Why doesn't printing use the default printer?
This bug has been here for ages and having to do periodic resets using about:config every time it goes pair shaped is a bloody annoying time waster. Could someone spend 5 minutes to fix it so it works like every other windows program in the universe that accesses a printer???
Réiteach roghnaithe
Do you mean my workaround doesn't work for you?
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Normally Firefox re-uses the last printer you print to in Firefox. Is that what your Firefox doing? I don't know whether anyone has posted a workaround for that in a previous thread, i.e., forcing Firefox to always return to the same printer. I can't recall seeing one.
Here is a method that will lock all instances of Firefox to a single printer. You will be able to override it on a case-by-case basis, but Firefox won't retain that modification. This uses the "Autoconfig" file method documented in the following article:
Customizing Firefox Using AutoConfig
To set this up, you will create two files. Note: This assumes you do not already have any Autoconfig file set up. If you do, you simply need to add the lockPref() line below to your existing File #2.
File #1:
Contents:
pref("general.config.filename", "firefox.cfg"); pref("general.config.obscure_value", 0);
Name this something like autoconfig.js (make sure Windows doesn't add .txt to the file name)
Save location, either:
- C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox\defaults\pref
File #2:
Contents (replace PrinterName with what appears for this preference in about:config after using your default printer):
// IMPORTANT: Start your code on the 2nd line lockPref("print_printer", "PrinterName");
Name this file firefox.cfg (make sure Windows doesn't add .txt to the file name)
Save location, either:
- C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox
- C:\Program Files (x86)\Mozilla Firefox
Firefox should pick up on that after its next shut down/restart.
Howdy jscher2000,
The annoyance is that I don't want browser to remember last printer. Just stick to default. In any case, when I do select the correct and default printer manually, it hardly remembers that printer anyway.
Réiteach Roghnaithe
Do you mean my workaround doesn't work for you?
Howdy :) Not sure if the workaround works, problem, if still there takes place randomly. Also tried another trick withing config:about but as the questions states; "Why" is the big question more than anything else. Cheers for your help though. Most appreciated and added to my fix list :)
I have used firefox for years. But this breaks it. I had tested printing to a text file on windows 10 and now the printer list has disappeared.
When I logged in on the desktop, it didn't recognise the password and I had to change it.
Time to switch to chrome.
Good bye.
thartmanski said
I had tested printing to a text file on windows 10 and now the printer list has disappeared.
Was that via a "Print to file" checkbox in the Print dialog, or was it a custom printer?
Firefox 69 now uses the Windows print dialog instead of the old custom one, so I'm a lot less familiar with its idiosyncracies and perhaps there are some new bugs there. Would be useful to get a better understanding of how it got where it got.
When I logged in on the desktop, it didn't recognise the password and I had to change it.
Which password was that, your Master Password for the local installation or your Firefox Account password?
Time to switch to chrome. Good bye.
Okay, enjoy. Let us know if you have further questions.
tonka-t said
Howdy :) Not sure if the workaround works, problem, if still there takes place randomly. Also tried another trick withing config:about but as the questions states; "Why" is the big question more than anything else. Cheers for your help though. Most appreciated and added to my fix list :)