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klemango
klemango
Inspiring
January 24, 2013
Question

Choosing different printer trays

  • January 24, 2013
  • 1 reply
  • 7086 views

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!

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    1 reply

    Larry G. Schneider
    Community Expert
    Larry G. SchneiderCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 24, 2013

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

    klemango
    klemangoAuthor
    Inspiring
    January 24, 2013

    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.

    klemango
    klemangoAuthor
    Inspiring
    January 25, 2013

    AWESOME!!  I'll try it tomorrow.

    Thanks!


    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!

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