can't print to network printer from access

[train2]

Hello,
We used to send our printjobs to a local printer but have recently renamed the printers to print via a spooler so that a quote manager could monitor print use. Now suddenly I can't print from Access.

I can click on file - print - and see the printer defaulted which is correct, but I can't open any reports because it's saying "There was a problem retrieving printer information for this object. The object may have been sent to a printer that is unavailable."

It doesn't seem to relate to the quota software, as we've tried sending to other network printers - and that's also not possible.

It's all mad. I can print normally in Word and other office applications. Thoroughly frustrated. Am I missing a small setting somewhere?

jr

 

[scking]

When a report is developed it retains printer information when the design is saved. If the printer is changed you need to open the report in design view, go to the print setup menu, and select the correct printer. Then simply close and save the design.


-------------------------------------
scking@arinc.com
Try to resolve problems independently
Then seek help among peers or experts
But TEST recommended solutions
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[DarianG]

I have a very similar problem, and have the exact same error message. I tried this solution and it has not resolved the problem.

Do we have anything else we can try?

 

[scking]

When you tried this solution, did it prompt you to save the design when you closed the report? I've never seen the above recommendation to fail under these circumstances to I've never had to research alternate solutions. Try it once more to see if Access will prompt you to save if you saved prior to close last time.




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scking@arinc.com
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[train2]

The problem is you can't actually open the reports in design view if it can't find the printer.

Luckily, my problem went away (because the wind was blowing in an easterly direction on a thursday!) and I was able to get into the design again.

But if you can't open the report in any type of view to enable you to save the different setting, I don't know how you could solve it. I'd love to hear from anyone who has managed to sort it out. I rather think it's just laying in wait, to pop its head up again about 2 minutes before a critical report is due!

jr

 

[DarianG]

I will check on the SCKing, keep you posteed

 

[DarianG]

It did ask to save but did not resolve the problem. Then out of the blue, just as what happened to train2, the problem was sort of resolved:

We had tried earlier to print to a different printer, but received the same error message.

After some messing around we tried it again and it worked.

We are still unable to print to the default printer.
Every other program can print to the default printer except Access.

 

[PRMiller]

This is an old thread that I stumbled across when finding one of those Access errors that just makes you hate Microsoft.

I took a copy of my database home to work on. I brought it back to work and copied it to my network. Now I receive the error mentioned above. What really ticks me off about Microsoft is the error mentions that "the object may have been set to a printer that is unavailable." You would think that it would let me go into design view to change this, but it won't allow me to. The report works fine on other machines that aren't XP.

Any suggestions? Other than pouring water on my PC and mailing a stinkbomb to Bill Gates?

Thanks,
Paul

 

[cariengon]

Has anyone tried the solution posted in MS Knowledgebase for this??

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;294555&Product=acc

 

[sfatz]

I am having a similar problem except ...
I don't get any error messages!
I cannot open any of the reports in design mode.
I cannot print anything (include forms and tables).
I have tried the suggestions in the MS knowledgebase.
I can print from every other app (include MS apps).
I run XP pro and Access 2003.
I am at my wit's end.
Has anyone else been able to solve this dilemma?

 

[MzKitty]

Have you gone into your network connection (control panel, networking, local area connection, properties) and checked 'File and Printer Sharing'?
Cathy

 

[sfatz]

Thanks for the quick response.
Yes, File and Printer Sharing is checked.
Here is some futher information.
Another user in the office has the same setup (XP & Access 2003) and also cannot print.
However, a third user has Windows 2000 O/S and Access 2002 and is able to print.
The plot thickens...

 

[sfatz]

We think we have found a solution from guests on dbForums.
1. Add a generic printer to LPT1. You don't need to have a printer physically attached. Make it the default printer.
2. Now we can open the reports in Design View.
3. Preview print the report.
4. In Page Setup, change the printer to 'Selected' and select the previously desired printer.
5. Print the report, and it prints fine.
6. Do this to all the reports.
7. From Control Panel, Printers, reset the default printer to what it was before.

This seems to have worked, albeit an awkward work-around.