dotnet/wpf · error · PrintServerException

PrintSystemException.PrintServer.MajorVersionCannotChange

Error message

PrintSystemException.PrintServer.MajorVersionCannotChange

What it means

The PrintServer.MajorVersion setter only accepts a value when the MajorVersion property was internally initialized (loaded from the server). If the property was not, the setter throws PrintSystemException (ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED) keyed 'PrintSystemException.PrintServer.MajorVersionCannotChange'. The print server schema major version is not user-modifiable.

Solutions

Do not set MajorVersion; it is server-managed metadata — remove the assignment
Read MajorVersion only, and if version behavior is needed, use a server that reports the desired version
Use Refresh() first if you need the server-populated value, but still avoid writing it

Example fix

// before
server.MajorVersion = 4; // throws
// after
int v = server.MajorVersion; // read-only usage
Console.WriteLine($"Server schema version: {v}");

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if (propertyWriteTargetsMajorVersion) throw new InvalidOperationException("MajorVersion is read-only");

Prevention

Treat PrintServer.MajorVersion as read-only metadata
Never copy server version properties between PrintServer instances
Refactor bulk property writers to exclude version fields

When it happens

Trigger: Assigning to PrintServer.MajorVersion on a PrintServer whose MajorVersion property was not internally initialized by the spooler data load.

Common situations: Code attempting to 'upgrade' a print server's schema version programmatically; copying property values from one PrintServer to another; test code mutating server metadata.

Understand the failure class

Background: UnsupportedOperationException and "is not supported" errors: when a library deliberately refuses a call — this error's family across 30 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/wpf@81131a70a4 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/2f9e24de5fb78ec6. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Microsoft.DotNet.Wpf/src/System.Printing/CPP/src/PrintServer.cpp:2019

    None

--*/
void
PrintServer::MajorVersion::
set(
    Int32  version
    )
{
    VerifyAccess();

    if (PropertiesCollection->GetProperty("MajorVersion")->IsInternallyInitialized)
    {
        majorVersion = version;
    }
    else
    {
        throw CreatePrintServerException(HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(ERROR_NOT_SUPPORTED),
                                         "PrintSystemException.PrintServer.MajorVersionCannotChange"
                                         );

    }
}

/*++

Routine Name:

    set_MinorVersion

Routine Description:

    Property

Arguments:

View on GitHub (pinned to 81131a70a4)