How to Direct Print PDFs from JavaScript Using embed and .print()?

Direct PDF Printing from JavaScript

Creating a list of PDFs in HTML with both download links and print options is a common requirement. To streamline the user experience, avoiding the need to open PDF viewers or display PDFs before printing is desirable.

This question explores a solution using JavaScript to directly open the print dialog for a PDF without displaying it. One proposed approach involves embedding the PDF in a hidden iframe and triggering its printing via JavaScript.

Embed and Print Method

The provided solution utilizes an tag to embed the PDF within the document:

<code class="html"><embed
    type="application/pdf"
    src="path_to_pdf_document.pdf"
    id="pdfDocument"
    width="100%"
    height="100%" /></code>

Once embedded, JavaScript is used to invoke the .print() method on the PDF element:

<code class="javascript">function printDocument(documentId) {
    var doc = document.getElementById(documentId);

    //Wait until PDF is ready to print    
    if (typeof doc.print === 'undefined') {    
        setTimeout(function(){printDocument(documentId);}, 1000);
    } else {
        doc.print();
    }
}</code>

This technique allows the PDF to be printed seamlessly without any user interaction or visible display. Incorporating this approach into a hidden iframe can provide a seamless and user-friendly printing experience.

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