Windows 10 Critical Issue : Windows 10 - "Microsoft Print to PDF" option gets dissabled after I install my Agent Application

[RajeshNarayananNair]

Hi,

As the part of document management business, I have a "Print Agent App", that during it's installation itself, registers custom dll with Spooler process, to get a callback to monitor and account each print Jobs.

It registers "Custom_localspl.dll" instead of "localspl.dll" to get callback to our "Print Agent App". likewise we are customizing "Standard TCP/IP Port","Local Port","USB Monitor" etc

Problem

This week, I got a critical FieldIssue, after installing my "Print Agent App" on Windows 10, below print options are getting disabled and unfortunately unable to manually reinstall them as well.

• Microsoft Print to PDF
• Microsoft XPS Document Writer

*** These options were additions in Windows 10, and reproducible on any Windows 10 box

Work Around

1. Stop “Print Agent App” in the windows service list
2. In Registry (“ HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Print\Monitors\Local Port ”)
3. Rename the driver name from “Custom_localspl.dll” to “localspl.dll”
4. Open -- Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers
5. Add a Printer > Add a local printer or network printer with manual settings > Use an existing port > FILE : (Print to File)
6. Install the printer driver > select “Microsoft Print to PDF” > Install printer successfully
7. Now “Microsoft Print to PDF” is available again for printing
8. Now go back to windows service list, and start “Print Agent App” service
9. We can observe, Local Port driver name changes back to “Custom_localspl.dll” from “localspl.dll”

Solution

??? Those print drivers should not get disabled after installation of my app.

Please give me a solution

Thanks

Rajesh MN

Xerox Coorporation, NY

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