Retreive the VB Object “printer” Corresponding to the Default Printer

Paste the following code into it’s own BAS module (or convert it to a class if required)

'MS Windows API Function Prototypes
private Declare Function GetProfileString Lib "kernel32" Alias _
     "GetProfileStringA" (byval lpAppName as string, _
     byval lpKeyName as string, byval lpDefault as string, _
     byval lpReturnedString as string, _
     byval nSize as Long) as Long

'---------------------------------------------------------------
' Retreive the vb object "printer" corresponding to the window's
' default printer.
'---------------------------------------------------------------
public Function GetDefaultPrinter() as Printer
    Dim strBuffer as string * 254
    Dim iRetValue as Long
    Dim strDefaultPrinterInfo as string
    Dim tblDefaultPrinterInfo() as string
    Dim objPrinter as Printer

    ' Retreive current default printer information
    iRetValue = GetProfileString("windows", "device", ",,,", _
                strBuffer, 254)
    strDefaultPrinterInfo = Left(strBuffer, InStr(strBuffer, Chr(0)) - 1)
    tblDefaultPrinterInfo = Split(strDefaultPrinterInfo, ",")
    for Each objPrinter In Printers
        If objPrinter.DeviceName = tblDefaultPrinterInfo(0) then
            ' Default printer found !
            Exit for
        End If
    next

    ' If not found, return nothing
    If objPrinter.DeviceName <> tblDefaultPrinterInfo(0) then
        set objPrinter = nothing
    End If

    set GetDefaultPrinter = objPrinter
End Function

Now to test the routine, place the following code into a Form_Load routine :

private Sub Form_Load()
    Dim objPrinter as Printer

    set objPrinter = GetDefaultPrinter()
    MsgBox "Default printer is: " + objPrinter.DeviceName
    MsgBox "Driver name is: " + objPrinter.DriverName
    MsgBox "Port is: " + objPrinter.Port

    set objPrinter = nothing
    End
End Sub