PRB: Printer's Default Paper Size Not Used by Common Dialog Box

ID: Q168573

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

When you select a printer in a common Print dialog box, the paper size may not match the default setting for the selected printer. However, the system default printer seems to keep its default paper setting.


CAUSE

This occurs because the common Print dialog box maintains the current paper setting even when the printer selection is changed. In the case of dialog initialization, the current printer is either the system default printer or one specified by the application. In either case, the common Print dialog box is initialized with the printer[ASCII 146]s default paper setting.

The common Print dialog box maintains the paper setting because it assumes that users will want to print to the same paper type when they switch to a different printer. This may be contradictory to an application developer[ASCII 146]s assumption that a different selection in the common Print dialog box should be initialized with a specific printer[ASCII 146]s default paper setting.


RESOLUTION

If you prefer that each new selection in the Print dialog box be initialized with the printer[ASCII 146]s default paper setting, you need to implement your own Print dialog box so you can control the default settings.


STATUS

This behavior is by design.


MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

  1. Set one printer[ASCII 146]s default paper setting to an esoteric paper type.


  2. Set the default printer[ASCII 146]s default paper setting to Letter.


  3. Run WordPad.


  4. On the File menu, select Print.


  5. Select the printer used in step 1, and notice that the paper setting is Letter.


  6. Select the paper setting chosen in step 1.


  7. Select the default printer, and notice that the paper type does not change.


Additional query words: 


Keywords          : kbprint kbCmnDlg kbCmnDlgPrint kbNTOS kbSDKWin32 kbGrpUser kbWinOS95 kbWinOS98 kbDSupport 
Version           : WINDOWS:
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: June 30, 1999