Print button settings

[Greg_M]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I'm fairly sure there won't be a fix for this but I thought I'd try anyway. We always try and encourage staff to duplex print whenever possible, and hence we try and make it as easy as possible for them to do so.

We have set up a default print preset on every computer that calls the duplex option automatically.

But, whenever one prints by clicking the print button in Word, these settings are ignored. This is the same in 2004 and 2008, and for two different printers we have.

It looks like from searching this forum, that Word accesses the printing subsystem at a different level when using the toolbar button, than using the print dialogue box.

My question is can I override this behavior? My users keep printing single sided because they find it easier to click a button rather than go into the menu.

Thanks.

 

[John McGhie]

In Word 2004 you can override it, by replacing the "Print" button with a
macro that prints the document the way you want it.

You put the macro on the toolbar, then set its image to be that of the print
button.

Even easier: Add a macro to their Normal template named exactly
"FilePrintDefault()". Any macro with the same name as a Word command will
replace the Word command.

Of course, there's nothing to prevent the user from changing this back
again, if they know how. You can't lock down or share the Normal template:
it must be read-write exclusive to the user or Word will eventually crash.

On Word 2008, there is no VBA, so you can't do either.

However, if you place the printer driver on the print server, and configure
it how you want it, then lock it down, I think that works... That way there
is only one printer driver, with the options set the way you want them, and
users can't change them.

Hope this helps.

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: Intel

I'm fairly sure there won't be a fix for this but I thought I'd try anyway. We
always try and encourage staff to duplex print whenever possible, and hence we
try and make it as easy as possible for them to do so.

We have set up a default print preset on every computer that calls the duplex
option automatically.

But, whenever one prints by clicking the print button in Word, these settings
are ignored. This is the same in 2004 and 2008, and for two different printers
we have.

It looks like from searching this forum, that Word accesses the printing
subsystem at a different level when using the toolbar button, than using the
print dialogue box.

My question is can I override this behavior? My users keep printing single
sided because they find it easier to click a button rather than go into the
menu.

Thanks.

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Clive Huggan]

Or just apply electrodes to somewhere sensitive until they key Command-p.

In all applications, Command-p, along with Command-s, c, x, v, d and w, are
about as fundamental to running a Mac as switching the power switch on.
Using the mouse for these functions is a huge drain on productivity.

My colleagues and I save about 20% productivity by taking advantage of
Word's features -- although the keyboard shortcuts mentioned are external to
that.

Cheers,

Clive Huggan
Canberra, Australia
(My time zone is 5-11 hours different from the Americas and Europe, so my
follow-on responses to those regions can be delayed)
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[CyberTaz]

Another thought...

Have you tried swapping the standard FilePrint button with the
FilePrintDefault button? One sends the document directly to the default
printer, the other opens the Print dialog just like the File> Print command
or Command+P keystroke. Both are available in the Customize Toolbars & Menus
dialog of 2004 as well as 2008.

Alternatively you can create a custom button & assign the FilePrint command
to it yourself along with an icon of your choice. Use that button in place
of or in addition to the one that's already there.

What confuses me is your "default preset". If you do have that set as the
default printer on each system it shouldn't be necessary to go through the
Print dialog. Do you actually mean that you have the driver configuration
set for duplex but that neither of the printers have been set as the default
printer on the Macs?

I fully agree with Clive, though -- Cmd+P is the Geico solution if you want
the users to use the Print dialog rather than bypass it

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Duncan Arnold]

I also find this stupid and annoying. Like you guys I want to encourage use
of duplex printing and save trees. Seems to me the real issue is you can't
edit the 'Standard' printing preset in OS X. In the world of windows you can
go to control panel and edit the default settings of any printer. There's no
option to do that in the Printer section of OS X System Preferences; neither
can you save changes to the 'Standard' preset whilst in the printing dialog
box of Office/Word. I'm guessing the Print button on the Office Toolbar uses
the 'Standard' preset settings and hence the problem.

Anyone know how to edit the 'Standard' printing preset in OS X? I've found
mention of editing a PDD file on one forum but I've no idea what that is.

Thanks,

Duncan

 

[John McGhie]

Hi Duncan:

Have you tried it?

Have you searched in the OS X Help for "Print Presets"? There's a topic
"Saving a group of print options as a preset" that may be of interest.

If you go to File>Print in any application, the second drop-down is
"Presets", which enables you to choose one.

A PPD is a "PostScript Printer Definition". It defines the actions a
specific printer would take for specified PostScript commands. The only
time you might need to edit one is if the one provided by your printer
manufacturer had an error in it.

Hope this helps

On 13/09/09 10:15 AM, in article
(e-mail address removed), "Duncan Arnold" <Duncan

I also find this stupid and annoying. Like you guys I want to encourage use
of duplex printing and save trees. Seems to me the real issue is you can't
edit the 'Standard' printing preset in OS X. In the world of windows you can
go to control panel and edit the default settings of any printer. There's no
option to do that in the Printer section of OS X System Preferences; neither
can you save changes to the 'Standard' preset whilst in the printing dialog
box of Office/Word. I'm guessing the Print button on the Office Toolbar uses
the 'Standard' preset settings and hence the problem.

Anyone know how to edit the 'Standard' printing preset in OS X? I've found
mention of editing a PDD file on one forum but I've no idea what that is.

Thanks,

Duncan

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Duncan Arnold]

Yes John, I have tried it and the online help you direct me to doesn't
address the point I was making. I know how to create a named printing preset,
what I was actually asking was how can you edit the 'Standard' printing
preset because it would appear that this is the preset the Office toolbar
Print button is using.

Any useful ideas welcome.

Thanks.

 

[John McGhie]

Yes John, I have tried it and the online help you direct me to doesn't
address the point I was making. I know how to create a named printing preset,
what I was actually asking was how can you edit the 'Standard' printing
preset because it would appear that this is the preset the Office toolbar
Print button is using.

Any useful ideas welcome.

Thanks.

Hi Duncan:

Sorry, I sent you to the Apple Help because you did not specify which
version of OS X you're using, which makes the question impossible to answer,
because they're all a bit different.

As I understand it, basically, you can't change the "Standard" print preset,
because what that really means is "Don't use a preset, send the job to the
printer using its default settings."

If you create any other preset, and use it, OS X will remember the one last
used, and use it as the default -- until you next change it.

See here:

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3771

Microsoft Word is not involved in this at all: it simply hands the job over
to OS X with a "Here, print this" command. Everything that happens next is
purely OS X.

Cheers

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[CyberTaz]

AFAIK, the 'Standard' preset cannot be modified. I believe it is designed
that way so that the original specs don't get "lost" -- they can easily be
restored if needed. They comply with the driver's configuration.

Once you create custom presets, however, Word defaults to the last one
actually selected & *used*. I haven't fully tested to see if this will
satisfy your need because you give no indication of which version of Word or
what flavor of OS X you're using. There could be some variation depending on
those possible combinations as well as influences from the printer driver.

HTH |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac

 

[Duncan Arnold]

Thanks for the continued assistance and apologies for omitting the crucial
info - Snow Leopard and Office 2008. Oh, and the printer is a Brother HL-5340
and I installed the new OS X 10.6 driver. I did try creating a new printing
preset that I named 'Double-sided' but even after using it and setting the
preference to Last Used setting the Print button in the Word toolbar ignored
it and reverted to the 'Standard' settings.

Very frustrating.

 

[John McGhie]

Thanks for the continued assistance and apologies for omitting the crucial
info - Snow Leopard and Office 2008. Oh, and the printer is a Brother HL-5340
and I installed the new OS X 10.6 driver. I did try creating a new printing
preset that I named 'Double-sided' but even after using it and setting the
preference to Last Used setting the Print button in the Word toolbar ignored
it and reverted to the 'Standard' settings.

Very frustrating.

Hi Duncan:

Ah! OK. The Print button in the Standard toolbar is supposed to print one
copy to the current default.

In OS 10.6, that "should" be the "Last preset used" provided that you have
set "Last Printer Used" as the default in System Preferences.

There is another button you can add to your toolbar.

1) Right-click the toolbar and choose "Customise toolbars and menus"

2) Open the Commands tab

3) In the Categories column, choose "File"

4) In the Commands column, scroll down to "Print"

You will see there are two icons that look exactly the same. One is
labelled "Print" and the other is labelled "Print..."

5) Drag the "Print..." icon to your toolbar.

6) That should open the "Print..." dialog, and when the dialog opens, the
correct preset should appear as the default.

If not, then they do have a bug...

However: The first icon should simply send to that printer, with that
preset, by default. If that's not happening, that is either a bug or an
incompatibility. I will ask the test engineers which...

Cheers

This email is my business email -- Please do not email me about forum
matters unless you intend to pay!

--

John McGhie, Microsoft MVP (Word, Mac Word), Consultant Technical Writer,
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. | Ph: +61 (0)4 1209 1410
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[robshort]

John,

Thanks for that! This had been bugging me forever.