WinAPI Printer Setting Issue

**tom.hogan** · 01-14-2013, 12:19 PM

I am modifying the code from MSDN KB Article ID: 230743 "HOWTO: Set Duplex Printing for Word Automation" to set ALL printer settings The code works fine but for printer settings that can be set via an Excel command (like orientation - ActiveSheet.PageSetup.Orientation=xlPortrait), the setting changes in Windows control panel – Devices and Printers but NOT in the Excel Print window. Also, if I exit Excel and restart it then the new printer setting shows. I have tried changing printers back and forth as was recommended elsewhere in this forum, but that does not work. I also tried the WinAPI function SendMessageTimeout

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But that did not work either?

So after this long explanation my question is Is there a way to tell Excel that the printer setting has changed or do I just have to use the XL commands for printer settings that Excel supports?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

**Leith Ross** · 01-15-2013, 10:07 PM

Hello Tom,

Windows applications generally reset printer settings to saved values. This is one of the headaches when using API calls. You can change the settings but the application will reset them as soon as you choose to print from within the application. Another problem is not all printers respond to having the duplex flag by changed by the Windows API and will only make the change via the print driver.

**Leith Ross** · 01-15-2013, 10:07 PM

Hello Tom,

Windows applications generally reset printer settings to saved values. This is one of the headaches when using API calls. You can change the settings but the application will reset them as soon as you choose to print from within the application. Another problem is not all printers respond to having the duplex flag by changed by the Windows API and will only make the change via the print driver.