Why is my default printer changing when clicking embedded print links?
I have changed my about:config setting - print.save_print_settings to "false," and this is working to insure that under most circumstances Firefox is printing to my system default printer. But I still have an issue with it defaulting to the wrong printer, when I click a print button that is embedded in a web page. For example, if I am on webmail and it has a print button, or from my bank website that has a print button, etc.
I have tried refreshing my firefox profile, as well as completely deleting the profile as well as profiles.ini, and reinstalling firefox. I also ran Revo uninstaller and had it do a full uninstall. Yet when I click a print button in a website, it always selects the same incorrect printer, that is not my system default printer.
This is an issue, because the printer it is selecting is a label printer, and it spits out dozes of labels or more, and many users don't realize it's defaulting to the wrong printer in those instances, and we are wasting many many labels.
All Replies (7)
I don't know why the "default" would differ between initiating printing manually versus through a script.
When that happens, is the print_printer preference set to the default printer or the unwanted printer?
Do you also have the print.always_print_silent preference set to true, so there's no chance to see the problem in the Print dialog?
So when it happens, the print_printer preference is set to the system default (not the label printer), but it still has the label printer selected. Of course, the user can simply manually select the correct printer from the drop down, but I am hoping there is something I can do to make this unnecessary, since so many users have been accidentally printing to the label printer.
I checked all through about:config and was unable to find a print.always_print_silent setting. Am I looking in the wrong place?
jcoar said
So when it happens, the print_printer preference is set to the system default (not the label printer), but it still has the label printer selected.
I don't understand why the script command window.print() gives you a different default printer than manually invoking print. It sounds like a bug.
I checked all through about:config and was unable to find a print.always_print_silent setting. Am I looking in the wrong place?
It is not present in a normal installation, so that is fine.
This issue is still taking place. Is it just a bug we have to live with, or is there anything else I can try, to fix it?
Have you checked the Manufacturers website for updated software and possibly a firmware update ?
It is possible that a printer driver has become corrupted.
Is Win 7 the OS for this printer or is it something else ?
Is this printer on a network ? This may or may not work : https://community.spiceworks.com/how_to/38224-automatically-set-default-printers-by-network-location
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Problems_printing_web_pages
This also may be a OS issue. You could unplug the printer from the system and delete the printer in Windows. Shut down and stick printer back in to system and startup, a new WIn profile would be made.
Also Repair System Registry and Files
(FOR DOING Above & Below - WINDOWS All OTHER VERSIONS - Use Search To Find Command Prompt ** Enter CMD.exe to Find COMMAND PROMPT Then Right Click & RUN AS ADMIN)
To run the SFC command use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu and select Command Prompt (Admin). Type "SFC /SCANNOW" (without quotes or copy/paste) and press Enter. For more information on using SFC, please refer to the Microsoft KB: Use the System File Checker tool to repair missing or corrupted system files
Run the Windows Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) and System File Checker (SFC) tools as Administrator. The DISM and SFC tools scan the integrity of the Windows image and all protected system files replaces corrupted, damaged and incorrect versions. (FOR DOING Above & Below - WINDOWS All OTHER VERSIONS - Use Search To Find Command Prompt ** Enter CMD.exe to Find COMMAND PROMPT Then Right Click & RUN AS ADMIN) Type "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" (without quotes or copy/paste) and press Enter.
Windows 10 To run the DISM command use the Windows key + X keyboard shortcut to open the Power User menu, then select Command Prompt (Admin). Type "DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth" (without quotes or copy/paste) and press Enter. While running DISM you may notice the process will appear to pause at 20%. After a few minutes the operation will continue.
Note : SFC fixes files locally using files found on your system. Note : DISM goes up to Microsoft for new ones.
Please let us know if this solved your issue or if need further assistance.
jcoar said
This issue is still taking place. Is it just a bug we have to live with, or is there anything else I can try, to fix it?
I can't reproduce it. When filing a bug, it's helpful to submit a minimal test case demonstrating the problem that the developers can use to test fixes against. But my minimal test case works for me with three PDF printers I switched between. I don't have a label printer. What results do you get?
https://www.jeffersonscher.com/res/scriptprint.html
Perhaps there is a special page layout issue. For example, with a bank website, is it printing a PDF rather than a standard web page?
Since Firefox became a multiprocess application around Firefox 48, there have been some occasional strange glitches where interprocess communications among tabs did not work as expected. I don't know if that could cause Firefox to think there is a different default printer in different processes, but you could experiment.
To help evaluate whether that feature is causing problems, you could turn it off as follows:
(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.
(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste autos and pause while the list is filtered
(3) Double-click the browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2 preference to switch the value from true to false
Note: the exact name of the preference may vary, but it will start with browser.tabs.remote.autostart
At your next Firefox startup, it should run in the traditional way. Any difference?
Pkshadow said
Since Firefox became a multiprocess application around Firefox 48, there have been some occasional strange glitches where interprocess communications among tabs did not work as expected. I don't know if that could cause Firefox to think there is a different default printer in different processes, but you could experiment.To help evaluate whether that feature is causing problems, you could turn it off as follows:
(1) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click the button promising to be careful.
(2) In the search box above the list, type or paste autos and pause while the list is filtered
(3) Double-click the browser.tabs.remote.autostart.2 preference to switch the value from true to false
Note: the exact name of the preference may vary, but it will start with browser.tabs.remote.autostart
At your next Firefox startup, it should run in the traditional way. Any difference?
This fixed it! Thank you very much for your assistance on this.