How to set up Choose paper source by pdf paper size for HP LaserJet 1320n

[lindabee]

I just purchased an HP LaserJet 1320n from Amazon.  I cannot figure out how to set up the trays to accept Letter from one tray and Legal from another tray.  The printer keeps taking paper from the Tray 3 which I've set as Legal.  I want it to print on letter for one document.

[dansdaduk]

What does the printer show for the tray configuration?

My LJ 1320n only has one cassette tray, and the relevant part of the configuration report (initiated by holding down the Go button for 5 seconds, or via the Embedded Web Server interface) shows:

The characteristics of an incoming print job should match the paper size and paper type attributes of the required tray(s), otherwise the printer will not know exactly what it is required to do.

If you are specifying the paper source by explicit tray identifier, this must obviously be compatible with any required size and type values.

With many applications, you can often only choose (via printer driver preferences) one paper size/type for a job, but some applications allow more granular settings; for example:

• Word allows (I think) different paper sizes for different 'sections' of a document.
• PDF viewers (such as Acrobat Reader) often have a 'choose paper source by PDF page size' option in the Print dialogue.

[lindabee]

Thank you.  I have set up the computer program to choose paper source by pdf paper size.  The printer prints only legal.  I have gone to the printer through Windows and it is set up for the printer

as 

Printer Auto Select:  Letter

Manual Feed in Tray 1: Letter

Tray 1:  Letter

Tray 2:  Letter

Tray 3:  Legal

The Printer configuration page reads:

Paper Size Letter

Tray 1 Size Any

Tray 2 Size Any'

Tray 3 Size Any

Paper Type Plain

Tray 1 Type Any

Tray 2 Type Any

Tray 3 Type Any

Where do I change the printer configuration?  I see no screen on the computer to set it.  

[dansdaduk]

The printer will attempt to match each incoming print request (in terms of paper size and paper type attributes) with what it thinks it has in each of its trays; all other things being equal, most Laserjet printers will then take paper from the highest numbered tray out of those which match the request attributes.

With your printer, your configuration shows that it has it has been set to handle paper of Any size and Any type from tray 3, so this will effectively satisfy all requests, and all paper will be pulled from this tray.

With most LaserJet printers, the cassette trays automatically detect the size of paper loaded, via sensors attached to the paper width and length adjusters in the tray - so (as an aside) I 'm surprised that the size is set to Any for these trays.

The solution is to configure the printer to tell it what size and type of paper is in each tray.

As you have a network 'n' model, this can be achieved via use of the Embedded Web Server; just point your browser at the IP-address of the printer, then set the required details via the Settings | Paper Handling page.

Here is what the page looks like on my local Laserjet 1320n (which only has one cassette tray):

The settings on the (drop-down) tray 1 are for size/type = Any/Any, but these are effective only when the tray is open and loaded with paper.

The settings on the cassette tray 2 are for size/type = A4/Plain, so this is the combination of attributes which will automatically select this tray as the paper source.

[lindabee]

I am sorry to be so obtuse, but I am a novice at this.  Where would I find the IP address?  The configuration page indicates that no IP address is specified.  I am tryiing to change the designations of the printer trays from the icon that is under Windows settings.  Printer properties/Device Settings.

[dansdaduk · Accepted solution]

>> ... Where would I find the IP address?  The configuration page indicates that no IP address is specified ...

Which perhaps implies that your printer is not connected using a network (Ethernet) cable, but is connected via a USB cable (or even an old parallel-port cable?).

To set up the printer configuration (e.g. for paper trays), if the printer is not connected via Ethernet, requires use of the appropriate HP Toolbox application.

Unfortunately, I don't think that this is available for modern operating system versions - you'd probably need an old XP 32-bit, or Windows 2000, workstation, for which a "Full Printing Solution" is available - this (I think) includes the toolbox application as well as the printer driver.

With your Windows 10 64-bit operating system, I suspect that the only way to configure the printer is to set it up as a network printer.

If you connect an Ethernet cable between the printer and your modem/router, then power the device on, the router should give the printer a dynamic (DHCP) address, which you can determine by then printing off a Configuration page (hold the Go button for 5 seconds).

Use this address within your browser to reach the Embedded Web Server in the printer.

Note that DHCP addresses may change when the printer is powered-off, then back on - most network configurations use static addresses for printers - but discussing this is beyond what I can type in this short reply.

[lindabee]

Thank you!  I  will connect with an ethernet cable.  I happen to have a few of those around.  Then I will set up the printer and just leave it turned on until my computer engineer student family member can make it to my house.  This is a third back-up computer I use for working.  So, it isn't my lifeline for my small business.

You solved my issue!  Didn't know it had to be a network printer.  

[dansdaduk]

>> ...  Didn't know it had to be a network printer ...

That's only because the printer is fairly old, and the toolbox software required to configure it (if it is not network--connected) has not been updated since Windows 2000.

Anyway, I hope that you and/or your "student family member" manage to resolve your issue.