IDEA batch/deferred printer

[Nicolask3]

I find myself spending a lot of time printing: it suspends the application I am using, the process to change the printing options is long and when I am on the road, I have to save in folders what I want to print for when I am connected to a printer

So, I was wondering if one could to create a virtual printer.

Instead of printing, it would log the files, emails, etc... you want to print in a table.

In the table, one could change
- the printer
- the printing format Landscape vs. Portrait
- # of pages printed by output page
- option of double sided printing

Then from time to time, you could batch print (empty) what's in the table

[tomos]

lately I've been printing a lot & find it disrupts
so I have turned off my printer (Canon inkjet), I print as normal, and then, when I turn on my printer, all outstanding documents get printed. [with whatever settings I chose in the printer dialogue box]
I was suprised to see that this worked even after a restart (I had forgotten there was a printer "queue")

I realise this may not be a solution for you but have you tried this with your printer?

[rjbull]

Have you looked at PrintFile by Peter Lerup?  You might find it helpful:

PrintFile is a freeware MS Windows utility program that will enable you to print files fast and easily. The program recognizes plain text, PostScript, Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) and binary formats. Using this program can save you a lot of paper and thereby also saving valuable natural resources.

Selection of which files to print can be made by the normal Windows file selection dialog, or by Drag and Drop operations with one or several files. The latter facilitates batch printing of files.

PrintFile can also act as a print spooler, watching a specified directory for files. Whenever a file appears in that directory it will automatically be printed.

When printing text files PrintFile makes a configurable page layout of the text contents. Several logical pages can be placed on one page of physical paper (referred to as n-up printing). There are also several other configurable options controlling the layout. Text files can be printed on any printer that has a Windows printer driver. Text copied to the clipboard can also be printed in the same manner as text files. PrintFile can also do user configurable Pretty Printing of text files. Keywords and comments can be highlighted using different font styles and colors. This function is primarily intended for source code files.

Non text files are sent files directly to a Windows printer. In this case the program can be seen as a Windows replacement for the DOS command "copy/b filename LPTx" . However, unlike the DOS command, PrintFile works well with network printers that do not have a connection to any LPTx. Although this function is mainly intended for printing PostScript files, it could be used just as well for any file created by the "Print to File" option available for most Windows printer drivers. Such a print file can for instance be created on a PC without a printer and then be moved to another PC that has a printer, and there be sent to the printer using PrintFile.

The text file printing function is also something that can be used to enable old DOS program to print to USB printers that only works with a Windows printer driver.

[mathi1970]

lately I've been printing a lot & find it disrupts
so I have turned off my printer (Canon inkjet), I print as normal, and then, when I turn on my printer, all outstanding documents get printed. [with whatever settings I chose in the printer dialogue box]
I was suprised to see that this worked even after a restart (I had forgotten there was a printer "queue")

I realise this may not be a solution for you but have you tried this with your printer?

-tomos (December 09, 2008, 08:31 AM)

Above is probably the far easiest way of solving what you requested.

To be honest, don't really understand why people need to print as much as they do. Why not read things directly on the screen instead of pumping out paper through the printer? My school is a typical example, heaps of paper thrown away daily.

For those green ones out there that want to cut down on the printing and need some tips on how to do this, read this green printing guide.

peace

[skrommel]

  I'd go for CutePDF Writer from http://www.cutepdf.com/Products/CutePDF/writer.asp.

It'll create PDF files of whatever you print, just save them to a folder and print them all when you're back at the office.

It's free, too.

Skrommel