Thunderbird Prints To The Non-Default Printer

artmanphoto · 8 Feb 2013, 06:58 AM

Problem is fixed. I did a Google search and found that I needed to Reset the print.print_printer entry in the Config Editor. This fixed the problem. Sure would like to know what happened to cause Config Editor entry to change.

I am using Thunderbird 17.0.2 on a Windows 7 Professional 32 bit machine in a 3 PC hard wired network. I have a HP LaserJet physcially connected to the 32 bit machine and a Xerox color printer connected to the network via Ethernet. The HP LaserJet is set as the default printer for this computer.

Up until a couple of weeks ago when I would print email messages from Thunderbird it would always print to the default HP LaserJet. A couple of weeks ago when I print emails from Thunderbird it wants to use the Xerox color printer which is not the default printer in Windows Devices and Printers. When the printer window opens I have to choose the HP default printer as the Xerox is always selected by Thunderbird.

To my knowledge nothing has changed on the machine to make it do this.

I have changed the default setting back and forth and rebooted the machine thinking something is confused with no help.

Does anyone have an idea why Thunderbird want to print to the non-default printer?

Thanks.

grafixman · 18 Dec 2013, 03:30 AM

I have seen discussions on Thunderbird not printing to a default printer.

A new printer was installed and under Win7 it is the default printer. However it still wants to print to the older printer.

I looked in the config editor for print.print_printer to reset it, as this has been mentioned. No such line is found in the config file.

Firefox and other products to respect the new default printer. It is only Thunderbird that is having the problem.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

Adrian Bell · 19 Dec 2013, 02:54 AM

Try looking for print_printer
http://blog.netscraps.com/bugs/thund...t-printer.html

NB - Thunderbird does not use the "default" printer automatically. This is possibly due to cross-platform support.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/762570

Windows Photo Viewer doesn't either I found out recently.

kijinbear · 19 Dec 2013, 01:02 PM

I had the exact same problem with Thunderbird and HP Laserjet 1020 on Windows 7. It was caused by some sort of corruption in the printer driver. Apparently, HP LaserJet drivers don't like it when you have other printers connected to the same PC as well.

This is how I fixed it: Disconnect the HP printer. Delete the printer from "Devices and Printers". Restart the computer, reconnect the printer, reinstall it with fresh drivers downloaded from the HP website, and set it as default. Start Thunderbird, print something to the HP printer, restart Thunderbird, print something again and see if the default printer sticks.

8 Feb 2013, 06:58 AM	#1
artmanphoto Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Kansas City - USA Posts: 177	Thunderbird Prints To The Non-Default Printer Problem is fixed. I did a Google search and found that I needed to Reset the print.print_printer entry in the Config Editor. This fixed the problem. Sure would like to know what happened to cause Config Editor entry to change. I am using Thunderbird 17.0.2 on a Windows 7 Professional 32 bit machine in a 3 PC hard wired network. I have a HP LaserJet physcially connected to the 32 bit machine and a Xerox color printer connected to the network via Ethernet. The HP LaserJet is set as the default printer for this computer. Up until a couple of weeks ago when I would print email messages from Thunderbird it would always print to the default HP LaserJet. A couple of weeks ago when I print emails from Thunderbird it wants to use the Xerox color printer which is not the default printer in Windows Devices and Printers. When the printer window opens I have to choose the HP default printer as the Xerox is always selected by Thunderbird. To my knowledge nothing has changed on the machine to make it do this. I have changed the default setting back and forth and rebooted the machine thinking something is confused with no help. Does anyone have an idea why Thunderbird want to print to the non-default printer? Thanks. Last edited by artmanphoto : 8 Feb 2013 at 07:13 AM. Reason: Problem is fixed

18 Dec 2013, 03:30 AM	#2
grafixman Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 1	Thunderbird 24.2.0 not using new printer set as default I have seen discussions on Thunderbird not printing to a default printer. A new printer was installed and under Win7 it is the default printer. However it still wants to print to the older printer. I looked in the config editor for print.print_printer to reset it, as this has been mentioned. No such line is found in the config file. Firefox and other products to respect the new default printer. It is only Thunderbird that is having the problem. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

19 Dec 2013, 02:54 AM	#3
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	Try looking for print_printer http://blog.netscraps.com/bugs/thund...t-printer.html NB - Thunderbird does not use the "default" printer automatically. This is possibly due to cross-platform support. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/762570 Windows Photo Viewer doesn't either I found out recently.

19 Dec 2013, 01:02 PM	#4
kijinbear Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: ~$ Posts: 652	I had the exact same problem with Thunderbird and HP Laserjet 1020 on Windows 7. It was caused by some sort of corruption in the printer driver. Apparently, HP LaserJet drivers don't like it when you have other printers connected to the same PC as well. This is how I fixed it: Disconnect the HP printer. Delete the printer from "Devices and Printers". Restart the computer, reconnect the printer, reinstall it with fresh drivers downloaded from the HP website, and set it as default. Start Thunderbird, print something to the HP printer, restart Thunderbird, print something again and see if the default printer sticks.