PrintOperation#

class PrintOperation(**properties: Any)#

Superclasses: Object

Implemented Interfaces: PrintOperationPreview

GtkPrintOperation is the high-level, portable printing API.

It looks a bit different than other GTK dialogs such as the GtkFileChooser, since some platforms don’t expose enough infrastructure to implement a good print dialog. On such platforms, GtkPrintOperation uses the native print dialog. On platforms which do not provide a native print dialog, GTK uses its own, see PrintUnixDialog.

The typical way to use the high-level printing API is to create a GtkPrintOperation object with new when the user selects to print. Then you set some properties on it, e.g. the page size, any PrintSettings from previous print operations, the number of pages, the current page, etc.

Then you start the print operation by calling run. It will then show a dialog, let the user select a printer and options. When the user finished the dialog, various signals will be emitted on the GtkPrintOperation, the main one being draw_page, which you are supposed to handle and render the page on the provided PrintContext using Cairo.

The high-level printing API#

static GtkPrintSettings *settings = NULL;

static void
do_print (void)
{
  GtkPrintOperation *print;
  GtkPrintOperationResult res;

  print = gtk_print_operation_new ();

  if (settings != NULL)
    gtk_print_operation_set_print_settings (print, settings);

  g_signal_connect (print, "begin_print", G_CALLBACK (begin_print), NULL);
  g_signal_connect (print, "draw_page", G_CALLBACK (draw_page), NULL);

  res = gtk_print_operation_run (print, GTK_PRINT_OPERATION_ACTION_PRINT_DIALOG,
                                 GTK_WINDOW (main_window), NULL);

  if (res == GTK_PRINT_OPERATION_RESULT_APPLY)
    {
      if (settings != NULL)
        g_object_unref (settings);
      settings = g_object_ref (gtk_print_operation_get_print_settings (print));
    }

  g_object_unref (print);
}

By default GtkPrintOperation uses an external application to do print preview. To implement a custom print preview, an application must connect to the preview signal. The functions render_page, end_preview and is_selected are useful when implementing a print preview.

Constructors#

class PrintOperation

classmethod new() → PrintOperation#: Creates a new GtkPrintOperation.

Methods#

class PrintOperation

cancel() → None#

Cancels a running print operation.

This function may be called from a begin_print, paginate or draw_page signal handler to stop the currently running print operation.

do_begin_print(self, context: PrintContext) → None#

Parameters:: context

do_custom_widget_apply(self, widget: Widget) → None#

Parameters:: widget

do_done(self, result: PrintOperationResult) → None#

Parameters:: result

do_draw_page(self, context: PrintContext, page_nr: int) → None#

Parameters:

context
page_nr

do_end_print(self, context: PrintContext) → None#

Parameters:: context

do_paginate(self, context: PrintContext) → bool#

Parameters:: context

do_preview(self, preview: PrintOperationPreview, context: PrintContext, parent: Window) → bool#

Parameters:

preview
context
parent

do_request_page_setup(self, context: PrintContext, page_nr: int, setup: PageSetup) → None#

Parameters:

context
page_nr
setup

do_status_changed(self) → None#

do_update_custom_widget(self, widget: Widget, setup: PageSetup, settings: PrintSettings) → None#

Parameters:

widget
setup
settings

draw_page_finish() → None#

Signal that drawing of particular page is complete.

It is called after completion of page drawing (e.g. drawing in another thread). If set_defer_drawing was called before, then this function has to be called by application. Otherwise it is called by GTK itself.

get_default_page_setup() → PageSetup#: Returns the default page setup.

get_embed_page_setup() → bool#: Gets whether page setup selection combos are embedded

get_error() → None#

Call this when the result of a print operation is ERROR.

It can be called either after run returns, or in the done signal handler.

The returned GError will contain more details on what went wrong.

get_has_selection() → bool#: Gets whether there is a selection.

get_n_pages_to_print() → int#

Returns the number of pages that will be printed.

Note that this value is set during print preparation phase (PREPARING), so this function should never be called before the data generation phase (GENERATING_DATA). You can connect to the status_changed signal and call get_n_pages_to_print() when print status is GENERATING_DATA.

This is typically used to track the progress of print operation.

get_print_settings() → PrintSettings | None#

Returns the current print settings.

Note that the return value is None until either set_print_settings or run have been called.

get_status() → PrintStatus#

Returns the status of the print operation.

Also see get_status_string.

get_status_string() → str#

Returns a string representation of the status of the print operation.

The string is translated and suitable for displaying the print status e.g. in a GtkStatusbar.

Use get_status to obtain a status value that is suitable for programmatic use.

get_support_selection() → bool#: Gets whether the application supports print of selection

is_finished() → bool#

A convenience function to find out if the print operation is finished.

a print operation is finished if its status is either FINISHED or FINISHED_ABORTED.

Note: when you enable print status tracking the print operation can be in a non-finished state even after done has been called, as the operation status then tracks the print job status on the printer.

run(action: PrintOperationAction, parent: Window | None = None) → PrintOperationResult#

Runs the print operation.

Normally that this function does not return until the rendering of all pages is complete. You can connect to the status_changed signal on op to obtain some information about the progress of the print operation.

Furthermore, it may use a recursive mainloop to show the print dialog.

If you set the [Gtk.PrintOperation:allow-async] property, the operation will run asynchronously if this is supported on the platform. The done signal will be emitted with the result of the operation when the it is done (i.e. when the dialog is canceled, or when the print succeeds or fails).

if (settings != NULL)
  gtk_print_operation_set_print_settings (print, settings);

if (page_setup != NULL)
  gtk_print_operation_set_default_page_setup (print, page_setup);

g_signal_connect (print, "begin-print",
                  G_CALLBACK (begin_print), &data);
g_signal_connect (print, "draw-page",
                  G_CALLBACK (draw_page), &data);

res = gtk_print_operation_run (print,
                               GTK_PRINT_OPERATION_ACTION_PRINT_DIALOG,
                               parent,
                               &error);

if (res == GTK_PRINT_OPERATION_RESULT_ERROR)
 {
   error_dialog = gtk_message_dialog_new (GTK_WINDOW (parent),
                                 GTK_DIALOG_DESTROY_WITH_PARENT,
                         GTK_MESSAGE_ERROR,
                         GTK_BUTTONS_CLOSE,
                         "Error printing file:\n%s",
                         error->message);
   g_signal_connect (error_dialog, "response",
                     G_CALLBACK (gtk_window_destroy), NULL);
   gtk_window_present (GTK_WINDOW (error_dialog));
   g_error_free (error);
 }
else if (res == GTK_PRINT_OPERATION_RESULT_APPLY)
 {
   if (settings != NULL)
g_object_unref (settings);
   settings = g_object_ref (gtk_print_operation_get_print_settings (print));
 }

Note that run() can only be called once on a given GtkPrintOperation.

Parameters:

action – the action to start
parent – Transient parent of the dialog

set_allow_async(allow_async: bool) → None#

Sets whether run() may return before the print operation is completed.

Note that some platforms may not allow asynchronous operation.

Parameters:: allow_async – True to allow asynchronous operation

set_current_page(current_page: int) → None#

Sets the current page.

If this is called before run, the user will be able to select to print only the current page.

Note that this only makes sense for pre-paginated documents.

Parameters:: current_page – the current page, 0-based

set_custom_tab_label(label: str | None = None) → None#

Sets the label for the tab holding custom widgets.

Parameters:: label – the label to use, or None to use the default label

set_default_page_setup(default_page_setup: PageSetup | None = None) → None#

Makes default_page_setup the default page setup for op.

This page setup will be used by run, but it can be overridden on a per-page basis by connecting to the request_page_setup signal.

Parameters:: default_page_setup – a GtkPageSetup

set_defer_drawing() → None#

Sets up the GtkPrintOperation to wait for calling of [method``Gtk``.PrintOperation.draw_page_finish from application.

This can be used for drawing page in another thread.

This function must be called in the callback of the draw_page signal.

set_embed_page_setup(embed: bool) → None#

Embed page size combo box and orientation combo box into page setup page.

Selected page setup is stored as default page setup in GtkPrintOperation.

Parameters:: embed – True to embed page setup selection in the GtkPrintUnixDialog

set_export_filename(filename: str) → None#

Sets up the GtkPrintOperation to generate a file instead of showing the print dialog.

The intended use of this function is for implementing “Export to PDF” actions. Currently, PDF is the only supported format.

“Print to PDF” support is independent of this and is done by letting the user pick the “Print to PDF” item from the list of printers in the print dialog.

Parameters:: filename – the filename for the exported file

set_has_selection(has_selection: bool) → None#

Sets whether there is a selection to print.

Application has to set number of pages to which the selection will draw by set_n_pages in a handler for the begin_print signal.

Parameters:: has_selection – True indicates that a selection exists

set_job_name(job_name: str) → None#

Sets the name of the print job.

The name is used to identify the job (e.g. in monitoring applications like eggcups).

If you don’t set a job name, GTK picks a default one by numbering successive print jobs.

Parameters:: job_name – a string that identifies the print job

set_n_pages(n_pages: int) → None#

Sets the number of pages in the document.

This must be set to a positive number before the rendering starts. It may be set in a begin_print signal handler.

Note that the page numbers passed to the request_page_setup and draw_page signals are 0-based, i.e. if the user chooses to print all pages, the last ::draw-page signal will be for page n_pages - 1.

Parameters:: n_pages – the number of pages

set_print_settings(print_settings: PrintSettings | None = None) → None#

Sets the print settings for op.

This is typically used to re-establish print settings from a previous print operation, see run.

Parameters:: print_settings – GtkPrintSettings

set_show_progress(show_progress: bool) → None#

If show_progress is True, the print operation will show a progress dialog during the print operation.

Parameters:: show_progress – True to show a progress dialog

set_support_selection(support_selection: bool) → None#

Sets whether selection is supported by GtkPrintOperation.

Parameters:: support_selection – True to support selection

set_track_print_status(track_status: bool) → None#

If track_status is True, the print operation will try to continue report on the status of the print job in the printer queues and printer.

This can allow your application to show things like “out of paper” issues, and when the print job actually reaches the printer.

This function is often implemented using some form of polling, so it should not be enabled unless needed.

Parameters:: track_status – True to track status after printing

set_unit(unit: Unit) → None#

Sets up the transformation for the cairo context obtained from GtkPrintContext in such a way that distances are measured in units of unit.

Parameters:: unit – the unit to use

set_use_full_page(full_page: bool) → None#

If full_page is True, the transformation for the cairo context obtained from GtkPrintContext puts the origin at the top left corner of the page.

This may not be the top left corner of the sheet, depending on page orientation and the number of pages per sheet). Otherwise, the origin is at the top left corner of the imageable area (i.e. inside the margins).

Parameters:: full_page – True to set up the GtkPrintContext for the full page

Properties#

class PrintOperation

props.allow_async: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.current_page: int#: The type of the None singleton.

props.custom_tab_label: str#: The type of the None singleton.

props.default_page_setup: PageSetup#: The type of the None singleton.

props.embed_page_setup: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.export_filename: str#: The type of the None singleton.

props.has_selection: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.job_name: str#: The type of the None singleton.

props.n_pages: int#: The type of the None singleton.

props.n_pages_to_print: int#: The type of the None singleton.

props.print_settings: PrintSettings#: The type of the None singleton.

props.show_progress: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.status: PrintStatus#: The type of the None singleton.

props.status_string: str#: The type of the None singleton.

props.support_selection: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.track_print_status: bool#: The type of the None singleton.

props.unit: Unit#: The type of the None singleton.

props.use_full_page: bool#: The type of the None singleton.