Word 2003 - Default tray for Labels

[hmcgillem]

Does anyone know of a way to set the default tray for all labels listed under the Envelope and Labels? The default tray is set to Automatically select, but it needs to be manual feed. Even if a user changes the tray to Manual feed, the print job will not prompt for manual feed. I've tried making several changes to the options of the printer driver, but I can't get anything to work right without effecting other print jobs. Any ideas on how to make the default tray for labels to manual feed?

 

[tf1]

A solution is to not use the Envelopes and Labels dialog. Create Label templates and then you can save the printer tray selection with the templates.


Regards: tf1

 

[hmcgillem]

I thought about creating templates, however, I don't think that's the best resolution for our problem. Although, when dealing with any MS product, you are sometimes forced to resolve issues in ways that are not necessarily efficient. Any other suggestions or ideas would be appreciated.

 

[tf1]

Well you will probably have to create a special print macro for printing forms. See if the article here helps:

http://word.mvps.org/faqs/macrosvba/SetPaperTray.htm

Regards: tf1

 

[hmcgillem]

I guess there's not a way to get that macro incorporated into Envelopes and Wizards, is there?

The easy solution would be to create templates for the different types of labels used in our office. The users in our office will not be happy with that solution and it will require alot of my time setting up the templates in a fashion that could make the users half-way at ease with using the templates. If at all possible, I would like to make Word retain the Manual Feed tray under Options when printing Avery labels. I'm beginning to think I won't be able to do this.

 

[tf1]

Well maybe you could use a macro to select a non-default printer (one that has the correct bin selected for labels) and then launches the E & L Wizard and then resets the default printer afterwards.

Controlling printers isn't one of Word's strong points, there's no standard naming for printer bins and functions and printer manufacturers aren't consistent between models. So it is no easy task.

There's an excellent FAQ series on controlling printers here

http://pubs.logicalexpressions.com/Pub0009/LPMArticle.asp?ID=101

Regards: tf1

 

[hmcgillem]

Do you happen to know what document the E&L wizard is using to pull page setup? If there were individual templates for each type of label, I could modify the original template. Or, is it pulling the information on page setup from VBA scripting in a Normal.dot or some other template?

Thanks for all the links - they have been helpful.

 

[tf1]

I don't know the answer to the first question as my VBA programming is pathetically weak.

The easiest solution that I would use would be to install a second copy of the Printer Driver and set its defaults to use the correct tray for labels. Then in Word create a simple macro that switches printer to the Label Printer, prints and then returns to the default printer. This can then be added to the standard toolbar. Users can then use a template for creating their labels and click the label Print icon to print.

Creating a template for a label is easy. Labels are no more than correctly formatted tables: if you open the Labels Wizard, select the label type and then click the new document button, you get an empty sheet of labels (you will need to select Show gridlines under the Tables Menu if you cannot see the label cell grids). You can then format the empty labels with the company default font and save the sheet as a template.



Regards: tf1