Printer defaults

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I have looked at so many posts and threads and articles and tried all the advice about this but am no nearer to understanding how to set the defaults on my printer.

All I want to do is have the default printer (An HP D1660) use fast draft, greyscale, so that when others use the machine they do not accidentally print out in best colour if they do not need it. I want the printer (on an iMac mid 2011, OS X Lion 10.7.2) to always revert to the default when an application is opened for the first time but to remember any settings a user may have changed until the app is closed.

I am a convert from Windows, and while I love the Mac and find it a joy and a revelation, it does seem that when it comes to printing, Windows was much easier to set up.

I have set the defaults for the printer to grayscale, fast draft, using localhost:631/printers and also set the default values in the printer dialogue (Presets - Default settings/Show details/Paper Type-Quality) but still it reverts to printing in colour when a new app is opened for printing!

It's driving me nuts. Put me out of my misery and tell me either how to do it or that it can't be done before I lose any more sleep.
 
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Try clicking on the printer when the menu comes up look at the right hand column second line click on the box arrow and find select save current settings as preset this is of course after
you made all your adjustments.
 
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Thanks for your reply osxx.

I have created several presets for various combinations of paper, speed, colour, etc. and they are easy enough to select, the problem is that there are people using the computer who will not remember to do this (I forget myself sometimes, as I am so used to MS Windows reverting to the default settings).

So how do I get the printer to revert to the default settings (which I have set in the localhost:631/printers) when an app is opened? It seems to stick on the last settings used, whatever the app. Is there anyone who has managed to do this, or is it a limitation of Lion?
 
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Sorry I haven't actually done this, because I have no need....

I believe you will have to edit the PPD file itself in /etc/cups/ppd,
to say grayscale (or whatever) is default.
 
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Sorry gsahli, I don't know what a PPD file is or how to edit it. Remember, I am new to Macs.
 
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Perhaps a couple of screenshots will point out the problem more clearly. One shows the default printer settings set via the localhost:631/printers method. Then when I go into the printer dialogue when I want to print, the second screenshot shows the default settings there as quite different - and in fact this is how it prints out. Surely this is a bug? Or am I missing something?

View attachment printer defaults.pdf

View attachment printer dialogue.pdf
 
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PPD = postscript printer description
OS X and unix printing systems that use CUPS (common unix printing system) use the PPD file as the printer page format descriptor. When you add (+) a printer in Print & Fax, a PPD file gets added to the /etc/cups/ppd folder.

It's a feature (not a bug) -- thousands of people have wondered why.

To try to edit this to set permanent defaults, you will need to get familiar with unix and the Terminal. To play with/read the PPD, go to the GO menu > Go To Folder > /etc/cups/ppd. Drag the file to desktop or another convenient folder - it creates a copy.
 
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Thanks gsahli, I vaguely remember messing about with Postscript printer descriptions in the early MS Windows days. I'll give it a try tomorrow, it is late here in the UK now.
 
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Fundamental flaw at OS level

It is ridiculous that there is no answer to this question.

I have chased it all over the Internet. I have more than twenty years of technical and support background and can usually find an answer, if one exists.

The user's request is echoed many, many times.

Regardless of who or how the printer was used last, there should be a way to make a permanent default. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being wasted by people unintentionally printing color when they want black-and-white.
Is Apple not aware of this?
 

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Apple does not manufacture printers. (At least not any more) And the printer drivers are supplied by the printer manufacturers not Apple. If your printer won't default to printing B & W, contact their technical support and ask why, or better yet, ask how.
 

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