Virtual USB Printer Port

I have used a USB connected printer and it creates a USB printer port as you note. If I change the USB port used, the printer will re-install and map to the new port. That is, the device (printer) knows which particular USB port it has been attached to.

So you can use your two printers, but use them on the same ports all the time or things will get confused.

... Thinkpads_User

ThinkPad_User

I also have a ThinkPad, but tried to set up a Virtual Printer Port manually, for one of the printers, just to see how it is done.  Was initially not successful, but since they can be created, how is this done?

Cook

The Virtual USB port will want to set itself up when the printer is plugged in. Most printer instructions (but not all) will tell you to wait until the driver is installed before plugging in the USB cable. USB has under the covers addressing so I do not recommend manually setting it up and I have not done so myself.

.... Thinkpads_User

If a label printer is set up for a local port, is it to be deleted from that port, unplug the printer, wait a while, then plug it back in?  It seems that this may have been tried, but was never set up as a Virtual USB Printer Port. If USB002 can be viewed, then does one direct the printer to that port?  

What occurs when a network printer and a label printer is mapped to the same virtual printer?  One user wanted to print labels to a network printer from Word, with Labels set up in Word.  There was a conflict, the label printer did not print, until that network printer was deleted, then added back in, and the label printer then worked. The network printer was set up twice, one for the network printer and one for the local label printer.  Does one take precedence during the printing process?

If a Virtual USB port is assigned to another printer, does a new printing device create a new Virtual printier port?

@Cook09 - Thank you and I was happy to help you with this.

.... Thinkpads_User