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I'm looking for some software to help me print from OS X to Windows,

I have a USB Printer that has no driver for Mac, but I need to print from there (OS X 10.8). There is, however, a driver for Windows and it is currently plugged into a (Windows 7) machine.

Is there some sort of software that would act as a virtual printer (shared to Mac using printer sharing) and then pass on the document to the (Windows only) USB printer. (Like below:)

Mac OS X --[Wi-Fi]-> (middle helper on Windows to handle document) --[USB]-> Windows Printer

Note: Google Cloud Print isn't going to work as I'd prefer something offline. Windows direct sharing 'prints' but it causes problems and I have to right-click -> Troubleshoot and then reams (about 5 pages) of paper just get printed with strange symbols or the source code of the print job (like IP addresses and etc.).

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  • I believe Google Cloud Print could do this for you, I've never have used the service before; though, so I'm not 100% sure.
    – Tom
    Commented Dec 11, 2016 at 17:34
  • You can direct share your local printer via Windows so no additional driver is needed. Just google for it.
    – frlan
    Commented Dec 11, 2016 at 22:05
  • Hi, thanks for your suggestion. Google Cloud Print isn't going to work as I'd prefer something offline. Windows direct sharing 'prints' but it causes problems and I have to right-click -> Troubleshoot and then reams (about 5 pages) of paper just get printed with strange symbols or the source code of the print job (like IP addresses and etc.) Does anyone else have any more suggestions? I'd be very grateful :) Thanks
    – user28366
    Commented Dec 15, 2016 at 6:03

1 Answer 1

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You can print to PDF on your Mac, transfer the file to your Windows 7 machine and print from there.

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  • And this was down voted why? I showed him a path to achieve his goal of printing on his Windows 7 printer.
    – user26732
    Commented Dec 12, 2016 at 15:29
  • Thanks user26732, I didn't down vote the post, but I'd prefer something more autonomous than having to export, go to the host and print it from there. Thanks anyway :)
    – user28366
    Commented Dec 15, 2016 at 6:09
  • @user26732 it was obviously downvoted because it doesn't even meet the requirements. OP wrote "I need to print from there (OS X 10.8)", you tell him to print from Windows 7. Wanted was a software that acts as a bridge. And before you ask: no, it wasn't me (though I'm somehow tempted).
    – Izzy
    Commented Dec 19, 2016 at 9:51
  • OP wrote: "There is, however, a driver for Windows and it is currently plugged into a (Windows 7) machine." A driver can't be plugged into a Windows machine. OP's diagram "Mac OS X --[Wi-Fi]-> (middle helper on Windows to handle document) --[USB]-> Windows Printer " omits the Windows 7 machine on which the driver is installed. OP's description of his problem then, is inaccurate. Given this inaccuracy, my solution was appropriate.
    – user26732
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 10:49
  • And the final step before printing is a USB--doing what, it's not clear. Therefore, taking the file and moving it to this USB--which may or may not be plugged into a [Windows 7] computer was not an unreasonable solution. However, I'll grant that I should have asked for the question and this ambiguous set-up to be clarified before supplying an answer. None of this is "obvious" as you suggest.
    – user26732
    Commented Dec 20, 2016 at 10:51

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