Why is this call to InvokeVerb ("&Print") not working? - vba

Question

I'm just trying to batch print a large amount of files from a folder. The folder contains multiple file types, and I just want to invoke the print method equivalent to Right-Click > Print.
It seems like I should be able to do this using the InvokeVerb method of Shell32.FolderItem object.
So, I can't figure out why, when I run the code below, nothing prints.
Any ideas?
( GetFolder is just a wrapper for the Shell32.BrowseForFolder function which returns the path to the folder selected. That function works without issue. For testing you can just replace with a path to a folder.)
Sub printFOO()
Dim shApp As Shell32.Shell
Dim srFSO As Scripting.FileSystemObject
Dim strPath As String
Dim shFIcol As Shell32.FolderItems
Dim shFIx As Shell32.FolderItem
Dim shFLDx As Shell32.Folder
Dim lngX As Long
Set shApp = New Shell32.Shell
Set srFSO = New Scripting.FileSystemObject
strPath = GetFolder("Choose a folder...")
Set shFLDx = shApp.NameSpace(strPath)
Set shFIcol = shFLDx.Items()
For Each shFIx In shFIcol
'For lngX = 0 To shFIx.Verbs.Count
'Debug.Print shFIx.Verbs.ITEM(lngX).Name
'Next
'msgbox("printing "&shFIx.name)
shFIx.InvokeVerb ("&Print")
DoEvents
Next
End Sub

Answer 1

Here's a program that does it using slightly different method. It also lists verbs available.
HelpMsg = vbcrlf & " ShVerb" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf & " David Candy 2014" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf & " Lists or runs an explorer verb (right click menu) on a file or folder" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf & " ShVerb <filename> [verb]" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf & " Used without a verb it lists the verbs available for the file or folder" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf
HelpMsg = HelpMsg & " The program lists most verbs but only ones above the first separator" & vbcrlf & " of the menu work when used this way" & vbcrlf & vbcrlf
HelpMsg = HelpMsg & " The Properties verb can be used. However the program has to keep running" & vbcrlf & " to hold the properties dialog open. It keeps running by displaying" & vbcrlf & " a message box."
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Set Ag = WScript.Arguments
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
If Ag.count = 0 then
wscript.echo " ShVerb - No file specified"
wscript.echo HelpMsg
wscript.quit
Else If Ag.count = 1 then
If LCase(Replace(Ag(0),"-", "/")) = "/h" or Replace(Ag(0),"-", "/") = "/?" then
wscript.echo HelpMsg
wscript.quit
End If
ElseIf Ag.count > 2 then
wscript.echo vbcrlf & " ShVerb - To many parameters" & vbcrlf & " Use quotes around filenames and verbs containing spaces" & vbcrlf
wscript.echo HelpMsg
wscript.quit
End If
If fso.DriveExists(Ag(0)) = True then
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(fso.GetFileName(Ag(0)))
' Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(fso.GetFileName(Ag(0)))
Set objFolderItem = objFolder.self
msgbox ag(0)
ElseIf fso.FolderExists(Ag(0)) = True then
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(fso.GetParentFolderName(Ag(0)))
Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(fso.GetFileName(Ag(0)))
ElseIf fso.fileExists(Ag(0)) = True then
Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(fso.GetParentFolderName(Ag(0)))
Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(fso.GetFileName(Ag(0)))
Else
wscript.echo " ShVerb - " & Ag(0) & " not found"
wscript.echo HelpMsg
wscript.quit
End If
Set objVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs
'If only one argument list verbs for that item
If Ag.count = 1 then
For Each cmd in objFolderItem.Verbs
If len(cmd) <> 0 then CmdList = CmdList & vbcrlf & replace(cmd.name, "&", "")
Next
wscript.echo mid(CmdList, 2)
'If two arguments do verbs for that item
ElseIf Ag.count = 2 then
For Each cmd in objFolderItem.Verbs
If lcase(replace(cmd, "&", "")) = LCase(Ag(1)) then
wscript.echo Cmd.doit
Exit For
End If
Next
'Properties is special cased. Script has to stay running for Properties dialog to show.
If Lcase(Ag(1)) = "properties" then
WSHShell.AppActivate(ObjFolderItem.Name & " Properties")
msgbox "This message box has to stay open to keep the " & ObjFolderItem.Name & " Properties dialog open."
End If
End If
End If

Answer 2

You dont need the FSO for folder browse dialogue. Try shApp.BrowseForFolder(0, "Select Folder to print from", 0, 0). By this method you get directly the shell folder object. Also you may need to check each folder-item if is file or folder.
Sub printFgOO()
Dim shApp As Shell32.Shell
Dim shFIcol As Shell32.FolderItems
Dim shFIx As Shell32.FolderItem
Dim shFLDx As Shell32.Folder
Dim lngX As Long
Set shApp = New Shell32.Shell
Set shFLDx = shApp.BrowseForFolder(0, "Select Folder to print from", 0, 0)
Set shFIcol = shFLDx.Items()
For Each shFIx In shFIcol
If Not shFIx.IsFolder Then ' Print only if is file
shFIx.InvokeVerb ("&Print")
DoEvents
End If
Next
End Sub
OR try function ShellExecute as described here!

Answer 3

Okay, so I still don't have an answer as to WHY the InvokeVerb method was not working to print, but I do have a way to print files now using the ShellExecute function suggested by #Radek.
Figured I would share my working code here. Feel free to suggest improvements ;)
Option Explicit
Public Declare PtrSafe Function ShellExecute Lib "shell32.dll" Alias "ShellExecuteW" (ByVal hWnd As Long, _
ByVal lpOperation As LongPtr, _
ByVal lpFile As LongPtr, _
ByVal lpParameters As LongPtr, _
ByVal lpDirectory As LongPtr, _
ByVal nShowCmd As Long) As Long
Public Const SW_HIDE As Long = 0
'Hides the window and activates another window.
Public Const SW_MAXIMIZE As Long = 3
'Maximizes the specified window.
Public Const SW_MINIMIZE As Long = 6
'Minimizes the specified window and activates the next top-level window in the z-order.
Public Const SW_RESTORE As Long = 9
'Activates and displays the window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when restoring a minimized window.
Public Const SW_SHOW As Long = 5
'Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position.
Public Const SW_SHOWDEFAULT As Long = 10
'Sets the show state based on the SW_ flag specified in the STARTUPINFO structure passed to the CreateProcess function by the program that started the application. An application should call ShowWindow with this flag to set the initial show state of its main window.
Public Const SW_SHOWMAXIMIZED As Long = 3
'Activates the window and displays it as a maximized window.
Public Const SW_SHOWMINIMIZED As Long = 2
'Activates the window and displays it as a minimized window.
Public Const SW_SHOWMINNOACTIVE As Long = 7
'Displays the window as a minimized window. The active window remains active.
Public Const SW_SHOWNA As Long = 8
'Displays the window in its current state. The active window remains active.
Public Const SW_SHOWNOACTIVATE As Long = 4
'Displays a window in its most recent size and position. The active window remains active.
Public Const SW_SHOWNORMAL As Long = 1
'Activates and displays a window. If the window is minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to its original size and position. An application should specify this flag when displaying the window for the first time.
Public Enum shexActions
shexEDIT
shexEXPLORE
shexFIND
shexOPEN
shexPRINT
End Enum
Private Function getShellAction(ByRef enACTION As shexActions) As String
Select Case enACTION
Case shexActions.shexEDIT
getShellAction = "EDIT"
Case shexActions.shexEXPLORE
getShellAction = "EXPLORE"
Case shexActions.shexFIND
getShellAction = "FIND"
Case shexActions.shexOPEN
getShellAction = "OPEN"
Case shexActions.shexprint
getShellAction = "PRINT"
End Select
End Function
Public Function ShellEx(ByRef strFILE As String, _
Optional ByRef lngWINDOWHANDLE As Long = 0, _
Optional ByRef shexACTION As shexActions = (-1), _
Optional ByRef strPARAMETERS As String, _
Optional ByRef strDIRECTORY As String, _
Optional ByRef lngSHOWCOMMAND As Long = 0) As Long
Dim lngReturnCheck As Long
lngReturnCheck = (-1)
lngReturnCheck = ShellExecute(hWnd:=lngWINDOWHANDLE, lpOperation:=StrPtr(getShellAction(shexACTION)), lpFile:=StrPtr(strFILE), lpParameters:=StrPtr(strPARAMETERS), lpDirectory:=StrPtr(strDIRECTORY), nShowCmd:=lngSHOWCOMMAND)
While lngReturnCheck = (-1)
DoEvents
Wend
ShellEx = lngReturnCheck
End Function
Sub printBAR()
Dim shFIcol As Shell32.FolderItems
Dim shFIx As Shell32.FolderItem
Dim shFLDx As Shell32.Folder
Dim lngX As Long
Set shFLDx = GetFolder("Choose a folder...", True)
Set shFIcol = shFLDx.Items()
For Each shFIx In shFIcol
lngX = ShellEx(shFIx.Path, , shexPRINT)
Debug.Print lngX
Next
End Sub

Answer 4

If you are open to using powershell to solve this:
#Save this as Print-Files.ps1
[CmdletBinding()]
param(
[Property(Mandatory=$true,
ValueFromPipelineByPropertyName=$true,
Position=0)]
[string]$Path)
foreach($file in (Get-ChildItem $path ))
{
Start-Process –FilePath $file.FullName –Verb Print
}