Same Print Queue, Different Setting

  • Thread starter Thread starter Herbert Chan
  • Start date Start date
H

Herbert Chan

Hello,

I have been using Windows 98SE at work. Then all of a sudden, the IT people
came and upgraded everything to Windows XP.

I've written a VBA macro for Word to print some letters automatically. As I
need a copy of the letter to be printed in duplex while another copy to be
printed on one-sided paper only, I have created within Windows 98SE a second
printer which actually referred to the same physical printer that was set to
print everything duplex. (I've read somewhere that it would need API call
to change the printer setting to duplex if I don't create a second printer,
and that was beyond me.)

With Windows XP, I have completely no idea how I can create a second printer
to point to the same physical printer. After I searched the printer out and
doubleclicked on it, after a while, it told me that it's been installed, but
I still could only see just ONE copy of the printer, while I expected it to
give me another copy so that I could change the setting.

Is this actually allowed in Windows XP? If it is, how?

Thanks

Herbert
 
If you have administrative privileges on the XP system this is easy. If the
IT team is deploying XP with user access , then no.

You now have a network connection to the server hosting the printer. Win98
created a local printer which basically copied the print data to the remote
machine in pre rendered format. With XP the data is sent to the server and
then rendered.

If you have admin access, you can create a Local Printer using the Add
Printer Wizard in the printers folder. If this option is not available you
do not have administrative right as you did on Windows 98.

Create a New Port / Local Port using the name \\printserver\printsharename.
Then select the driver you need from the list (if it is not on the
manufacture/model list just use any driver), name the printer Duplex printer
(or whatever best describes the queue) and complete the Wizard. If the
driver was not on the list, open Printer Properties / Advanced and select
the driver from this list. The document will now render on the local
machine and be sent to the printer in Raw format.

Test your new configuration and away you go.

--
Alan Morris
Windows Printing Team
Search the Microsoft Knowledge Base here:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;[ln];kbhowto

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
 
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