How do I specify the printer I want to use in Java?

Question

Currently retrieving the default printer installed on my machine for printing. I want to be able to pick which printer the documents go to. What is the best method of doing this ?

Code:

 PrintService[] services =
                PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(psInFormat, null);
        System.out.println("Printer Selected " + services[Printerinx]);

        //PrintService defaultService = PrintServiceLookup.lookupDefaultPrintService();

        DocFlavor[] docFalvor = services[Printerinx].getSupportedDocFlavors();
        for (int i = 0; i < docFalvor.length; i++) {
            System.out.println(docFalvor[i].getMimeType());
        }

Answer 1

The PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintService() method provides a way to lookup a printer by name. Prepare a HashAttributeSet with a PrinterName attribute object and pass it to the lookup method.

Use code like below:

AttributeSet aset = new HashAttributeSet();
aset.add(new PrinterName("MyPrinter", null));
PrintService[] pservices = 
    PrintServiceLookup.lookupPrintServices(null, aset);

Works on Linux with CUPS.

Answer 2

Create the PrintUtility class below, import it and try calling PrintUtility.findPrintService("name_of_my_printer"); if you know your printer name; if you don't know what printers you have access to, call PrintUtility.getPrinterServiceNameList(); for a List containing all viable registered printer names.

Alternately see my answer to this SO question for more details:

package com.stackoverflow.print;

import java.awt.print.PrinterJob;
import javax.print.PrintService;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;

public final class PrintUtility {

    /**
     * Retrieve a Print Service with a name containing the specified PrinterName; will return null if not found.
     * 
     * @return
     */
    public static PrintService findPrintService(String printerName) {

        printerName = printerName.toLowerCase();

        PrintService service = null;

        // Get array of all print services
        PrintService[] services = PrinterJob.lookupPrintServices();

        // Retrieve a print service from the array
        for (int index = 0; service == null && index < services.length; index++) {

            if (services[index].getName().toLowerCase().indexOf(printerName) >= 0) {
                service = services[index];
            }
        }

        // Return the print service
        return service;
    }

    /**
     * Retrieves a List of Printer Service Names.
     * 
     * @return List
     */
    public static List<String> getPrinterServiceNameList() {

        // get list of all print services
        PrintService[] services = PrinterJob.lookupPrintServices();
        List<String> list = new ArrayList<String>();

        for (int i = 0; i < services.length; i++) {
            list.add(services[i].getName());
        }

        return list;
    }

    /**
     * Utility class; no construction!
     */
     private PrintUtility() {}
}