.... I ... have Printer A set as the system-wide default
printer.... There is one FMP database that has somehow gotten
pointed to Printer B as its default, and no amount of changing the
printer within the database nor in System Preferences will change
that with anything resembling permanence.
... I change the printer, and it remains the "default" as long as
the database remains open. However, when I close the database and
reopen it later, the original printer is back in the default
status.... there are no scripts defined for [this] database....
... this particular database always opens to a specific record in a
specific layout, no matter what record was being browsed in what
layout when I last closed the database. IOW, the database seems to
have frozen its startup state, no matter how I leave it.
... how can I get [this] specific FMP database to recognize that it
should point to the system default device, Printer A, not Printer
B, whenever I open it? ....
Do a Google search for: "filemaker printer selector plugin" and
you'll see several plugins which address this issue.
Although I didn't immediately spot any likely candidates among the
hits the Google search detected, this seemed reasonable enough
approach until I ran across a candidate that cost $76, at which time
I began to feel that I could put up with a fair amount of irritation
from the problem before its cure would be worth that much to me. 8o)
File corruption perhaps?
The Check Consistency... option under the File|Recover... menu
selection indicated that the were no problems detected.
I'm assuming you *have* checked File Options and startup scripts.
If this means checking the File|File Options... menu selection, the
Perform Script box is unchecked. Also, as I indicated in my expanded
problem description, there are no scripts whatsoever defined for this
database.
Is the FMP file in question running on an FMP server or being hosted
from someone's computer without a FMP server?
Nope, everything is contained on this one system, including original
creation, record population, all maintenance, and all usage.
By now, I was beginning to feel as if I were involved in a game of Battleship,
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battleship_(game)>,
where everybody was taking potshots at the problem and perhaps
striking all around it, but never scoring a hit.
But then, after staring at the problem and proffered solutions a bit
more, I took the suggestion of file corruption a bit more to heart;
and even though the consistency check reported no problems, I went
ahead and requested a recovery. FMP produced a recovered file; but
since it reported once again that it had not detected any problems, I
didn't have much hope of success.
However, when I opened the recovered file, lo and behold, the problem
appeared to have been cured! I changed the printer from Printer B to
Printer A, and upon closing and reopening the database, Printer A was
still the default. Also, selecting a different record and layout was
preserved across a close and reopen.
I can't explain exactly what may have been wrong with the unrepaired
database; but, for now at least, I think I'm good to go. Thanks to
all who offered ideas and advice; and the kewpie doll goes to Tim
Mansour, who raised the possibility of file corruption.
Onward,
John French
