// Print all pages of an XPS document.
/// Optionally, hide the print dialog window.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="xpsFilePath">Path to source XPS file</param>
/// <param name="hidePrintDialog">Whether to hide the print dialog window (shown by default)</param>
/// <returns>Whether the document printed</returns>
public static bool PrintWholeDocument(string xpsFilePath, bool hidePrintDialog = false)
{
    // Create the print dialog object and set options.
    PrintDialog printDialog = new();

    if (!hidePrintDialog)
    {
        // Display the dialog. This returns true if the user presses the Print button.
        bool? isPrinted = printDialog.ShowDialog();
        if (isPrinted != true)
            return false;
    }

    // Print the whole document.
    try
    {
        // Open the selected document.
        XpsDocument xpsDocument = new(xpsFilePath, FileAccess.Read);

        // Get a fixed document sequence for the selected document.
        FixedDocumentSequence fixedDocSeq = xpsDocument.GetFixedDocumentSequence();

        // Create a paginator for all pages in the selected document.
        DocumentPaginator docPaginator = fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator;

        // Print to a new file.
        printDialog.PrintDocument(docPaginator, $"Printing {Path.GetFileName(xpsFilePath)}");

        return true;
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(e.Message);

        return false;
    }
}

''' <summary>
''' Print all pages of an XPS document.
''' Optionally, print all pages without showing a print dialog window.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="xpsFilePath">Path to source XPS file</param>
''' <param name="hidePrintDialog">Whether to hide the print dialog window (shown by default)</param>
''' <returns>Whether the document printed</returns>
Public Shared Function PrintWholeDocument(xpsFilePath As String, Optional hidePrintDialog As Boolean = False) As Boolean

    ' Create the print dialog object and set options.
    Dim printDialog As New PrintDialog

    If Not hidePrintDialog Then

        ' Display the dialog. This returns true if the user presses the Print button.
        Dim isPrinted As Boolean? = printDialog.ShowDialog()
        If isPrinted <> True Then Return False

    End If

    ' Print the whole document.
    Try

        ' Open the selected document.
        Dim xpsDocument As New XpsDocument(xpsFilePath, FileAccess.Read)

        ' Get a fixed document sequence for the selected document.
        Dim fixedDocSeq As FixedDocumentSequence = xpsDocument.GetFixedDocumentSequence()

        ' Create a paginator for all pages in the selected document.
        Dim docPaginator As DocumentPaginator = fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator

        ' Print to a new file.
        printDialog.PrintDocument(docPaginator, $"Printing {Path.GetFileName(xpsFilePath)}")

        Return True

    Catch e As Exception

        MessageBox.Show(e.Message)

        Return False

    End Try

End Function

Print a page range

Sometimes you'll only want to print a specific range of pages within an XPS document. To do this, we extend the abstract DocumentPaginator class to add support for page ranges. By default, the code will:

1. Open a print dialog window that prompts the user to select a printer, specify a range of pages, and start a print job.
2. Instantiate an XpsDocument object with the content of the XPS document.
3. Use the XpsDocument object to generate a default DocumentPaginator object that holds all pages of the XPS document.
4. Create an instance of an extended DocumentPaginator class that supports page ranges, passing in the default DocumentPaginator object and the PageRange struct returned by the PrintDialog.
5. Call the PrintDocument method, passing in the instance of the extended DocumentPaginator class, to send the specified page range to the specified printer.

/// <summary>
/// Print a specific range of pages within an XPS document.
/// </summary>
/// <param name="xpsFilePath">Path to source XPS file</param>
/// <returns>Whether the document printed</returns>
public static bool PrintDocumentPageRange(string xpsFilePath)
{
    // Create the print dialog object and set options.
    PrintDialog printDialog = new()
    {
        UserPageRangeEnabled = true
    };

    // Display the dialog. This returns true if the user presses the Print button.
    bool? isPrinted = printDialog.ShowDialog();
    if (isPrinted != true)
        return false;

    // Print a specific page range within the document.
    try
    {
        // Open the selected document.
        XpsDocument xpsDocument = new(xpsFilePath, FileAccess.Read);

        // Get a fixed document sequence for the selected document.
        FixedDocumentSequence fixedDocSeq = xpsDocument.GetFixedDocumentSequence();

        // Create a paginator for all pages in the selected document.
        DocumentPaginator docPaginator = fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator;

        // Check whether a page range was specified in the print dialog.
        if (printDialog.PageRangeSelection == PageRangeSelection.UserPages)
        {
            // Create a document paginator for the specified range of pages.
            docPaginator = new DocPaginator(fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator, printDialog.PageRange);
        }

        // Print to a new file.
        printDialog.PrintDocument(docPaginator, $"Printing {Path.GetFileName(xpsFilePath)}");

        return true;
    }
    catch (Exception e)
    {
        MessageBox.Show(e.Message);

        return false;
    }
}

/// <summary>
/// Extend the abstract DocumentPaginator class to support page range printing. This class is based on the following online resources:
///
/// https://www.thomasclaudiushuber.com/2009/11/24/wpf-printing-how-to-print-a-pagerange-with-wpfs-printdialog-that-means-the-user-can-select-specific-pages-and-only-these-pages-are-printed/
///
/// https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/9180e260-0791-4f2d-962d-abcb22ba8d09/how-to-print-multiple-page-ranges-with-wpf-printdialog
///
/// https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/841e804b-9130-4476-8709-0d2854c11582/exception-quotfixedpage-cannot-contain-another-fixedpagequot-when-printing-to-the-xps-document?forum=wpf
/// </summary>
public class DocPaginator : DocumentPaginator
{
    private readonly DocumentPaginator _documentPaginator;
    private readonly int _startPageIndex;
    private readonly int _endPageIndex;
    private readonly int _pageCount;

    public DocPaginator(DocumentPaginator documentPaginator, PageRange pageRange)
    {
        // Set document paginator.
        _documentPaginator = documentPaginator;

        // Set page indices.
        _startPageIndex = pageRange.PageFrom - 1;
        _endPageIndex = pageRange.PageTo - 1;

        // Validate and set page count.
        if (_startPageIndex >= 0 &&
            _endPageIndex >= 0 &&
            _startPageIndex <= _documentPaginator.PageCount - 1 &&
            _endPageIndex <= _documentPaginator.PageCount - 1 &&
            _startPageIndex <= _endPageIndex)
            _pageCount = _endPageIndex - _startPageIndex + 1;
    }

    public override bool IsPageCountValid => true;

    public override int PageCount => _pageCount;

    public override IDocumentPaginatorSource Source => _documentPaginator.Source;

    public override Size PageSize { get => _documentPaginator.PageSize; set => _documentPaginator.PageSize = value; }

    public override DocumentPage GetPage(int pageNumber)
    {
        DocumentPage documentPage = _documentPaginator.GetPage(_startPageIndex + pageNumber);

        // Workaround for "FixedPageInPage" exception.
        if (documentPage.Visual is FixedPage fixedPage)
        {
            var containerVisual = new ContainerVisual();
            foreach (object child in fixedPage.Children)
            {
                var childClone = (UIElement)child.GetType().GetMethod("MemberwiseClone", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic).Invoke(child, null);

                FieldInfo parentField = childClone.GetType().GetField("_parent", BindingFlags.Instance | BindingFlags.NonPublic);
                if (parentField != null)
                {
                    parentField.SetValue(childClone, null);
                    containerVisual.Children.Add(childClone);
                }
            }

            return new DocumentPage(containerVisual, documentPage.Size, documentPage.BleedBox, documentPage.ContentBox);
        }

        return documentPage;
    }
}

''' <summary>
''' Print a specific range of pages within an XPS document.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="xpsFilePath">Path to source XPS file</param>
''' <returns>Whether the document printed</returns>
Public Shared Function PrintDocumentPageRange(xpsFilePath As String) As Boolean

    ' Create the print dialog object and set options.
    Dim printDialog As New PrintDialog With {
        .UserPageRangeEnabled = True
    }

    ' Display the dialog. This returns true if the user presses the Print button.
    Dim isPrinted As Boolean? = printDialog.ShowDialog()
    If isPrinted <> True Then Return False

    ' Print a specific page range within the document.
    Try

        ' Open the selected document.
        Dim xpsDocument As New XpsDocument(xpsFilePath, FileAccess.Read)

        ' Get a fixed document sequence for the selected document.
        Dim fixedDocSeq As FixedDocumentSequence = xpsDocument.GetFixedDocumentSequence()

        ' Create a paginator for all pages in the selected document.
        Dim docPaginator As DocumentPaginator = fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator

        ' Check whether a page range was specified in the print dialog.
        If printDialog.PageRangeSelection = PageRangeSelection.UserPages Then

            ' Create a document paginator for the specified range of pages.
            docPaginator = New DocPaginator(fixedDocSeq.DocumentPaginator, printDialog.PageRange)

        End If

        ' Print to a new file.
        printDialog.PrintDocument(docPaginator, $"Printing {Path.GetFileName(xpsFilePath)}")

        Return True

    Catch e As Exception

        MessageBox.Show(e.Message)

        Return False

    End Try

End Function

' Extend the abstract DocumentPaginator class to support page range printing.
' This class is based on the following online resources:
' https://www.thomasclaudiushuber.com/2009/11/24/wpf-printing-how-to-print-a-pagerange-with-wpfs-printdialog-
' that-means-the-user-can-select-specific-pages-and-only-these-pages-are-printed/
' https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/9180e260-0791-4f2d-962d-abcb22ba8d09/how-to-print-
' multiple-page-ranges-with-wpf-printdialog
' https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/841e804b-9130-4476-8709-0d2854c11582/exception-quotfixedpage-
' cannot-contain-another-fixedpagequot-when-printing-to-the-xps-document?forum=wpf
Public Class DocPaginator
    Inherits DocumentPaginator

    Private ReadOnly _documentPaginator As DocumentPaginator
    Private ReadOnly _startPageIndex As Integer
    Private ReadOnly _endPageIndex As Integer
    Private ReadOnly _pageCount As Integer

    Public Sub New(documentPaginator As DocumentPaginator, pageRange As PageRange)

        ' Set document paginator.
        _documentPaginator = documentPaginator

        ' Set page indices.
        _startPageIndex = pageRange.PageFrom - 1
        _endPageIndex = pageRange.PageTo - 1

        ' Validate And set page count.
        If _startPageIndex >= 0 AndAlso
            _endPageIndex >= 0 AndAlso
            _startPageIndex <= _documentPaginator.PageCount - 1 AndAlso
            _endPageIndex <= _documentPaginator.PageCount - 1 AndAlso
            _startPageIndex <= _endPageIndex Then
            _pageCount = _endPageIndex - _startPageIndex + 1
        End If

    End Sub

    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property IsPageCountValid As Boolean
        Get
            Return True
        End Get
    End Property

    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property PageCount As Integer
        Get
            Return _pageCount
        End Get
    End Property

    Public Overrides ReadOnly Property Source As IDocumentPaginatorSource
        Get
            Return _documentPaginator.Source
        End Get
    End Property

    Public Overrides Property PageSize As Size
        Get
            Return _documentPaginator.PageSize
        End Get
        Set(value As Size)
            _documentPaginator.PageSize = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Overrides Function GetPage(pageNumber As Integer) As DocumentPage

        Dim documentPage As DocumentPage = _documentPaginator.GetPage(_startPageIndex + pageNumber)

        ' Workaround for "FixedPageInPage" exception.
        If documentPage.Visual.GetType() Is GetType(FixedPage) Then

            Dim fixedPage As FixedPage = documentPage.Visual
            Dim containerVisual = New ContainerVisual()

            For Each child As Object In fixedPage.Children
                Dim childClone = CType(child.[GetType]().GetMethod("MemberwiseClone", BindingFlags.Instance Or BindingFlags.NonPublic).Invoke(child, Nothing), UIElement)
                Dim parentField As FieldInfo = childClone.[GetType]().GetField("_parent", BindingFlags.Instance Or BindingFlags.NonPublic)

                If parentField IsNot Nothing Then
                    parentField.SetValue(childClone, Nothing)
                    containerVisual.Children.Add(childClone)
                End If
            Next

            Return New DocumentPage(containerVisual, documentPage.Size, documentPage.BleedBox, documentPage.ContentBox)

        End If

        Return documentPage

    End Function

End Class

See also

• PrintDialog
• Documents in WPF
• How to print an XPS file
• Printing documents overview
• Microsoft XPS Document Writer