How do I set default printer?

New to MS.... can someone tell me how to set a default printer so that i don't have to pick the one i use every time? It would be great if i could also set the paper size and color scheme as well.

thanks

  • Hi there, and welcome to our corner of the Internet.

    In MicroStation Help, there's a section that reads as follows:

    How the Default Printer Is Selected
    When the Print dialog is invoked, the procedure described below is used to select the default printer driver configuration file and the Windows printer, paper size, and tray names.

    If the Print dialog has never been opened before, two printer driver configuration files are selected for future defaults. One, printer.pltcfg, is selected as the default for the Windows printer driver. The second, pdf.pltcfg, is selected as the default for the Bentley printer driver. The search path defined by the MS_PLTCFG_PATH configuration variable is used to locate printer driver configuration files.

    The Windows printer driver configuration file is used the first time the dialog opens, assuming that this setting has not already been overridden using configuration variables.

    The Print dialog stores the active printer driver type and configuration file in the user preference file. When the Print dialog is subsequently invoked, the most recently used printer driver type and configuration file are selected by default. This behavior may, however, be overridden using configuration variables.

    If MS_DEFAULT_PLTCFG_FILE is set to a fully qualified printer driver configuration file, that file is loaded instead of the most recently used file when the Print dialog is opened.

    If MS_PLT_SYSPRT_PLTFILE is set to a fully qualified printer driver configuration file, that file will be used instead of "printer.pltcfg" when Windows driver is selected in the Print dialog.

    In the event the selected printer driver configuration file cannot be loaded, you are prompted for a file name to use. If you abort the file selection box without selecting a file that can be loaded, the Print dialog attempts to load one of the following files.

    "pdf.pltcfg"

    "pscript.pltcfg"

    "hpglrtl.pltcfg"

    any .pltcfg in the MS_PLTCFG_PATH search path

    If none of these can be loaded, the Print dialog cannot be opened.

    If a Windows printer driver is loaded, the Print dialog must select a default Windows printer name, paper size name, and tray name. Normally, this information is obtained from the Windows default printer, but may be overridden using either the printer driver configuration file or configuration variables.

    MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_PRINTER specifies the printer name that is selected when a system printer is opened.

    MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_FORM specifies the paper size name that is selected when a system printer is opened.

    MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_TRAY specifies the tray name that is selected when a system printer is opened.

    If the above configuration variables are not defined, you can specify the default printer, paper size, and tray names using the properties in the Windows printer driver configuration file.

    -----

    To define variables, go to Workspace > Configuration.  Then navigate to the Printing category on the left side.  On the right side, choose Default Windows Printer Name.  Clcik Edit.  Enter the name of the printer in the New Value field.  Click OK.   You could also sort the variables alpabetically and then look for and edit MS_PLT_SYSPRT_DEFAULT_PRINTER
     

  • thanks for the reply...i'm beginning to understand how this works. i'm still not sure what i should name the printer. what i'd like to use is the bently PDF driver. all my drawings will be printed to PDF. do i need to type in a specific path here?

    thanks

  • cadman33619 said:

    what i'd like to use is the bently PDF driver. all my drawings will be printed to PDF.

    In that case, go to Workspace > Configuration > Printing > Default Printer Configuration and set it to PDF.pltcfg

    Every time you access the File > Print dialog, the pdf.pltcfg driver will be auto-loaded for you.

    Note, this variable is written to the User Configuration File , also known as the UCF file.  If desired, you can also locate and open the UCF with Notepad and add the variable directly in there. 

    cadman33619 said:

    do i need to type in a specific path here?

    No.  Just add the name of the printer driver configuration file as shown in the first graphic above:  pdf.pltcfg

  • perfect ..! that did it. thanks so much.

    ...would it also be possible to set the paper size (to 11x17) and color (to monochrome)?

  • cadman33619 said:

    ..would it also be possible to set the paper size (to 11x17)

    From the Print dialog, choose File > Edit Printer Driver Configuration 

    In the resulting dialog, go to the Paper Sizes tab.

    Select your 11x17 paper size and choose Edit

    Turn on Is default paper size

    Save changes.

    Then choose File > Reload Printer Driver Configuration

    cadman33619 said:

    and color (to monochrome)?

    In the Base Properties tab, take a look in the General category.  In there you'll find a setting for the Default Colour Mode that you can set as needed.