We're calling on all EU-based Mozillians with iOS or iPadOS devices to help us monitor Apple’s new browser choice screens. Join the effort to hold Big Tech to account!

Avatar for Username

Search Support

Avoid support scams. We will never ask you to call or text a phone number or share personal information. Please report suspicious activity using the “Report Abuse” option.

Learn More

Hierdie gesprek is in die argief. Vra asseblief 'n nuwe vraag as jy hulp nodig het.

Thunderbird is not using my new default printer even though I've deleted the old one from my system.

  • 2 antwoorde
  • 15 hierdie probleem
  • 12 views
  • Laaste antwoord deur woscar

VivianMcAleavey
VivianMcAleavey
more options

I replaced my old printer. I removed the driver from my computer and set up the new printer. I have selected it as my default printer. Thunderbird persists in looking for my old printer, doesn't find it, so doesn't print. I have to manually go into the printer selection box and select my new printer from the list. I see someone else had the same problem and was told to go to the Config Editor but when I do, it's just a long list of things I don't know anything about and am warned not to mess with. HELP!!!!

I replaced my old printer. I removed the driver from my computer and set up the new printer. I have selected it as my default printer. Thunderbird persists in looking for my old printer, doesn't find it, so doesn't print. I have to manually go into the printer selection box and select my new printer from the list. I see someone else had the same problem and was told to go to the Config Editor but when I do, it's just a long list of things I don't know anything about and am warned not to mess with. HELP!!!!

All Replies (2)

Swarnava Sengupta
Swarnava Sengupta
  • Locale Leader
more options

I hadn't thought about this before (I don't print email much), but I found the following and discovered a slight improvement.

From previous posts: 1- Open Thunderbird. 2- Go to Tools -> Options. 3- Click on Advanced, and go to General tab. On the bottom, click on Config Editor (Be carefull making changes here!!!). 4- Scroll down (or use the filter) and locate the entry print.print_printer. If there isn't such entry, then your problem is somewhere else. 5- Right click on that entry and choose reset. (again, be carefull, don't change anything else!!!) 6- Close Thunderbird 7- Make sure you have the right printer set as default on your system. 8- Reopen Thunderbird, and your printer should be ok.

MY improvements: 4: Instead of scrolling down, put "printer" in the search line at the top. The first entry which comes up should be "print_printer" (not print.print_printer).

5: Double-click the "print_printer" and another window will come up with the current printer shown.

My 6: In the new window, replace the name of your printer with "Default" (without the quotes), then OK. Through experimentation, I found this allows Thunderbird to use whatever printer you have set to default in the Windows printer area.

You do not need to close and restart Thunderbird, at least I didn't have to. Your new printer should show up when you go to print a message. If not, be sure to check that the new printer is the DEFAULT (green check mark) in Windows Devices and Printers area (available off the Start button).

woscar
woscar
more options

When I executed the procedure you are referencing, I reset the line labeled print_printer. There was a line preceding it labeled print.print_printer and that showed the printer that should be the default. I didn't do anything to that line, because I was very worried about doing anything else that hadn't been mentioned. Now Thunderbird shows the headers for new emails but won't open them. Not sure what to do next, but suspect I'm going to have to reinstall Thunderbird.

I would certainly appreciate a simple way to select the default printer on the options menu in future versions, but I've never had this situation in previous versions.

Gewysig op deur woscar