# Fix: Canon Professional Print & Layout Can't Find Your Printer After an IP Change (Mac OSX Tahoe fix)
## The Problem
If your Canon ImagePROGRAF printer's IP address changes — because you switched from Wi-Fi to Ethernet, your router reassigned it, or you changed your network setup — Canon's Professional Print & Layout (PPL) app will stop recognizing your printer. You'll see the old printer entry in PPL, but it can't connect. Trying to add the printer again doesn't work: PPL finds it, you click to add it, and nothing happens. The old dead entry stays.
This is a bug in PPL. The app stores your printer's IP address in a hidden file and never updates it.
## Who This Affects
Anyone using PPL with a network-connected Canon ImagePROGRAF printer (PRO-1100, PRO-1000, PRO-300, PRO-4100, and similar models). If your printer's IP has ever changed, this will happen to you.
## The Fix (5 Minutes)
### Step 1: Find Your Printer's Current IP
On your printer's touchscreen: tap the network icon or go to **LAN settings > Confirm LAN settings** to find the current IP address (e.g., `192.168.86.250`).
Alternatively, check your router's admin page for the printer's DHCP lease.
### Step 2: Open the Hidden Configuration File
1. Open **Finder**.
2. In the menu bar, click **Go > Go to Folder...** (or press **Shift + Command + G**).
3. Paste this path and press Enter:
```
~/Library/Application Support/Canon/DirectPrint/EntryPrinter/
```
4. You should see a file called **`EntryPrinter.xml`**. Right-click it and choose **Open With > TextEdit** (or any text editor).
### Step 3: Change the IP Address
You'll see XML that looks like this:
```xml
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<root>
<printers>
<printer>
<entryid>1</entryid>
<devicename>PRO-1100 series</devicename>
<printername>PRO-1100 series</printername>
<serialno>BBEL05xxx</serialno>
<portname>192.168.86.xx</portname> <!-- THIS IS THE OLD IP -->
...
</printer>
</printers>
</root>
```
Find the line that says `<portname>` and change the IP address inside it to your printer's **current** IP address:
```xml
<portname>192.168.86.250</portname> <!-- YOUR NEW IP HERE -->
```
**Change only the IP address. Don't modify anything else.**
### Step 4: Save and Relaunch
1. Save the file (**Command + S**).
2. Quit PPL completely if it's running.
3. Relaunch PPL. Your printer should now be recognized immediately.
## How to Prevent This in the Future
Since Canon hasn't fixed this bug, the best prevention is to **assign your printer a static IP address** (also called a DHCP reservation) in your router. This ensures the printer always gets the same IP, regardless of how it connects to your network.
Most routers support this under a setting called "DHCP Reservation," "Static Lease," or "Address Reservation." You'll need your printer's MAC address (found in the printer's network settings menu) and the IP you want to assign.
## Important Warnings
- **Back up before editing.** Before you change the XML file, make a copy of it (e.g., `EntryPrinter-backup.xml`) in case you make a typo.
- **Don't delete the DirectPrint folder.** If you delete `~/Library/Application Support/Canon/DirectPrint/` while troubleshooting, PPL may lose the ability to register your printer entirely — even after a full reinstall. If this happens, you'll need to restore the folder from a Time Machine backup.
- **This is not a macOS problem.** Your Mac's built-in printing (System Settings > Printers & Scanners) handles IP changes fine. This bug is specific to Canon's PPL application.
