Can't print to network printer from Access 2003

[Joseph Geretz]

I'm trying to print a Relationship report from Access 2003 but each time I
try, Access aborts. I'm not sure if this is a Access problem or a funky
printer problem. Here's what I observe:

In Printers and Faxes I see HP LaserJet 5P on MIRIAM. This is the correct
printer and location. I can right-click and see its properties. However, if
I double-click on it to open I get the following error message:

Printer \\Miriam\HP LaserJet 5P (Copy 1) does not exist on the computer.

\\Miriam\HP LaserJet 5P (Copy 1)??? Where'd that (Copy 1) jazz come from?

From Microsoft Word, I can print documents. When I hover over the quick
print icon in the toolbar, or when I invoke the full print dialog, the
printer shows as \\Miriam\HP LaserJet 5P. Not surprisingly, documents print
OK.

From Microsoft Access though, the printer shows as \\Miriam\HP LaserJet 5P
(Copy 1) and I'm not able to print.

If you can give me any hints to what's going on, I'll be most grateful.

The print server OS is WinXPPro. The client is Windows 2003 Server with
Office 2003.

Thanks!

- Joe Geretz -

 

[Allen Browne]

Hi Joe

There's been a few messages like this recently. The common factors are A2003
and network printer.

Open the Immediate Window in Access (press Ctrl+G).

Enter:
? Application.Printers.Count
How many printers does it say it can find?

If there are some, try:
? Application.Printer.DeviceName
to see what it considers to be the default printer.

You can also try:
? Application.Printers(1).DeviceName
changing the 1 to other numbers to see the names of other printers also.

Hopefully that process will reveal something about why Access 2003 is not
finding your network printer correctly.

 

[Joseph Geretz]

Hi Allen,

Thanks for your reply. Here's the output from Access. Everything seems to be
in order:

? Application.Printers.Count
2
? Application.Printer.DeviceName
\\MIRIAM\HP LaserJet 5P
? Application.Printers(0).DeviceName
\\MIRIAM\HP LaserJet 5P
? Application.Printers(1).DeviceName
Microsoft Office Document Image Writer

I think this is probably an envronmental / networking issue. I can see this
printer in Printers and Faxes I can view it's properties, I can even print a
test page but I can't open it.

- Joe Geretz -

 

[Joseph Geretz]

This was a problem with the registry information on the workstation to which
the printer is attached.

On the remote workstation I went through the registry and deleted all
instances of HP LaserJet 5P. I found numerous references to HP LaserJet 5P
and HP LaserJet 5P (Copy 1). Then I re-added the printer. It got added as HP
LaserJet 5P (Copy 1)! Printing worked OK but this was too weird for me. I
deleted the printer connection.

Over on the printer's local workstation, I searched the registry and removed
every reference to HP LaserJet 5P (Copy 1).

On the remote workstation I again re-added the printer. It added nicely as
HP LaserJet 5P and everything is working perfectly!

- Joe Geretz -

 

[Allen Browne]

Thanks for posting the solution. Hopefuly that will help others who
experience the same problem.