// Printing Sample code
//
// This code demonstrates the Java 2 print mechanism

import java.awt.*;
import java.awt.print.*;
import java.awt.geom.*;

// Define a class that is called per page that needs printing. It implements
// the one and only method in the Printable interface : print. Note that
// this is quite separate from the PrinterJob class print() method.
//
// This method does not actually do any printing. All it does is write text
// and/or graphics onto the passed page (graphics context). The calling
// printer job object will then pass this page to the printer. 

class PrintObject implements Printable
{
   public int print (Graphics g, PageFormat f, int pageIndex)
   {
      Graphics2D g2 = (Graphics2D) g;  // Allow use of Java 2 graphics on
                                       // the print pages :

      // A rectangle that shows the printable area of the page, allowing
      // for margins all round. To be drawn on the first page (index = 0).
      Rectangle2D rect = new Rectangle2D.Double(f.getImageableX(),
                                                f.getImageableY(),
                                                f.getImageableWidth(),
                                                f.getImageableHeight());

      // A simple circle to go on the second page (index = 1).
      Ellipse2D circle = new Ellipse2D.Double(100,100,100,100);

      switch (pageIndex)
      {
         case 0 : g2.setColor(Color.black);   // Page 1 : print a rectangle
                  g2.draw(rect);
                  return PAGE_EXISTS;
         case 1 : g2.setColor(Color.red);     // Page 2 : print a circle
                  g2.draw(circle);
                  return PAGE_EXISTS;
         default: return NO_SUCH_PAGE;        // No other pages
      }
   }
}

public class Sample1
{
   public static void main (String[] args)
   {
      // Create an object that will hold all print parameters, such as
      // page size, printer resolution. In addition, it manages the print
      // process (job).
      PrinterJob job = PrinterJob.getPrinterJob();

      // It is first called to tell it what object will print each page.
      job.setPrintable(new PrintObject());

      // Then it is called to display the standard print options dialog.
      if (job.printDialog())
      {
         // If the user has pressed OK (printDialog returns true), then go
         // ahead with the printing. This is started by the simple call to
         // the job print() method. When it runs, it calls the page print
         // object for page index 0. Then page index 1, 2, and so on
         // until NO_SUCH_PAGE is returned.
         try { job.print(); }
         catch (PrinterException e) { System.out.println(e); }
      }
   }
}

• The main code creates a new PrinterJob object. This is not done using the new operator. Instead, a so-called static "factory" method, getPrinterJob of the PrinterJob class is used. This new object controls the printing.
• When it prints, it does so by asking a print object to format each page, one at a time. One per call. The setPrintable method of the job is called to tell it about our print object. We create an object of our PrintObject class dynamically when we call this method.
• The standard printer dialog is caled from another PrinterJob method. This allows the user to define page formats, margins and so on. If it returns true, the final method of PrinterJob, print(), is called. It takes no parameters. It simply starts the print process.
• The job then calls the printer object once per page it wants to print. The printer object builds each page as it is called.
• The first page is printed with a rectangle lying on the margin boundary of the page. The second page is printed with a red circle.
• The printer object tells the job NO_SUCH_PAGE when it is passed an index to a page it cannot print.