Defining a non-default printer for specific reports

[Bluejay906]

I have two reports I want printed with Cute PDF Writer. Right now, the user has to select this printer, but I want it bound to the reports. I used this technique with Access 97 - I set the printer as part of the Design mode and this particular printer becomes the default for the report. Access 2003 doesn't seem to work the same way. How can I go about this?

[puppydogbuddy]

I have two reports I want printed with Cute PDF Writer. Right now, the user has to select this printer, but I want it bound to the reports. I used this technique with Access 97 - I set the printer as part of the Design mode and this particular printer becomes the default for the report. Access 2003 doesn't seem to work the same way. How can I go about this?

Here is code from the tips page of www.aadconsulting.com that will enable you to switch printers for the report:

Fellow Access develepor, Mark Plumpton, of customdata.co.nz, has kindly provided sample code for easily switching printers on the fly while printing Access reports, with code as simple as this...

SaveDefaultPrinter
DefaultPrinter = "HP Laserjet (A3)"
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptTest", acViewNormal
RestoreDefaultPrinter

Download these demo Access97/2000 databases, which include a class module that performs the function of listing and switching default printers.

http://www.aadconsulting.com/printers.zip

The code is also an excellent example of how you can use classes in your MS Access applications.

[Bluejay906]

Thank you for the information. The issue is slightly more complicated. The application is inherited and the reports, for reasons I have yet to determine, can only be run by macro. Can the first two lines be run as an On Open event and the last one run as On Closed?

Here is code from the tips page of www.aadconsulting.com that will enable you to switch printers for the report:

Fellow Access develepor, Mark Plumpton, of customdata.co.nz, has kindly provided sample code for easily switching printers on the fly while printing Access reports, with code as simple as this...

SaveDefaultPrinter
DefaultPrinter = "HP Laserjet (A3)"
DoCmd.OpenReport "rptTest", acViewNormal
RestoreDefaultPrinter

Download these demo Access97/2000 databases, which include a class module that performs the function of listing and switching default printers.

http://www.aadconsulting.com/printers.zip

The code is also an excellent example of how you can use classes in your MS Access applications.

[puppydogbuddy]

Thank you for the information. The issue is slightly more complicated. The application is inherited and the reports, for reasons I have yet to determine, can only be run by macro. Can the first two lines be run as an On Open event and the last one run as On Closed?

I believe the first two lines have to be executed before the report is opened, and the last line has to be executed right after the report is closed. but go ahead and try your idea...it might work. If it doesn't work post the details of the macro.

[Bluejay906]

You were correct about the first two lines needed to be executed before the report prints. I added a line in the macro: RunCode with SaveDefaultPrinter as the parameter and that works. When I try the same idea with DefaultPrinter = "Win2PDF", I get an error. Since I have have limited experience with macros, should I place the first two lines in a global function? Is there some way to call the DefaultPrinter without a parameter?

I believe the first two lines have to be executed before the report is opened, and the last line has to be executed right after the report is closed. but go ahead and try your idea...it might work. If it doesn't work post the details of the macro.

[ADezii]

I have two reports I want printed with Cute PDF Writer. Right now, the user has to select this printer, but I want it bound to the reports. I used this technique with Access 97 - I set the printer as part of the Design mode and this particular printer becomes the default for the report. Access 2003 doesn't seem to work the same way. How can I go about this?

Here are 2 Routines along with their associated Calls, which should prove very helpful to you. They are basically self-explanatory, but if you need further assistance, please feel free to ask:

1. To Print a specific Report to a specific Printer:
   

   Public Sub PrintReport(strReport As String, strPrinter As String)
   'Opens a report in Preview view, prints to a specific Printer,
   'then Closes the Report
    
   Dim rpt As Report
    
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport, View:=acViewPreview, WindowMode:=acHidden
    
   Set rpt = Reports(strReport)
    
   'Set to the specific Printer
   Set rpt.Printer = Application.Printers(strPrinter)
    
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport
   DoCmd.Close acReport, strReport
   End Sub

   'To Call this Sub-Routine
   Call PrintReport("Report1", "Cute PDF Writer")

2. To change the Default Printer, Print a specific Report, then revert back to the previous Default Printer:
   

   Public Sub ChangeDefaultPrinterAndPrint(strReport As String, strPrinter As String)
   'Change the printer, and print. This will only work if your report
   'is set up to print to the default printer.
    
   Set Application.Printer = Application.Printers(strPrinter)
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport
    
   'Set the default printer back the way it was.
   Set Application.Printer = Nothing
   End Sub

   'To Call this Sub-Routine
   Call ChangeDefaultPrinterAndPrint("Report1", "Cute PDF Writer")

3. If you insist on using Macros:
   1. Change the 2 Sub-Routines to Public Functions.
   2. Use the RunCode Action within the Macros to call the Functions and pass to it the required Parameters (2).

[Bluejay906]

Thanks for the feedback. This should work. As for insisting on using macros, I am a VBA coding guy. I have avoided macros because I want to keep objects together. I inherited this pasta code. A client had several people work on it over the years - none of whom are Access programmers. Hence, it does strange and wonderful things.

Here are 2 Routines along with their associated Calls, which should prove very helpful to you. They are basically self-explanatory, but if you need further assistance, please feel free to ask:

1. To Print a specific Report to a specific Printer:
   

   Public Sub PrintReport(strReport As String, strPrinter As String)
   'Opens a report in Preview view, prints to a specific Printer,
   'then Closes the Report
    
   Dim rpt As Report
    
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport, View:=acViewPreview, WindowMode:=acHidden
    
   Set rpt = Reports(strReport)
    
   'Set to the specific Printer
   Set rpt.Printer = Application.Printers(strPrinter)
    
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport
   DoCmd.Close acReport, strReport
   End Sub

   'To Call this Sub-Routine
   Call PrintReport("Report1", "Cute PDF Writer")

2. To change the Default Printer, Print a specific Report, then revert back to the previous Default Printer:
   

   Public Sub ChangeDefaultPrinterAndPrint(strReport As String, strPrinter As String)
   'Change the printer, and print. This will only work if your report
   'is set up to print to the default printer.
    
   Set Application.Printer = Application.Printers(strPrinter)
   DoCmd.OpenReport strReport
    
   'Set the default printer back the way it was.
   Set Application.Printer = Nothing
   End Sub

   'To Call this Sub-Routine
   Call ChangeDefaultPrinterAndPrint("Report1", "Cute PDF Writer")

3. If you insist on using Macros:
   1. Change the 2 Sub-Routines to Public Functions.
   2. Use the RunCode Action within the Macros to call the Functions and pass to it the required Parameters (2).

[kucster]

Hi, I'm just trying to change the printer when I need to print something specific in a forum. I used your code from the print.zip and it seems to be working it changes the printer to the one I want and back, but it still prints to the original printer. I debugged it and it does do the change to the printer I want before
DoCmd.PrintOut acSelection
So I don't understand why this would be. I didn't change your module I only put your module in my project and the code you suggested in the forum code. I don't understand why it would do this.
Also this is for one computer and I know the printer I want to send it to. Theres no way to just tell it what printer to print to and not worry about changing defult printers?
Thanks
Kucster