Print to file: Access denied

[AllanP]

I have done some searching around, but can't find a solution to this problem.
My printer is in for repairs and I want to print to file. I get "Could not open the file: Access denied."

 

[Jacee]

See this Print to file - access denied - Tech Support Guy Forums

 

[AllanP]

See this Print to file - access denied - Tech Support Guy Forums

Thanks, I've already been there and don't see any relevant solution.

 

[whs]

Try the XPS document writer or this program.

 

[Ztruker]

Could it be because the printer is not attached? Sounds weird but I wonder if that is the cause. Use of a virtual PDF printer like doPDF that WHS mentioned would solve the problem for now.

 

[brady]

where you are trying to save the file to?

 

[AllanP]

Could it be because the printer is not attached? Sounds weird but I wonder if that is the cause. Use of a virtual PDF printer like doPDF that WHS mentioned would solve the problem for now.

No the printer isn't on line. That's why I am trying to print to file; so that I can print the files later when printer is on line. Do you mean "print to file" doesn't work if a printer is not connected?

Thanks, Allan

 

[AllanP]

where you are trying to save the file to?

Well usually you are confronted with a file manger so that you can select where to save it. I did however try and save the file as Sudoku.prn in C:\Temp. It did that, but when I tried to open the file Windows didn't recognize it.

 

[slowmo]

I had the same issue, however I got around it by supplying the path I wanted to save the file to using the Microsoft XPS printer and selecting print to file. For instance I have a partition R: where I keep my personal records. In the "Output Filename" box I entered "R:/Personal Records/Output_Filename.xps" and saved. I was able to open and view the doc in XPS viewer as well without issue. Hope that helps anyone who comes across this post...Happy New Year

 

[whs]

Do you realize that this thread is from 2010. Hopefully the OP will still be alive and able to read your solution to the problem - LOL.

 

[slowmo]

I do, however it's the top result when searching Google for that error message. I figured I'd share the fix for anyone who had the issue, regardless of the year or how old the thread was, since I doubt the error message was limited to 2010 .

 

[DavidE]

+1 slowmo

Thank you for adding your experience to help others with this...
I am no guru, but I do search for answers and solutions whenever I am trying to solve a problem.
Info like this helps me, no matter how "old" the question is.

Interestingly I just ran into the same issue!
I placed an order on Newegg and got the same message trying to "print to file"...
I worked around it and got the info I needed...meh

Seeing this thread, I was intrigued and curious...and had to try...
I tried printing to file from the SF page, and again got the access denied error!

I log into Win 7 with a Standard (non-Admin) account, and use Firefox.
I closed the FF Window I was using, then started FF with "Run as administrator".
Tried printing again, and it printed to a file with no errors !

fwiw, here's a screen print with the error I see when running FF without Admin authority...

 

[dpnelsonl2001]

Also, fwiw, I used a complete file specification: c:\users\default\My Documents\test.txt and was able to print to my printer Generic/Text on FILE. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Frangipillicrin]

XPS “Access is Denied” - Fix

My XPS (print to file) also was giving an “Access is denied” error when creating the file. I fixed it as follows.

——————————————————————
Summary: change the port to “XPSPort”.
——————————————————————

Note that you can probably just apply the below to the existing XPS device; to do that, skip the first section — within “ [ ] ”.
!! However … in the one I created, I can change the permissions; in the existing one I can not. (See the pertinent section below.)

[
• Open Control Panel/ Devices and Printers.
• “Add a printer”.
• Select “Add a local printer” and click “Next”.
• Select “Microsoft” from the list on the left, and then “Microsoft XPS Document Writer” from the list on the right. Click “Next”.
• I selected “Replace the current driver”, put it is probably fine to just “Use the driver that is currently installed (recommended)”. Click “Next”.
• Type a name for the printer. Click “Next”.
[Above, I have been retracing my steps; I have stopped here; just do whatever else may be required to finish creating this printer.]
]

Back in Control Panel/ Devices and Printers…
• Right-click on the “Microsoft XPS Document Writer” (or whatever you called yours); select “Printer properties” from the [contextual] menu that comes up.
• Click the “Ports” [3rd] tab.
• Select the port “XPSPort”. (You will have to scroll down to see it.) Click “Apply”.
Done (except see below)!

(I also changed • the paper size to A4 and • the Image format to Lossless Compression… in General/ Change Properties/ Preferences/ Advanced.)

————————

Note that, in addition to the above, it might be necessary to change the permissions. (See note above.)
• Click on the Security tab.
• Change permissions as desired; I gave “Everyone” the right to “Print”, and all rights (except Special Permissions, which is not accessible) to everyone else. This included my account, which I added using the “Add…” button (you have to *type in* the account name). (You do not have to click on Advanced; just change the settings in situ.)