---
title: "application(_:printFiles:withSettings:showPrintPanels:)"
framework: appkit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "appkit/nsapplicationdelegate/application(_:printfiles:withsettings:showprintpanels:)"
---

# application(_:printFiles:withSettings:showPrintPanels:)

Returns a value that indicates if the app prints the specified files.

## Declaration

```swift
@MainActor optional func application(_ application: NSApplication, printFiles fileNames: [String], withSettings printSettings: [NSPrintInfo.AttributeKey : Any], showPrintPanels: Bool) -> NSApplication.PrintReply
```

## Parameters

- `application`: The application object that is handling the printing.
- `fileNames`: An array of doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Foundation/NSString objects, each of which contains the name of a file to print.
- `printSettings`: A dictionary containing NSPrintInfo-compatible print job attributes.
- `showPrintPanels`: A Boolean that specifies whether the print panel should be displayed for each file printed. Print progress indicators will be presented even if this value is doc://com.apple.documentation/documentation/Swift/false.

## Return Value

Return Value A constant indicating whether printing was successful. For a list of possible values, see NSApplication.PrintReply.

## Discussion

Discussion Return NSPrintingReplyLater if the result of printing cannot be returned immediately, for example, if printing will cause the presentation of a sheet. If your method returns NSPrintingReplyLater it must always invoke the NSApplication method reply(toOpenOrPrint:)] when the entire print operation has been completed, successfully or not. This delegate method replaces application:printFiles:, which is now deprecated. If your application delegate only implements the deprecated method, it is still invoked, and NSApplication uses private functionality to arrange for the print settings to take effect.

## See Also

### Printing

- [application(_:printFile:)](appkit/nsapplicationdelegate/application(_:printfile:).md)
- [NSApplication.PrintReply](appkit/nsapplication/printreply.md)