[X]My Assistant

[wbhburn]

I'm sure this is an easy one but I can't figure it out...

The default printer has always been the one on my home group and I've never had trouble sending to it. At some point I needed to print to PDF so changed the printer and it outputted correctly. Now however, whenever I choose to print reports, it defaults to "MS Print to PDF". I can switch back to the correct printer but it doesn't stick. Next time I print it defaults to PDF. Is there a global setting in Access for this? BTW, all my other apps are still defaulting to the correct printer.

[Jeff B.]

Perhaps someone else here has a 'global' setting. When I change printers (e.g., a new printer), I change the "print to" information in each report. Hmmm, perhaps Access does have a "DefaultPrinter" property you could set during application startup...?

[GroverParkGeorge]

What do you have set here in Windows?

 managedefaultprinter.png ( 42.18K )Number of downloads: 5

[wbhburn]

It's checked.

[GroverParkGeorge]

So Windows is supposed to remember and reuse the last used printer definition. And Access isn't getting that message.

Or maybe it is!

Are your users all sharing one copy of the accdb Front End, by any chance?

[wbhburn]

I am the only user and I only have one instance up at a time.

[GlenKruger]

Go into Settings Printers and Scanners and click on you regular default printer and select manage the select set as default printer. Go back to settings window for printers and uncheck the box George asked you to check.

All should be good as far as I am able to help you. Back in Windows 7 one used to be able to write to the win.ini file and select and change or select and keep the default printer with code.

[wbhburn]

Thanks, that did it. I don't know how that got checked.

FYI, default doesn't even show up if that box is checked. I had to go un-check it in order to see the default selection.

[pere_de_chipstic...]

Have you thought of this approach, all reports are set to the default printer in the reports' design. But the dB routes each report appropriately as selected on the print set up form.

This means that the report design doesn't need to be modified if the printer is changed or if some reports need to go to specialist, eg label, printers.

hth

[GlenKruger]

Glad it worked for you with the box not checked it shouldn't matter what you select to print a report to it will remember what you want as a default printer. Windows basically built it in. We had to write code to do it by finding the name and port of the default printer saving it to a variable then change the printer wanted to use and on close of report change back to previous default printer. It was a nightmare some times as the API calls needed would change on some of Windows updates.

Good luck with your project.

[FrankRuperto]

@Bernie

In my app I have certain reports going to specific printers. If the specific printer is not available, Access will automatically prompt user to select a different printer, including the default.

Attached File(s)

 RptPageSetup.PNG ( 19.59K )Number of downloads: 0
 SpecificPrtNotAvailable.PNG ( 15.93K )Number of downloads: 1

 

[pere_de_chipstic...]

Hi Frank

Yes these are the standard built in Access functions. The approach I've taken is allow users to select the printer for each report type on a printer set up form.

This means that I can distribute apps to different clients or different departments/users without needing to know anything about their printer installation and without them getting the printer not available dialog box everytime they use reports that have a specific printer identified in the report's design.

hth