Setting Color through API

[Maarten89]

Hello everyone,

I'm trying to create a macro to set the Color Options of an HP Universal Printing PCL 6 (v7.0.1) to print in color. Currently, the default Color Option is "Print in Grayscale" for all computers on our network. There is no chance of changing this default setting, but some forms still need to be printed in color. Forms are printed using a VBA macro and I was wondering if there was a way to write a function or sub that uses Windows API to uncheck the "Print in Grayscale" option so that I can call it in the macro that prints the form.

 

[jkpieterse]

I cases like this I always advise to set up a copy of the same printer, with the required print settings, and use VBA to select that "printer" from the list.

 

[Maarten89]

That was my first idea as well. I even wrote a script that finds and adds a printer's port to its name, so it can be found by all computers on our network. Sadly, the department responsible for printing reports uses a system with a tag-based virtual printing service. The print is sent to the virtual printer and logging in with a tag allows you to then print on any printer connected to the network.

 

[jkpieterse]

Wouldn't that still mean Windows has a "printer" set up that Excel "prints" to?

 

[Maarten89]

Correct. The printjob is sent to a virtual printer. The print is then parked on the badge print server until an employee uses their badge to log in to a physical printer and print the sent form. Sadly, I have no influence on the badge print service. The virtual printer reverts to greyscale on login and adding a new virtual printer with color print as default setting is not an option.

 

[jkpieterse]

Did you see this post? Excel VBA printer API, set colour and duplex

 

[Maarten89]

That did the trick. I had to update the code for 64 bit and make some edits for my specific situation, but the macro does exactly what it's supposed to. Thanks, mr. Pieterse!