Print document in PHP

PHP
1

Hi,

Is it possible to print a document i.e webpage using PHP. I’m looking for something similiar to the javascript function

<form>
<input type=“button” value=“Print This Page” onClick=“window.print()” />
</form>

but want to use php ?

thanks for you help

alan

2

PHP resides on the server, so you cant use PHP to initiate a print command directly, only to output something to the browser, the browser uses JS to start an automatic print. Why cant you use the javascript command ??

3

That’s correct. PHP does things only to the server, and then sends output to the user. The only way I can think of to make that output make the browser print is using the Javascript function. Here’s a code sample plucked off the Internet:

<form>
<input type="button" value="Print this page" onClick="window.print()">
</form>
4

I think the staff in the server room would be slightly annoyed if users all over the world started printing stuff on the host’s printers. :wink:

5

yeah thought so…was just wondering if i could do it in case the client had javascript turned off

thanks for the replies…

6

Client can go to File->Print themselves if they don’t have javascript. It’s not that hard.

7

You could always check if javascript is turned off, if so just dont show the print button, this saves people hitting buttons that apparently, to them, dont work.

8

A button (or any other element) that depends on JavaScript should, of course, be created by JavaScript in the first place.

9

Instead of calling the window.print using button you can try this as the last line in your php

echo "<script>window.print();</script>

Also try <noscript> tag for the non js support browser.

10

@keviin6: please read my post immediately preceding yours. :slight_smile:

11

You can print documents in PHP… (in linux)…

just include this syntax…

<?php

system(“lpr [document_filename]”);

?>

ty…

12

Wont that print the file at the server end ???

The OP wanted the users browser to print the page.

13

I personally find the JS print dialog annoying, most of the time I just want a printable version displayed so I can choose what I want to do with it :wink:

14