Scott,

That pretty much gives the same information I got from WMI in my own 
attempts (Win32_Printer). It seems to be reading a list of "installed" 
printers; which seems to mean "printers that have drivers installed but 
are not necessarily physically present." That is, the printers you'd see 
in Control Panel/Printers.

What I've been asked to do is report on whether a printer is physically 
present, and what printer it is. Note that even something like polling the 
LPTx: (or USB_x, or USBx, or COMx:) ports won't work, 'cause I don't think 
that would pick up a connected printer that's not turned on. Or will it? 
And would it be able to identify it?  Don't think so (but I could be 
wrong...).

The required output would be something like this:

        Port    Printer
        LPT1:   H-P Laserjet 4Si

But if and only if the H-P Laserjet IS ACTUALLY CONNECTED TO port LPT1:. 
(Sorry for shouting.)

(Just realized I'm probably beating this into the ground, but it's a 
distinction with a difference, one that I need. Sorry...)

Deane Rothenmaier
Programmer/Analyst
Walgreens Corp.
847-914-5150

There is something fascinating about science. One gets such wholesale 
returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact. -- Mark 
Twain