This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(208, 56.00000000000001%, 30%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ESV%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName is used for identifying the default printer, it gives the wrong value(Last installed printer in the system). The application is running as a Windows service with Log On user as Local system account and it is expected to print to the system's default printer .
When the same application is running as desktop application, it returns the correct default printer.
When the application is running as Windows service:
System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName returns Printer A as default printer. PrinterSettings.IsDefaultPrinter is also "true".
In the system, Printer B is set as default printer.
When the same application is running as desktop application,
System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName returns Printer B
In the system, Printer B is set as default printer.
My understanding is System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName always gives the system default printer. If not PrinterSettings.IsDefaultPrinter can be used to identify the default printer but it looks like System.Drawing.Printing.PrinterSettings.PrinterName property is giving wrong value.
Because of this the service is always printing to the latest installed printer rather than printing to the default printer in the system. I verified there are no setup problem in the system. Is this a problem with System.Drawing dll
The printers are connected to the system directly.
The application is running as a Windows service
There is in the doc at system.drawing.printing :
Caution
Classes within the System.Drawing.Printing namespace are not supported for use within a Windows service or ASP.NET application or service.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(92.8, 23%, 18%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ESS%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(259.20000000000005, 18%, 35%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EBB%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Services don’t have a user profile, so there is no default printer selected.
Any suggestions for getting default printer which will work in case of service also?
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(211.20000000000002, 61%, 30%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EBS%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As default printer varies by user, it makes no sense for a service, just add a configuration value
Hi there,
IsDefaultPrinter always returns false when you explicitly set the PrinterName property to a string value other than null.Try this out
GetDefaultPrinter()
{ PrinterSettings settings = new PrinterSettings();
foreach (string printer in PrinterSettings.InstalledPrinters)
{ settings.PrinterName = printer;
if (settings.IsDefaultPrinter)
return printer;
}
return string.Empty;
}
--If the reply is helpful, please Upvote and Accept it as an answer--
