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How can I access my printer properties in Thunderbird 31.6

  • 4 replies
  • 3 have this problem
  • 18 views
  • Last reply by Toad-Hall

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When I want to print an email I used to be able to access the printer properties so I could specify paper type, print size, colour or black and white etc. That means I could choose a lower quality print at a faster speed. With Thunderbird 31.6 I can access the properties once or twice and then not at all until I shut it down and restart. That means I have the printing is unnecessarily slow and it's using colour ink so it is expensive. I can't be closing down Thunderbird every two minutes just to save on printing costs. What can I do?

When I want to print an email I used to be able to access the printer properties so I could specify paper type, print size, colour or black and white etc. That means I could choose a lower quality print at a faster speed. With Thunderbird 31.6 I can access the properties once or twice and then not at all until I shut it down and restart. That means I have the printing is unnecessarily slow and it's using colour ink so it is expensive. I can't be closing down Thunderbird every two minutes just to save on printing costs. What can I do?

All Replies (4)

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Select email File > Print should bring up the Print window where you can select:

  • the name of Printer
  • Print Range
  • Number of Copies
  • or click on 'Properties' button.

or File > Print Preview check all is correct and click on 'Print' button.

or via menu icon: Menu icon > Print > Print

Modified by Toad-Hall

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So what happens ? Do you have the ability to choose 'File' > 'Print' ? which method are you using?

If you click on 'Print' what happens? Does the Print window open or not ? does it immediately start printing?

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File > Print works and so does File > Print Preview. But I get no response when I click on the Properties button. You may be able to tell from the attached screenprint that I am clicking on the Properties button but nothing is happening.

My printer is an Epson Stylus Photo R2880 with up-to-date driver, and there has been no recent change to the driver or any other component of the printer software. The printer defaults to colour printing, which means that when I can't access Properties, everything prints in colour.

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Epson Stylus Photo R2880 with up to date drivers - I presume you got those drivers from the Epsom website and not lby Windows looking for driver.

test to see if an extension addon is causing issue: In Thunderbird Help > Restart with addons disabled test Print > Properties to see if works. if yes, then an addon is causing a conflict.

Try this: Force Thunderbird to get new Printer settings.

Make hidden files and folders visible:

The AppData folder is folder is a hidden folder; to show hidden folders, open a Windows Explorer window and choose "Organize → Folder and Search Options → Folder Options → View (tab) → Show hidden files and folders".

In Thunderbird Help > Troubleshooting Information click on 'show folder' button a new window opens showing contents of Profile name folder.

Close Thunderbird now - this is important Look for 'prefs.js' file. Right click on file and select copy, then paste the copy on to eg: desktop, this will act as your backup.

Back to the 'prefs.js' file in Profile. Right click and select to open with Notepad. remove all lines that start with: user_pref("print. Save the file.

Restart Thunderbird Test to see if Print > Properties works.