Registry Entries for Printing

 Last reviewed: February 3, 1998
Article ID: Q102966
The information in this article applies to:
  • Windows NT operating system version 3.1
  • Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1
  • Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0
  • Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, and 4.0

SUMMARY

The article contains REGISTRY entries for Printing. These subgroups are included:

  • Printing Entries for Users
  • Control\Print Entries for the Computer
  • Print Environments Entries
  • Print Monitors Entries
  • Printers Entries
  • Print Providers Entries

MORE INFORMATION

Registry Entries for Printing

The Registry contains printer information in these locations:

The per-user settings for the current default printer are stored under this key: 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers
The hardware-specific information about drivers and print processors is stored under this key, where Hardware represents the subkey for a specific Windows NT platform, such as Windows NT x86 or Windows NT R4000: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print
Always use Print Manager or the Printers folder to change configuration settings for all printers.

Printing Entries for Users

The following Registry path contains a description of the default printer, as selected by the current user: 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Printers
The following Registry paths contain the user preferences for print devices in Windows NT 4.0: 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Devices

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
   \PrinterPorts

   NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.
The Device value in the following Registry path contains the user’s default printer: 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
The following Registry path contains the user preferences for Print Manager in Windows NT 3.51 and earlier: 

   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
   \Print Manager

   NOTE: The above Registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.
These standard entries appear: 

   Network   REG_DWORD
   Default:   0x1

   Print Manager   REG_BINARY
   Default:

   Save Settings   REG_DWORD
   Default:   0x1

Control\Print Entries for the Computer

The principal information for printers appears under the following Registry path: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print
This path contains additional subkeys that define supporting DLLs, drivers, and other necessary information for installed printers. These subkeys can include Environments, Forms, Monitors, Printers, and Providers. An OEM print provider might also add subkeys under this Registry path.

Print Environments Entries

The following Registry path contains these subkeys, each of which can contain a value entry defining the directory that contains the appropriate drivers: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Environments
   \Windows NT Alpha_AXP
   \Windows NT Alpha_AXP\Drivers
   \Windows NT Alpha_AXP\Print Processors
   \Windows NT R4000
   \Windows NT R4000\Drivers
   \Windows NT R4000\Print Processors
   \Windows NT x86

   NOTE: The above Registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.
A PrinterDriverName subkey under the related Drivers subkey can contain these values: 

   Configuration File   REG_SZ
   Default:   Installed DLL filename

   Data File   REG_SZ
   Default:   Installed .PPD filename

   Driver   REG_SZ
   Default:   Installed driver DLL filename

   Version   REG_DWORD
   Default:   Version number
A Print Processors subkey (and subsequent subkeys) under this same Registry path contains an entry of the following type: 

   Driver   REG_SZ
   Default:   winprint.dll

Print Monitors Entries

The entry in the following path defines the DLL filename for the appropriate print monitor: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors
   \<Provider Network Port>

   NOTE: The above Registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.

Driver   REG_SZ   DLL filename

The Options subkey for the Hewlett-Packard Network Port contains the following entries, all of which are REG_DWORD: 

   Adapter=0
   ConnectionType=0x1
   DlcBufferSize=0x27100
   DlcT1Timer=0x5
   DlcT2Timer=0x2
   DlcTiTimer=0x3
   EventLogging=0x7
   LinkStationsUsed=0x40
   StatusUpdateInterval=0x3c

Printers Entries

Each installed printer has a subkey in the following Registry path: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Printers
   \<printer name>

   NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.
The following entries can appear under such a subkey: 

   Attributes : REG_DWORD: 0x1
   Datatype : REG_SZ: RAW
   Default DevMode : REG_BINARY:
   Description : REG_SZ: driver description on port
   Location : REG_SZ  :
   Name : REG_SZ : user defined
   Parameters : REG_SZ :
   Port : REG_SZ : port name
   Print Processor : REG_SZ: WinPrint
   Printer Driver : REG_SZ : driver name selected in Setup
   Priority : REG_DWORD: 0x1
   Security : REG_BINARY :
   Separator File : REG_SZ :
   Share Name : REG_SZ :
   StartTime : REG_DWORD : 0
   Status : REG_DWORD: 0
   UntilTime : REG_DWORD: 0

Print Providers Entries

Each print service provider has a subkey in the following Registry path: 

   HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Providers
   \<Print Services Name>

   NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for
   readability.
The default subkey for a Windows NT network is LanMan Print Services. Such a subkey contains the following entry: 

   Name   REG_SZ   DLL filename
   Default:   win32spl.dll

REFERENCE

"The Windows NT Resource Kit for Operating System Version 3.1".

Additional query words: data type
Keywords : ntregistry NTSrvWkst kbother
Version : WinNT:3.1,3.5,3.51,4.0
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbinfo

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Last reviewed: February 3, 1998
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