Entry

Printer: Print to file: Set: Operating system: Microsoft: Windows: XP: How to set 'print to file'?

Jan 7th, 2007 10:06
Knud van Eeden,

----------------------------------------------------------------------
--- Knud van Eeden --- 24 December 2003 - 00:38 am -------------------

Printer: Print to file: Set: Operating system: Microsoft: Windows: XP: 
How to set 'print to file'?

---

Steps: Overview:

 1. -Goto 'Control panel'

 2. -Double click on the printer icon

 3. -Click 'Add a printer' link in left pane

 4. -Click button 'Next'

 5. -Enable radio button

     'Local printer attached to this computer'

 6. -Click button 'Next'

 7. -Click button 'Next'

 8. -Enable radio button 'Use the following port'

 9. -Select from list 'FILE: (Print to file)'

10. -click button 'Next'

11. -Choose preferably (any) PostScript
     compatible printer from the list
     of manufacturers

     1. -Because you want to be able to see the result of this printing
         to file in an easy readable format, you probably best choose a
         'PostScript' printer (this sometimes shows with the acronym
         'PS' in the printer name)

         1. -Select brand

             1. Manufacturer = e.g. HP

             2. Printers = e.g. HP C LaserJet 4500-PS

12. -Choose a 'Printer name:'

     E.g.

      'My print to PostScript file'

13  -Choose 'Do you want to use this printer as the default printer'

14. -Choose if you want to share this printer

15. -Possibly choose to print a test page

     1. -To see the output of this file,
         save it as a PostScript file
         (because of to start automatically any program which reacts
          to the .ps extension (e.g. Adobe Acrobat or Ghostview))

         1. -Save this file name with the (PostScript) extension

              .ps

             1. -E.g.

                  mytestfile.ps

16. -Click button 'Finish'

17. -One method to see the output from this file in a readable
     format, is to start a program which can read PostScript.

     1. -A possible program is the full, paid version of Adobe Acrobat
         (this can then e.g. convert that PostScript file to a PDF
         file. This PDF file can then in general be read also by any
         (free) Adobe Reader program)

     2. -Another possibility is the free program GhostView.

     3. -If you then have this PDF file you can e.g. send it
         as an attachment to your e-mails, or store it on your
         harddrive e.g. for archiving purposes
         (so you skip using this method of printing to file e.g. the
          extra step to have to scan, using a scanner, your original
          printed document)

===

Note:

You can easily see later if you have defined a 'print to file' printer,
because that will show a small 'floppy disk' icon included in the
printer icon itself (e.g. if you check the list of your defined
printers in 'Control panel'->'Printers'.

===

Internet: see also:

---

http://www.google.com search for 'how to "print to file" in windows': 
http://www.rdg.ac.uk/ITS/Topic/Printing/PrWPrfil01/

---

Operating system: Microsoft: Windows: XP: Link: Overview: Can you give 
an overview of links?
http://www.faqts.com/knowledge_base/view.phtml/aid/34878/fid/868

----------------------------------------------------------------------