Printers

Is there a way to "hard code" a printer selection into an application (i.e. database Access or FileMaker), that overides the default printer selection without requiring the user to select a printer (other than the default printer) via the pop-up printer select window.

My default printer is a local printer (HP5). I want the application to print to a network printer (\\COMP0\HP5Si) as the application or report's default printer.

Thank you.

 

With Access, you would have to stuff a little bit of vB code that specified the printer into each report I think. No way to do it on a per-application basis for all Access stuff. At least none I'm aware of.

Filemaker - no idea but probably similar.

 

I appreciate your help, but I really need someone who has an answer to please provide the answer with specific instructions.

Thank you.

 

You might want to try posting the first part of your question to a bbs devoted to MS Access. There are several.

Here and Here A FAQ Site and some others.

A Google search for ms access help[/url] turned up quite a few hits.

I am curious though - this doesn't seem to be a Win2K issue at all but this section is pretty well limited to assistance with Win2K issues. This thread might have done better in the "Applications" section. But in general, tricky application questions will have more answers from specialized boards.

As to the lack of specificity in my first response, your original question was "Is there a way" rather than "Please tell me exactly how ". I answered what you asked.

 

Newt, please don't get tied up in knots here. Sorry if my question wasn't specific enough.

My question is an OS question and not an application question, because if a solution works here, the solution ought to work for any application.

For example back in the old DOS days, one could insert commands such as "lpt2" or "par1" or "Ser1" or "HP2" or "\\SECRETARY\HP5" or "\\10.10.10.113\HP5" to output data to specific printer. Or one could via a "config" or "autoexec" or "batch" stmt, redirect output from a computer (workstation) to a particular printer either locally or on the network.

Windows requires that one first add the printer, set it as shared and then as the default printer before you can generate output to that printer.

I'm trying to find a way to redirect printing (like DOS) so that I can possibly stuff those commands into the header of a printer output file. But before I get there, I first must see if what I am trying to is even possible in a Windows OS and code instructions that are required to get Windows to do what I need.

And yes, I realize Windows ain't Dos and that Windows does a lot more than DOS, etc......................... I've searched about a dozen MS books, MS tech web sites plus other sources without any success. I've read that it can be done, but can't find the solution.