Is there a way to script printing a .bmp file?

I saw a post on another forum where someone had suggested using
[void][reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.Windows.Forms")
to convert a file from .bmp to .jpg, so I used that to try some things.

I tried this, but it doesn't work:

[void][reflection.assembly]::LoadWithPartialName("System.Windows.Forms")
$img = new-object system.drawing.bitmap "Z:\inkjet_test.bmp"
$img | out-printer "\\phoenix\882c"

That prints out a list of stuff that describes the file, but not the image itself.

Yeah, I'm going to say you're limited to text using out-printer... You just want to print an image? I might suggest opening it in IE or Word, then printing it. There are some .NET libraries to convert images from one format to another. Take a peak here:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/powershell/...83227.aspx

Yep, I can open it with IE just fine, but I can't seem to print it from there.

$ie = new-object -comobject internetexplorer.application
$ie.navigate2("Z:\inkjet_test.bmp")
$ie.visible = $true

$ie.print doesn't work.
$ie | get-member throws an "rpc server unavailable" error

The statement that out-printer is limited to text gave me an idea. I just want to automate a small print job to keep my inkjet heads fresh. I made a little bmp with basic colors. Could I do it manually? Oh yeah. But that's no fun.

But I don't absolutely have to print that file, anything that uses a little color would work just as well - even text, but if I remember correctly, only write-host supports -foreground and -background, so that doesn't help.

There is no Print() method on the InternetExplorer object, it seems that you have to use the ExecWB() method and provide enumeration values to specify the operation you want IE to carry out. Try this:

$ie = New-Object -ComObject InternetExplorer.Application
$ie.Navigate2("Z:\inkjet_test.bmp")
while ($ie.Busy) { } # Wait for the page to load
$ie.ExecWB(6, 2) # 6 = print; 2 = don't prompt

Thanks. So I would use $ie.ExecWB(6)?

Cannot find an overload for "ExecWB" and the argument count: "1".
At line:4 char:11
+ $ie.ExecWB <<<< (6)
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : MethodCountCouldNotFindBest

The second paramter is not optional. You have the following options:

0 = Carry out the default operation
1 = Prompt the user
2 = Don't prompt the user
3 = Show help

D'OH! Score one of reading comprehension - I read your comment as 6, print, 2 don't print. I wondered why you'd include a don't print option. :)

Still didn't work though.

Exception calling "ExecWB" with "2" argument(s): "Trying to revoke a drop target that has not been registered (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80040100 (DR
AGDROP_E_NOTREGISTERED))"
At line:4 char:11
+ $ie.ExecWB <<<< (6, 2)
+ CategoryInfo : NotSpecified: (:) [], MethodInvocationException
+ FullyQualifiedErrorId : ComMethodTargetInvocation

Try this instead. I think this works (this stupid XPS software keeps giving me a dialog...):

function Print-Bitmap
{
    param (
        [System.Drawing.Bitmap]$Bitmap
    )
   
    $printDocument = New-Object System.Drawing.Printing.PrintDocument
   
    Register-ObjectEvent -InputObject $printDocument -EventName PrintPage -SourceIdentifier PrintDocument.PrintPage -Action {
        param (
            [System.Object]$sender,
            [System.Drawing.Printing.PrintPageEventArgs]$e
        )
       
        $e.Graphics.DrawImage($Bitmap, 0, 0)
    }
   
    $printDocument.Print()
}

function Download-Image
{
    param (
        [String]$Url
    )
   
    $webRequest = [System.Net.WebRequest]::Create($Url)
    $webResponse = $webRequest.GetResponse()
    $stream = $webResponse.GetResponseStream()
   
    return New-Object System.Drawing.Bitmap -ArgumentList $stream
}

$bitmap = Download-Image -Url "your_url_goes_here"
Print-Bitmap -Bitmap $bitmap