Printing a Single Crystal Report to a Single Printer from Multiple Workstations

[Former Member]

Hello everyone,

I am running Crystal Reports 10 on Windows XP. I have a Crystal Report on the network that I am trying to print to the same printer from multiple workstations. On Workstation 1 I set the appropriate Printer Settings (File>Printer Settings) such as paper type, width, length, etc. I can print this report from Workstation 1 no problem. When I go to Workstation 2 and open the same report, the Printer Settings are defaulted to the default printer settings for Workstation 2 and I have to change them. Now I can print it from Workstation 2 no problem, but when I go back to Workstation 1, the Printer Settings are defaulted out.

This is an issue because I am using this label printer with multiple reports and label sizes, so I need the Crystal Report to define exactly what paper type and dimensions to use for that report.

I am using the same Version of Crystal Reports, Windows, and the printer driver on both workstations.

Thanks for any help!

[Adam_Stone · Accepted solution]

In newer versions of Crystal Reports, you can disassociate the printer from the report which would resolve this.  However in your version, the resolution is to not use the printer that is the default, as if it is, it doesn't save the specific printer information with the report, we save it as default printer.  If you have a different printer as your default, then all the settings would be saved.

[Former Member · Accepted solution]

On both of the workstations that I am using, the label printer (used for the crystal report) is not the default windows printer. In the crystal report, the label printer is set as the printer to use.

Is this the correct setup you described above, or am I missing something?

Thanks.

[former_member11696 · Accepted solution]

Hi Caleb,

I don't recall what CR 10 did with printing custom paper sizes, out of support for a long time now....

If you can upgrade to VS 2010 or above and use CR for VS SP 15 you can see what is happening with the test app I wrote in this KBA:

2163438 - search for it...

Attached is a test app for printing issues....

Requires VS 2010 or above and CR for VS .NET SP 14 or above, link is in the KBA.

Don

[former_member292966 · Accepted solution]

Hi Caleb,

When you save a printer in a report, the printer name and port are saved in the report.  For the report to use that same printer from another machine, that new machine must have the printer setup exactly as the original. 

If the report cannot find that printer on the machine, it will use the default printer. 

For this to work, your label printer must be on the network and added to each machine.  If the label printer is installed locally on one machine the other machines will be looking for LabelPrinter1 on USB port 1 or something like that.  Because this printer is not install and using the same port, it will use the default printer. 

Hope this helps,

Brian