Print spooler

[DSummZZZ]

I have an issue with print spooling while printing cards using a DataCard printer. These are member cards with a number and mag stripe on the back that members swipe in a card reader.
What happens is for some reason the app (custom, in-house app) will print a few cards then jobs will get 'stuck'. I have to stop the print spooler service, deleting the stuck jobs in the c:\...\spool\PRINTERS folder, then restart the print spooler in order to get it to work again. This is getting old.
So I changed the driver to "Print directly to the printer" instead of "Spool, print documents do program finishes printing faster", click on "Apply" (of course) and that works fine. However, if the computer is rebooted or user logs out and logs in the driver reverts to spooling and fails printing again.

My question is this; does anyone know how to force it to retain that setting after a reboot? Or is there something I'm missing?


-Dave Summers-

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[goombawaho]

Either this vbs script idea (which is a bit over my head) but should work
Link
Link

OR
set the associated registry key via a batch file that runs each time the PC boots.
I believe it is this, but substitute the correct printer for your machine (key in bold below)

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers\HP Officejet Pro 8500 A910 (Network)\DsSpooler]
"driverName"="HP Officejet Pro 8500 A910"
"portName"=hex(7):43,00,4e,00,31,00,36,00,32,00,44,00,4d,00,30,00,5a,00,59,00, 00,00,00,00
"printStartTime"=dword:00000000
"printEndTime"=dword:00000000
"printerName"="HP Officejet Pro 8500 A910 (Network)"
"printKeepPrintedJobs"=hex:00
"printShareName"=""
"printSpooling"="PrintDirect"
"priority"=dword:00000001
"uNCName"="\\\\Music\\HP Officejet Pro 8500 A910 (Network)"
"serverName"="Music"
"shortServerName"="MUSIC"
"versionNumber"=dword:00000004
"url"="

http://Music/"

"flags"=dword:00000000

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[goombawaho]

Now you know my computer name and that I have an OfficeJet Pro 8500

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[DSummZZZ]

OH NO!!! How dare you announce your computer name!!

Thanks, I'll give it a try as soon as I can. (It's at a remote location).


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[DSummZZZ]

One thing though, what you're saying is there is no 'permanent' fix or setting. Some routine must be run every time at reboot?
Something, somewhere, I'm guessing the registry, 'tells' this driver to revert to spool. I would like to figure that part out rather than have to run a .bat every reboot. Mostly because since this is at a remote location, they have very limited access to anything. I have to run things as admin.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[goombawaho]

somewhere, I'm guessing the registry, 'tells' this driver to revert to spool.

It appears to default to that from what you say. No idea how to stop the reversion.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[CobolKid]

Quote "So I changed the driver "

I assume DataCard's driver: click around the settings and read carefully. It's been awhile since I've configured their windows drivers, but I seem to recall the "save" routine was a seperate proc from the "change" routine, and it was not very evident.

I'm an old DataCard tech, have spent 38 years in the industry, access device issuance that is.


Steve

 

[cdogg]

Dave,

The setting should stick. Are you sure you're changing the setting from an admin account?

As for the setting itself, spooling is recommended for speed, especially when printing graphics. Obviously if it's not working, you're not going to use it. However, one of the common reasons the setting may have problems is available hard drive space. Double-check to make sure the system partition isn't running low.



-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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[goombawaho]

The setting should stick.

Key word: SHOULD How many times have I said that? Yet it doesn't pay the bills if something only SHOULD.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Haha, very true. If only "should" was good enough!

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah, I don't know why it wouldn't stick. Like port settings on a printer don't change when you reboot.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[DSummZZZ]

All,
First, thanks for chiming in. I appreciate the help. The customer is getting very frustrated with cards not printing. I'm getting tired of them calling.

cdogg,
I am absolutely certain it is an admin account. The choices are disabled (greyed) unless admin credentials are entered first.

General->Change Settings->Advanced->Print Directly To Printer
"Change Settings" is where I have to key in the admin account in order to be able to change anything.

CobolKid,
I poked around everywhere I could find, first the printer properties on "Printers and Devices", as well as the "DataCard Toolbox".
The only place I could find anywhere to save this setting was on the printer properties.




-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[DSummZZZ]

Also, per goombawaho's suggestion I did write a .BAT to run a registry import to set "printSpooling"="PrintDirect" at reboot time, but to no avail. I'm guessing because it isn't executed with admin permissions, it had no affect during the last reboot. Which of course, over the weekend when I was unavailable.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[cdogg]

Dave,

The process you were following is actually a bit revealing. Apparently you are logged into a non-admin account, since "Change Settings" prompts you for admin credentials. My suggestion here is to log into Windows under the admin account, repeat the procedure and reboot. Hopefully it sticks this time. If not, perhaps the printer needs to be deleted and re-created.

Furthermore, you haven't addressed the other point regarding available hard drive space on the system partition. Definitely want to check that if you haven't already. On print servers in large environments, for example, this is one of the top reasons for print spooling errors.



-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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[DSummZZZ]

cdogg,
Logging in as admin and setting things is worth a try. The next chance i get maybe I can see if that helps.
Woops. I did forget to address the HD space issue. It is a local printer, not a print server. And it has plenty of space. Around 80-90% available.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[Cengland99]

DSummZZZ

Not sure if you are still dealing with this issue, as we are, but I did find that if you go to the ports tab in the printer properties and uncheck "Enable bidirectional support" and then on the advanced tab set "Print directly to the printer" the setting will hold after reboot/shutdown. I also found this article on TechNet that allows you to build a command line for changing printer settings, without editing the registry: [URL unfurl="true"]https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc725833.aspx[/url]

 

[DSummZZZ]

Cengland99

Yeah, I did all that, and it does retain those settings after a reboot. But, whenever it felt like it (evidently), the driver just reverted to the spooling settings.

Anyway, I ended up replacing the printer to a newer one, which included replacing the driver with a newer one. The printer was fairly worn out and needed to be replaced anyway. I haven't had any issues with the new setup.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm

 

[goombawaho]

I like it: brute force method. If it doesn't work, replace it. Smash old one to relieve stress.

"Living tomorrow is everyone's sorrow.
Modern man's daydreams have turned into nightmares.

 

[cdogg]

Office Space style with Geto Boys playing in the background.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

[tab][navy]For this site's posting policies, click [/navy]here.

 

[DSummZZZ]

Smash old one to relieve stress.

Exactly. We got a $200 trade-in on the new printer, as long as we showed "proof of destruction" of the old one. The pick-axe did a nice job of destruction.


-Dave Summers-

Even more Fox stuff at:

http://www.dave-summers.net/foxprolinks.htm