Print area ignored when printing to PDF on a virtual machine

[oCoCarbon]

I think I've found a bug in Excel, related to the print area. When I print to PDF on a VM that I don't have an open window to (using python to control Excel), the print area is ignored.

Has anyone else experienced this, and has a workaround?

Apologies for cross-posting to Stack Overflow, but it looks like I won't get an answer there. If I do, I'll share it here too.

 

[Yongle]

I know nothing about using python (or any other snakes ) to control Excel.
Perhaps parameter IgnorePrintArea needs to be explicitly specified

2 ways to print only specified PrintAreas to PDF using VBA:

ActiveSheet.ExportAsFixedFormat Type:=xlTypePDF, Filename:="C:\Test\c.pdf", IgnorePrintAreas:=False

ActiveSheet.PrintOut ActivePrinter:="Microsoft Print to PDF", PrintToFile:=True, PrToFileName:="C:\Test\c.pdf", IgnorePrintAreas:=False

 

[oCoCarbon]

Thanks for the suggestions. I've already tried both with and without IgnorePrintAreas set. I'll see if there's a way to call PrintOut rather than ExportAsFixedFormat from python though.

 

[oCoCarbon]

Solved.


This problem occurs when there isn't a default printer selected on your computer. Excel cannot set or get page setup properties.

source

Possible solution
So, Make sure that the script is running with an account that:

1. Has at least one printer set up.
2. Has a default printer set up - this is a must!

On the settings page for printers & scanners I had to uncheck "Let Windows manage my default printer", and then set the "Microsoft Print to PDF" printer as default.