You can quickly change the printer or its configuration for VBO Tickets in Chrome by accessing the browser’s print dialog and selecting a different device or adjusting page settings before sending. This method bypasses the need to modify system-level defaults, allowing you to switch between label printers, standard office printers, or thermal devices on the fly without restarting your application or logging out of the ticketing platform.
Accessing the Print Dialog
The most direct way to manage printing within VBO Tickets is through Chrome’s native print interface. When you are viewing a ticket that requires physical output, locate the print icon typically found in the top right corner of the ticket details view. Alternatively, you can use the keyboard shortcut
Ctrl+P on Windows or
Cmd+P on macOS to trigger the print preview pane.
Once the print window opens, you will see a dropdown menu labeled "Destination" or "Printer." This is the primary control point for changing which hardware receives the data. Click this dropdown to reveal all printers currently installed and recognized by your operating system and registered with Chrome. If your desired printer does not appear here, it may not be properly connected or shared with the browser profile.
Selecting the Correct Printer
In the "Destination" dropdown, scroll through the list to find the specific printer intended for the current task. Web-based platforms like VBO Tickets often support various output types, such as standard A4 receipts or smaller thermal labels. Ensure you select the exact model name rather than a generic "PDF" or "Microsoft Print to PDF" option unless you are archiving the ticket digitally.
If you have multiple printers with similar names, check the "Location" field below the printer name to distinguish between them. For example, if you have two identical receipt printers in different departments, their network locations or IP addresses listed in the driver details will help you identify the correct target. Selecting the wrong printer often results in blank pages or misaligned text, so verifying the location is a critical step before proceeding.
Adjusting Page Setup and Layout
After selecting the destination printer, click on "More settings" to expand the advanced options panel. Here, you can adjust critical parameters that affect how the ticket prints. The "Pages" section allows you to specify which pages to print, though for single-ticket outputs, this is usually set to "All."
Pay close attention to the "Scale" option. By default, Chrome may scale content to fit the page, which can distort logos or barcodes on small label printers. Change the scale to "100%" or "Default" to ensure the ticket renders at its intended size. Additionally, verify the "Margins" setting. For label printers, "None" or "Minimum" margins are often required to prevent cutting off essential information at the edges of the paper.
Handling Orientation and Paper Size
Orientation settings determine whether the content prints in portrait or landscape mode. Most ticket formats require portrait orientation, but some wide-barcode layouts may benefit from landscape. Under the "Paper size" dropdown, ensure the selected dimension matches the physical media loaded in the printer. Mismatched paper sizes, such as selecting Letter when the printer has A6 labels, will cause significant scaling errors or feed jams.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If the print dialog fails to open or shows no printers, clear the cache for the VBO Tickets site. Navigate to
chrome://settings/clearBrowserData, select "Cached images and files," and clear the data. This forces Chrome to reload the latest print service configurations.
Another common issue arises when Chrome defaults to saving as a PDF instead of sending to a physical printer. This often happens if a previous session ended in a download error. Resetting the "Destination" selection manually each time resolves this temporarily. To make changes persistent, ensure that the printer drivers are updated to the latest version provided by the manufacturer, as outdated drivers may not expose all configuration options to web browsers.
For deeper connectivity issues, verify that the printer is online and not in sleep mode. Some network printers require a wake-up signal before they appear in the Chrome list. Restarting the print spooler service on Windows or checking the CUPS service status on Linux/Mac can also restore visibility of local printers.
Chrome Sudden Automatic Opening of PDF Files in Adobe Acrobat explains how to manage file handling behaviors that might interfere with direct printing workflows. Similarly, understanding
Chrome Not Showing Local Storage can help if ticket states are not persisting correctly across sessions, affecting print triggers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my ticket print twice when I hit print?
This usually occurs if the print command is triggered both by a button click and a keyboard shortcut simultaneously. Ensure you are only initiating the action once per request. Additionally, check if any browser extensions are intercepting the print event and duplicating the job.
How do I save a custom printer setup for future tickets?
Chrome does not natively save custom print settings per website. You must re-select the correct destination and adjust margins or scale each time. Using bookmarklets or scripts to automate the print dialog interaction is an alternative for power users seeking consistency.
Can I print directly from a mobile device using Chrome?
While Chrome on Android supports printing, iOS Safari handles printing differently via AirPrint. For VBO Tickets on mobile, ensure the printer is accessible over the same Wi-Fi network and supports the protocol required by the mobile OS. Native apps often provide more reliable configuration options than mobile browsers.
What should I do if barcodes are unreadable after printing?
Unreadable barcodes are typically caused by incorrect scaling or low printer resolution. Verify that the scale is set to 100% and that the printer DPI settings match the barcode density requirements. Test printing a diagnostic page from the printer’s own utility software to isolate browser-related issues from hardware problems.
Is there a way to bypass the print dialog entirely?
Direct printing without user confirmation is generally blocked by modern browsers for security reasons. However, some enterprise environments use managed policies to allow silent printing for specific trusted sites. Check with your IT administrator if group policy overrides are available for your organization’s Chrome instances.