Choosing different printer trays

[klemango]

Hello,

I'm wondering if someone has a solution for choosing between different trays of a printer in this situation:

Tray #1:  8.5 x 11 white paper.

Tray #2:  8.5 x 11 transparency vellium.

The Illustrator reference doesn't list a way to choose between trays. The only way I can see to select the paper you want is by size.  But what if they are the same size, just different material? 

I'm wondering if I would have to set up a custom paper in the printer itself and have the printer report it in a "PaperInfo" call?  Or, is there something that isn't in the reference that would enable me to choose the tray I need? 

Thanks for any and all info!

[Larry G. Schneider]

Can you use a different Print Preset for each paper type and do it from there?

[klemango]

I can.  I've been able to use that for one printer that only has 1 size paper in it, because I think the printer is just using the default tray.  When you save a preset (CS5), you need to select the "setup" option, and that's where you select your tray.  Those don't seem to stick when you save the preset.  Probably because you are activating the options for the printer in a printer dialog box?  I don't really know and that's what drove me into the paper thing, which I can access from Illustrator.

[CarlosCanto]

I had the same need before, I did it with Excel though, not with Illustrator...but it should be the same principle...I solved it by installing the same printer twice, and at system level I changed my defaults for color and tray, then in the script I simply called each printer as needed.

hope it helps

[klemango]

AWESOME!!  I'll try it tomorrow.

Thanks!

[klemango]

Works great from within Illustrator from the normal print window.  But when I run this script, it will call the correct printer, but does not call the correct tray (which is set up under the printer's properties in the Control Panel of Windows 7).

Both printers are set up exactly the same, the exceptions being the port and the name.  When I installed the printers, I skipped using the installed Windows 7 drivers (because it doesn't support host-based separations) and installed the HP LaserJet PS driver, which does.

Like I said, these system settings work fine inside Illustrator right from the drop-down box in the print menu.

Am I missing something simple?  If these are set up on different ports, their settings should remain unique, right?  Meaning they can use the same driver without worrying about the Control Panel settings for each?

Thanks for any info!

[CarlosCanto]

I have them on the same port, same driver. Once installed the changes were made on the control panel as you did. Let me try with javascript/illustrator, as I mentioned, it works fine under VBA in excel.

[klemango]

Cool, thanks!

[CarlosCanto]

I'm having trouble changing printers, it works fine if I call the printer that is currently the default. When I switch to the second printer still uses the previous printer default, if I change manually to the second printer, it prints ok too, but then it refuses to switch to the first printer....need more testing.

[klemango]

I'm getting the same results, too.  I've tried different ports and different drivers for each as well as one port/one driver.  Even after deleting the printers from the control panel, I still have to manually delete the ports and the jobs, then restart.  After adding just one printer back, I can then switch between trays via illustrator.

[CarlosCanto]

I don't have a problem with the installation, maybe I'm not switching printers correctly...how did you change trays?

[klemango]

I'm only able to change trays manually from Illustrator.  That's what got me frustrated today when I thought I had the script ready and it didn't work.  Whenever I try to install 2 of the same printers and try to use them both via scripts, they both get hosed up for some reason.