---
title: Create Standard Print Jobs
ms.date: "03/30/2017"
dev_langs: 
  - "csharp"
  - "vb"
  - "cpp"
helpviewer_keywords: 
  - "printing [Windows Forms]"
  - "printing [Windows Forms], creating print jobs"
  - "printing [Visual Basic], in Windows applications"
ms.assetid: 03342b90-9cfe-40b2-838b-b479a13c5dea
---
# How to: Create Standard Windows Forms Print Jobs
The foundation of printing in Windows Forms is the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument> component—more specifically, the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.PrintPage> event. By writing code to handle the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.PrintPage> event, you can specify what to print and how to print it.  
  
### To create a print job  
  
1. Add a <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument> component to your form.  
  
2. Write code to handle the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.PrintPage> event.  
  
     You will have to code your own printing logic. Additionally, you will have to specify the material to be printed.  
  
     In the following code example, a sample graphic in the shape of a red rectangle is created in the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.PrintPage> event handler to act as material to be printed.  
  
    ```vb  
    Private Sub PrintDocument1_PrintPage(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs) Handles PrintDocument1.PrintPage  
       e.Graphics.FillRectangle(Brushes.Red, New Rectangle(500, 500, 500, 500))  
    End Sub  
    ```  
  
    ```csharp  
    private void printDocument1_PrintPage(object sender,
    System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs e)  
    {  
       e.Graphics.FillRectangle(Brushes.Red,
         new Rectangle(500, 500, 500, 500));  
    }  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    private:  
       void printDocument1_PrintPage(System::Object ^ sender,  
          System::Drawing::Printing::PrintPageEventArgs ^ e)  
       {  
          e->Graphics->FillRectangle(Brushes::Red,  
             Rectangle(500, 500, 500, 500));  
       }  
    ```  
  
     (Visual C# and Visual C++) Place the following code in the form's constructor to register the event handler.  
  
    ```csharp  
    this.printDocument1.PrintPage += new  
       System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventHandler  
       (this.printDocument1_PrintPage);  
    ```  
  
    ```cpp  
    printDocument1->PrintPage += gcnew  
       System::Drawing::Printing::PrintPageEventHandler  
       (this, &Form1::printDocument1_PrintPage);  
    ```  
  
     You may also want to write code for the <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.BeginPrint> and <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument.EndPrint> events, perhaps including an integer representing the total number of pages to print that is decremented as each page prints.  
  
    > [!NOTE]
    > You can add a <xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintDialog> component to your form to provide a clean and efficient user interface (UI) to your users. Setting the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintDialog.Document%2A> property of the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintDialog> component enables you to set properties related to the print document you are working with on your form. For more information about the <xref:System.Windows.Forms.PrintDialog> component, see [PrintDialog Component](../controls/printdialog-component-windows-forms.md).  
  
     For more information about the specifics of Windows Forms print jobs, including how to create a print job programmatically, see <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs>.  
  
## See also

- <xref:System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument>
- [Windows Forms Print Support](windows-forms-print-support.md)