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#204588 - 2012-03-27 01:25 AM SetDefaultPrinter bug
Robdutoit Offline
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I have come across an issue which I assume must be a bug in the setdefaultprinter function. This issue occurs irrespective of whether Win XP or Win 7 is used and also occurs whether I use Kixtart 4.50 or version 4.62 (the latest version). Some of my client use a program called revelation natural art (they are schools) and when I use the setdefaultprinter option in the script, the script sets the default printer to whatever I specifiy in the script, but the program cannot print because it says there is no printer installed. However, if I manually set the default printer, as in right click printer and then setdefault printer, the program is then able to print. I then used a VBS script

Set net = WScript.CreateObject("wscript.network")
net.SetDefaultPrinter "\\server\ict colour"

which I called from the kixtart script and the program works perfectly using the VBS script! It doesn't worry me a great deal as the VBS script works perfectly, but I thought that I would mention that the Kixtart function is not 100% right, as its obviously not setting something that the VBS script does. So if anyone else has ever had the issue where a program says that it cannot print, because there are no printers installed, despite the fact that printers are installed, this may be why!

Thank you

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#204589 - 2012-03-27 01:29 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Allen Administrator Online   shocked
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Please post your code or an example of your code.

Keep in mind SetDefaultPrinter uses the printer name, not printer share. It is suggested that you use the same name for the printer and the share to avoid this problem.

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#204590 - 2012-03-27 02:25 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Allen]
Robdutoit Offline
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Hi Allen,

Thanks for your quick response. The setdefaultprinter function does work. I am not stating that it doesn't. But its not doing something that it should be. I am using the printer name. I am also using the same name for the share name and the printer name in order to avoid any problems with this - I discovered that years ago when I started with Kixtart.
To give you an example of my script where its not working with this specific program

 Code:
If AddPrinterConnection ("\\server\IT colour") = 0
   ? "Added IT Suite printer "
   Endif

If SetDefaultPrinter ("\\server\IT colour") = 0
      ? "Set default printer to IT Suite Printer"
   Endif


This installs the printer and sets the printer as default. All the programs see the printer as the default printer - thus it works - BUT the abovementioned program does not work unless I set the default printer MANUALLY or I use the VBS script to set the default printer. Hence the problem is something about the way the SetDefaultPrinter function works as in it is missing a step somewhere.

Thank you.


Edited by Allen (2012-03-27 02:58 AM)
Edit Reason: added code tags

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#204591 - 2012-03-27 03:23 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Lonkero Administrator Offline
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wonder...
it must not be, but was thinking. back in the day for old programs we needed to do "net use lpt1: \\server\share"

not sure if this really old hack would be needed these days, but if the program says there is no printer installed, when there clearly is, you might be dealing with a dinosaur program that requires something like that.
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#204592 - 2012-03-27 09:42 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Lonkero]
Arend_ Moderator Offline
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In the mean time you can use the VBS code converted to kix:
 Code:
Dim $net
$net = CreateObject("wscript.network")
$net.SetDefaultPrinter("\\server\ict colour")

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#204593 - 2012-03-27 01:58 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Arend_]
Robdutoit Offline
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To Lonkero, your suggestion is not applicable, because the program is happy with the installation of the printer in kixtart. The problem only crops up when I use Kixtart to set the default printer.
To Arend, I am already using a vbs script almost identical to the one you have written up there. so I have got my script to work. The point of my post is to highlight the fact that there is an issue or bug with the setdefaultprinter function. I do agree with Lonkero, that the program is an older style program so probably uses a legacy based way of determining which printer is the default. But as it works when I manually set the default printer, to me it means that the kixtart function is not accurately replicating the result that should occur.
Thanks

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#204595 - 2012-03-27 02:58 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Allen Administrator Online   shocked
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I think you missed the point with Arend's post. If your script is kix, why use vbscript, when it can be easily converted to kix code.

I think at this point it is likely you have found a very obscure bug. Maybe you can run a process monitor and capture what is looking for when your program runs and you ask it to print.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896645

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#204598 - 2012-03-27 10:12 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Allen]
Robdutoit Offline
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Thats a very good idea ! I will be with that client on Thursday, so I will run process monitor and see what gives. What I will also do is run process monitor and see what happens when I use the VBS script as opposed to the kixtart function. Having said that, the coding used by Arend and myself obviously works correctly, so perhaps kixtart should deprecate the setdefaultprinter function in favour of the coding as proposed by Arend.
I will update you on Thursday evening with my results. Thanks \:\)

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#204599 - 2012-03-28 04:00 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Lonkero Administrator Offline
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sorry, but I must disagree that my comment wouldn't apply.
the program says there is no printer installed when there is, which means, it's the software that doesn't work.

so, it has nothing to do with kixtart adding a printer.
it has everything to do with kixtart not making the default printer in a manner that software expects.
some really old programs, all they knew was if there was a printer attached to parallel port.
now, this software might be one of those "dump" ones. if so, testing it is the easiest thing to do.
after having your kixtart script add and set the printer as default, just open command prompt and do the net use line I gave earlier.
if this "fixes" the software, you know where the problem lies.
and if this fixes the issue, it is not a kixtart issue.
kixtart uses internal windows calls to make a printer default.

now, totally another question is, if there is a new method in windows of setting the default printer, should kixtart be updated to use that instead at the same time dropping support for older OS'es.
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#204611 - 2012-03-30 10:02 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Lonkero]
Robdutoit Offline
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I have done the following:
I used the "net use lpt1: \\server\share" method as suggested by Lonkero and this has no effect on the problem. Obviously the program does not use the parallel port scenario.
I attemped to use the process monitor, but I couldn't work out what to filter, and I ran out of time to look at it. I will look into the matter when I have more time, but what I will do longterm is use the converted vbs coding as suggested by Arend as this works flawlessly. But I will attempt to find the cause of the issue and post the solution. Many thanks for all the advice so far.

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#204612 - 2012-03-30 11:51 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Allen Administrator Online   shocked
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Regshot might be a better tool for the job.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/regshot/

If I have time this weekend, I might take a peek myself.

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#204613 - 2012-03-31 01:55 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Allen]
ShaneEP Moderator Offline
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I tried regshot (was my first thought as well) quickly yesterday with no luck. But I wasn't extremely thorough. Maybe you'll have better luck.
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#204614 - 2012-03-31 08:05 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: ShaneEP]
Allen Administrator Online   shocked
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I agree Shane... not much there. It changes "HKEY_USERS\"+@sid+"\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows","Device", and aside from capitalization looks exactly the same with kix or using the GUI for me. Based on Jochen's UDF GetDefaultPrinter ( http://www.kixtart.org/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=118766 ), this is the correct location to check this.

So maybe the process monitor on the specific program while attempting to print is the right direction?


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#204615 - 2012-03-31 12:05 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Allen]
Robdutoit Offline
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Registered: 2012-03-27
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Allen, I tried using registry monitor programs, but I am not seeing different there. Whatever the difference is about the function setdefaultprinter, its not in the registry. That much I can confirm.
I cannot use the process monitor to see whats happening when I attempt to print from that program after using setdefaultprinter because the print command and button is greyed out. Never fear, I will research the issue and see if I can track down what causes it.

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#204617 - 2012-03-31 03:58 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Allen Administrator Online   shocked
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I've done a bit of googling on this.

What happens if you hit Ctrl-P while in the program?

Maybe your AV is to blame... see this article.
http://www.wordbanter.com/showthread.php?t=42716

A couple of articles mention bad/corrupted profiles. Here's one with QBs.
http://community.intuit.com/posts/quickbooks-will-not-recognize-my-default-printer

A number of articles mention completely removing the printer and the drivers and reinstalling them as a fix.

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#204650 - 2012-04-05 09:36 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Allen]
Lonkero Administrator Offline
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still, after 10 years I found articles of also checking the win.ini \:\)
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#204653 - 2012-04-05 11:37 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Lonkero]
NTDOC Administrator Offline
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This can clear out all printers and settings and possibly correct other errors.


http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/printer-problems-in-windows

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#204711 - 2012-04-12 09:33 AM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: NTDOC]
Robdutoit Offline
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Just to keep you updated on whats going on. As its been Easter, I have not been back to the client. I will check the win.ini file as that is a likely starter. I will test all the scenarios that Allen and NTDOC has suggested, but I already know the AV is not the fault, as this has occurred at two different clients and they both have different anti virus solutions. I have tried on different computers both xp and win 7, so the profile is not likely to be the problem. But I will look at each everything, because I suspect its something about the way the domain is setup at the clients because I noticed a very interesting thing when I was testing the setdefault function at home (without the affected software). At home, if I run the setdefault function it changes the default printer and changes the tick to the new default printer. At the clients, it changes the default printer, but it ONLY changes the tick to the correct printer in the devices and printer page, if I REFRESH - ha there is a new clue ! I will be in at the client next week Thursday. Thanks
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#204768 - 2012-04-19 05:17 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Robdutoit Offline
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Registered: 2012-03-27
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Loc: London, England
Hooray, I have found the cause of the problem!

If you type

SetDefaultPrinter ("\\server\ICT Colour") = 0

the program works perfectly, but if you type

SetDefaultPrinter ("\\Server\ICT Colour") = 0

Then it fails.

it also fails if I use something like this

$ServerName = @LServer
SetDefaultPrinter ($ServerName + "\ICT Colour") = 0

The program says there is no printer installed even though all the printers are installed and the correct printer is set as default.

In case you missed it, the name of the server in this example is server (in lowercase), but if you type Server (uppercase S), thats when the program fails to find the printer. In the case of this specific client, the name of the server is in lower case, but in the script it started with uppercase. It also fails when you use the @Lserver macro so for me setdefaultprinter is unworkable as I use the same script for all my clients and they all have different server names, which is why I use the @LServer macro which obviously is returning the server name in uppercase I presume.

Interesting thing though, is the program works perfectly if you use the VBS script mentioned above in earlier posts and it makes no difference whether you use lower or upper case in the VBS script.

I don't know if this qualifies as a bug with this specific program or whether its a bug with setdefault printer, but I would say as it works in both lower and uppper case in the vbs script, that the bug lies with setdefaultprinter function.

Ignore the comment I made in my post on the 12th april. The refresh and movement of the tick issue is a windows xp issue. It works perfectly on Windows 7, but with XP you either have to refresh the window or close the printer windows and re-open. As such, that is not relevant to the issue being discussed here.

Thanks to everyone for all the input, my preferred solution now that I have worked out what the problem is, would be to take the vbs script and incorporate it into my kixtart scripts as Arend suggested. So I now consider setdefaultprinter to be obsolete as the VBS scripts work regardless of the case sensitivity. Many thanks to all.

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#204775 - 2012-04-19 05:41 PM Re: SetDefaultPrinter bug [Re: Robdutoit]
Les Offline
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The syntax in your examples are wrong. You cannot apply the value 0 to the function, you can only test the return value with an IF or some other construct.
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