How to Specify the Printer Name in C#

Input

invoice.pdf is a styled A4 B2B invoice with line items and totals, printed to a specific named printer via PrintSettings.PrinterName.

:path=/static-assets/print/content-code-examples/how-to/specify-printer-name/specify-printer-name-set-printer-name.cs

using IronPrint;

// Configure print settings with a target printer
PrintSettings settings = new PrintSettings();
settings.PrinterName = "Microsoft Print to PDF";

// Print to the specified printer
Printer.Print("invoice.pdf", settings);

Imports IronPrint

' Configure print settings with a target printer
Dim settings As New PrintSettings()
settings.PrinterName = "Microsoft Print to PDF"

' Print to the specified printer
Printer.Print("invoice.pdf", settings)

We first instantiate PrintSettings, which initializes with PrinterName = null, meaning the OS default printer. We then override PrinterName with the exact string name of the target printer. When we call Printer.Print, IronPrint sends the job directly to that printer's queue.

Output

The invoice is sent directly to the named printer. The job appears in the printer queue as seen in the silent printing example.

Invoice output printed to "Microsoft Print to PDF" using PrinterName.

Two details to keep in mind. First, the printer name must match exactly what the operating system reports; this comparison is case-sensitive. A mismatch like "hp laserjet" instead of "HP LaserJet" will fail silently or throw an error. Second, if the user opens a print dialog via ShowPrintDialog, the dialog selection overrides whatever PrinterName was set in code, giving users final control.

If the printer name is not known ahead of time, we can query all installed printers at runtime instead of hardcoding the value.

Input

report.pdf is an A4 business report with a summary section and data table, printed to the first dynamically discovered printer.

:path=/static-assets/print/content-code-examples/how-to/specify-printer-name/specify-printer-name-discover-printers.cs

using IronPrint;

// List every installed printer
List<string> printers = Printer.GetPrinterNames();

// Print each printer name
foreach (string name in printers)
{
    Console.WriteLine(name);
}

// Print to the first available printer
if (printers.Count > 0)
{
    Printer.Print("report.pdf", new PrintSettings
    {
        PrinterName = printers[0]
    });
}

Imports IronPrint

' List every installed printer
Dim printers As List(Of String) = Printer.GetPrinterNames()

' Print each printer name
For Each name As String In printers
    Console.WriteLine(name)
Next

' Print to the first available printer
If printers.Count > 0 Then
    Printer.Print("report.pdf", New PrintSettings With {
        .PrinterName = printers(0)
    })
End If

We call GetPrinterNames to retrieve every printer the operating system knows about, including local, network, and virtual printers like "Microsoft Print to PDF." We then iterate through the list and select a printer by index, name matching, or any custom logic the application requires.

Output

The report is sent to the first available printer. The job appears in the printer queue as seen above.

Report output printed to the first available printer via GetPrinterNames.

This discover-then-print pattern is essential for applications deployed across different machines. Hardcoding a printer name works for single-machine scenarios, but production applications should query available printers and either let the user choose or select one programmatically based on naming conventions.

Printer selection can also be paired with paper size, DPI, copy count, and margins in a single configuration object.

Input

quarterly-report.pdf is an A4 quarterly financial report with KPI cards and charts, printed with PrinterName combined with paper size, DPI, and copy count in one PrintSettings object.

:path=/static-assets/print/content-code-examples/how-to/specify-printer-name/specify-printer-name-combined-settings.cs

using IronPrint;

// Configure full print settings with a named printer
PrintSettings settings = new PrintSettings
{
    PrinterName = "Office Color Printer",
    PaperSize = PaperSize.A4,
    PaperOrientation = PaperOrientation.Portrait,
    Dpi = 300,
    NumberOfCopies = 2,
    PaperMargins = new Margins(15, 15, 15, 15),
    Grayscale = false
};

// Print the quarterly report
Printer.Print("quarterly-report.pdf", settings);

Imports IronPrint

' Configure full print settings with a named printer
Dim settings As New PrintSettings With {
    .PrinterName = "Office Color Printer",
    .PaperSize = PaperSize.A4,
    .PaperOrientation = PaperOrientation.Portrait,
    .Dpi = 300,
    .NumberOfCopies = 2,
    .PaperMargins = New Margins(15, 15, 15, 15),
    .Grayscale = False
}

' Print the quarterly report
Printer.Print("quarterly-report.pdf", settings)

We use object initializer syntax for readability. PrinterName routes the job to "Office Color Printer" while the remaining properties control the output format. Dpi at 300 produces sharp text and graphics. PaperMargins accepts millimeter values through the Margins constructor. For the full list of available properties, see the print settings guide.

Output

The quarterly report prints with the named printer, A4 portrait, 300 DPI, 2 copies, and 15 mm margins combined in one job. The job appears in the printer queue as seen above.

Quarterly report output with PrinterName, A4, 300 DPI, 2 copies, and 15 mm margins.

IronPrint validates the configuration as a unit and submits the combined settings to the printer driver in a single job.

Applications that cannot block the main thread during printer discovery or printing can use the async equivalents of both operations.

Output

The invoice is printed asynchronously to the first discovered printer. The job appears in the printer queue as seen above.

Invoice output printed asynchronously to the first available printer.

In production, we might replace printers[0] with logic that matches a naming convention, such as searching for printers containing "Label" for shipping labels or "Color" for branded documents. IronPrint's async methods all accept the same PrintSettings object, so PrinterName behavior is identical between synchronous and asynchronous paths.

With static assignment, runtime discovery, combined settings, and async workflows all covered, a handful of related resources are worth bookmarking.