Kid-proofing your printer so your kid doesn't waste paper all day.


Problem:
Is there a way to disable the print button inside the program?
My child keeps clicking on it and is just wasting the printer paper.
The program assumes all printing goes to the default system printer.
(This is common in some kids programs. There's no way to disable the printer though.)

Solution:
The solution is to set up a "dummy printer" that prints to the null (NUL:) device.
The effect is as if it prints to nowhere, yet your program doesn't know that
since it thinks the print job went just fine.

Here's how to do it. Have your Windows CDROM handy, as it may request it in order to set up the driver.

Windows 98:

Click on Start, Settings, Printers.
Double-click on Add Printer.
Click Next to begin setting up a new printer.

For the Manufacturer/Printer, choose "Generic, Text Only."
Click Next.

For the Port to use: choose "FILE:".
Click Next.

Printer Name: you can change it to something descriptive, such as "Paperless Print Device".
"Set this as Default Printer": you can answer Yes right now if you want to.
Click Next.

Choose "Do not print test page."
Click Next.


This will set up the printer device and return you to your list of printers.
(It may request you to insert your Microsoft Windows CDROM so it can get the generic print drivers.)

Now, right-click on the icon for the new printer you just made.
(If "Set as Default" isn't checked, left-click on that so it is. Then right-click the icon again.)
Left-click on Properties.

Click on the Details tab at the top.
Look for where it says "Print to the following port." It will still say "FILE: (creates a file on disk)".

Click the down-arrow on the right side of this box, and see if "NUL:" is already listed.
If so, click on it to change it to the NUL: port.

If "NUL:" is not listed:

	Click on Add Port button.
	Type of Port: choose "Other", and click on "Local Port". Click OK.
	Enter port name: type in "NUL:" and click OK.
	The port will now be set for "NUL: (unknown local port)".

Click Apply, then click OK.

This new "printer" acts like any other printer, except that when you print anything to it,
it doesn't put out anything.


Windows 2000:

Click on Start, Settings, Printers.
Double-click on Add Printer.
Click Next to begin setting up a new printer.

Click on Local Printer.
Uncheck the box that says "Automatically detect and install my Plug and Play printer."
Click Next.

Look through the list of existing ports for the NUL: device.
If it's there, click on "Use the following port" button, and click on the NUL: entry.

If it's not listed, click on "Create a new port" and choose "Local Port" from the list. Click Next.
For the port name, type in "NUL:" and click OK.

Click Next.

For Manufacturer and Printer, choose "Generic, Text Only."
Click Next.
(It may request you to insert your Microsoft Windows CDROM so it can get the generic print drivers.)

Printer Name: you can change it to something descriptive, such as "Paperless Print Device".
Click Next.

It might ask if you want to be able to share this printer (you don't have to).
Choose whatever you prefer and click Next. 

"Do you want to print a test page?" Go ahead and say Yes, and click Next.
(If everything went right, nothing will happen and you won't get any error messages either.)

Click on Finish.

This new "printer" acts like any other printer, except that when you print anything to it,
it doesn't put out anything.