# How to Use a Printer

This page explains how to use a USB printer (or a USB device with printing capability) connected to a device server using SX Virtual Link.

SX Virtual Link has a feature that detects print jobs and then automatically connects to, prints to and disconnects from the printer (or USB device with printing capability) if it is connected to a device server.

You will not have to click the Connect button in the SX Virtual Link's main window before you print a job.

To use the printer auto-connect function, the printer driver needs to be installed in advance. The printer auto-connect function may not be available for some USB devices with printing capability. In such cases, please connect/disconnect to/from the USB device manually by clicking the Connect/Disconnect buttons in SX Virtual Link. To use the printer auto-connect function, SX Virtual Link must be running. Please be sure to start SX Virtual Link before you print a job. For those who print frequently, it is recommended to set SX Virtual Link to automatically start at PC startup. For details, refer to SX Virtual Link Optional Settings.

How to enable the printer auto-connect function:

1. Select a printer in SX Virtual Link's main window and click the Properties button . When the properties dialog is displayed, click the Connect tab.

2. Check Enable auto connect, select Connect automatically only for printing and click OK.

   Enable auto connect | Enables the auto connect feature. When checked, one of following options also needs to be selected.
   Automatically connect this device when it is available | Automatically connects to the USB device when it is detected.
   Connect automatically only for printing | Automatically connects to the USB device and disconnects from it after the print job is finished. Allows you to print without worrying about Connect/Disconnect operations.

   If the USB device driver is not installed on your PC or the USB device has never been connected to your PC via SX Virtual Link, the following window is displayed. To enable the Connect automatically only for printing setting, a printer driver needs to be associated with your printer. Check Enable auto connect, select Connect automatically only for printing and then click the Configure button to start the printer driver association. After the association is complete, the window will be displayed as in step 2. If the printer driver association does not finish despite waiting for a while, you can manually associate the driver. 1. From the dialog window displayed, click the Configure button. 2. The Auto Printer Connect window will be displayed. 3. Check the Manually configure a printer to automatically connect check box, select the appropriate printer and click OK. After the association is complete, the window will be displayed as in step 2. If the last part of a job is not printed completely while the printer auto-connect function is active, click the Confirm button to open the printer monitoring dialog. Extend the time period in Time before disconnecting after print job is sent field.

The printer auto-connect function has been enabled.

All the jobs output to the printer you have selected at step 1 will be printed automatically.

Some printers may show an error message on their printer status monitor after a job is printed. In such cases, close the printer status monitor manually as it has no effect on printing.

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