Access sees no printers

[revver]

This applies to just one user in her Terminal Server Session on Server
2003.

She has a choice of 3 different Laser printers in her printer list.

MS Access 2003. Open existing databases (in Access 2000 file format) and
zero printers are available. No databases in 2003 format. Forms and Tables
are viewable but not Reports.

I am not sure if this is a TS problem or Access problem? How do I determine
which? No other users have the problem.

Because Word, Excel etc do not have the problem I'm assuming the problem is with Access, so what do I do to get Access to recognize the printers.

TIA

 

[mdmilner]

Assuming that your "Terminal Server" is a thin client environment, I believe it is likely that the problem is with your Terminal Server/Citrix/etc

On most server clusters configured for this, nearly all the applications end up on every single machine...differences in terms of whether a printer or something else is available may depend on every single machine in the cluster having an identical software load. At my employer, they deliberately made a choice to only load Access on a few select servers...mostly to avoid the load that Access can pull during complex tasks from affecting the general user who merely loaded up word, excel, etc etc.

Ask your network admin if they've done something similar.

I'd then suggest re-building their XP/Vista profile on that the machines they use (delete)

 

[revver]

I'm the sys admin. Clients are not thin but connect as though they are via RDP.

There is only 1 terminal server. Second is on the way in mid Feb. Any suggestions or gotchas? MS Access is only ever used by say 6 users so I guess Svr2 should not have it installed.

Looks like a profile makeover is called for then. I didn't understand the (delete) comment.

 

[mdmilner]

Sometimes the Windows login profile gets corrupted and the easiest way to fix it is to just delete it then have the user re-login to rebuild from scratch. Just like most computer problems - it's sometimes possible to work thru the problem and fix it, but it's often far easier to just reboot.

Right-click My Computer-Properties-User Profiles(settings).

Deleting the profile makes window's rebuild it on her next login - the rebuild may sidestep whatever the problem might be.

 

[revver]

Thanks again md. I've already deleted Sonya's profile and when it was rebuilt the problem persisted - still no printers show at all. ???

Created a temporary dummy database in 2003 format. No printers there either.

Since then, I have given folder permission to Sonya's boss Lynn so that Sonya could log on as Lynn at appropriate times and get the job done. Lynn has the same 'no printer' response. Lynn doesn't use Access herself so I don't know if Lynn's problem began before or after Sonya.

The most recent straws I've grasped at - I've had Sonya logon to other machines (XP & 2000) and then launch a TS session. No different result there either. I've even used the console to logon as Sonya without success.

I'm running out of ideas. Next thing to try is to check Default User by creating a brand new user. If that fails, all I've got is to renistall Access. Anything else to try?

 

[mdmilner]

I'm a little baffled.

 

[revver]

Join the club, md. There are a number of heads showing evidence of prolonged scratching.

 

[revver]

I created a brand new user with the same privileges as Sonya.

I then opened a database from within Access by navigating the folder structure. Printers exist. Closed Access.

I created a desktop shortcut to the database, double clicked it. Access opened correctly but now no printers exist. Closed Access.

I launched Access, opened the database from within Access by navigating the folder structure. No printers exist.

I'm more than a little baffled.

 

[Rollsie]

Hi All

I have the same problem., Citrix environment, some users can print, others cannot, have tried creating/deleting printer etc. Have read on some other boards that you need to set up an IP printer, but can;t do that here as I am not admin and the local printer is greyed out.

Any ideas?

I am stumped!

 

[revver]

I eventually solved my problem. It seems that there is a bug in Access.

First the answer...
If the default printer is a network printer, then Access is unable to see any printers at all.
If the default printer is a local printer, then Access is able to see all printers.

I solved the problem in the first instance by setting the default printer (by accident) to "Microsoft Office Document" and then all the printers (including network printers) became visible and available. Realizing that this is a local printer I then created a real local printer (an IP printer as you say) for the terminal session.

That worked. The IP printer I created is the one closest to Sonya. If other users need to print, they can change the printer at run time.

If there aren't any local printers available, you'll have to explain to the admin what you need. Another possibility would be to create a PDF printer and make that the default if your privileges permit.