Thank you for both replies – they have let me do what I want
The test Perl is below

use strict ;
use OLE;
use Win32::OLE::Const "Microsoft Excel";
my ($excel, $workbook, $sheet, $file_name, $pobj);
$file_name = "C:\\Bookxxx.xls";
$excel = CreateObject OLE "Excel.Application";
$workbook = $excel -> Workbooks -> Open($file_name);
$pobj = $excel->ActivePrinter; 
if ($pobj) { 
    print "start - Name of default printer => $pobj \n"; 
}
$excel->{ActivePrinter} = "Auto HP Deskjet 6500 Series on HOMEDELLTOWE
+R on Ne02:";
$pobj = $excel->ActivePrinter; 
if ($pobj) { 
    print "after setting - Name of default printer => $pobj \n"; 
}
$workbook->PrintOut();
[download]

Typical output from an MSDOS screen is

C:\\test-exprinter.pl
start - Name of default printer => deskPDF on DDM:
after setting - Name of default printer => Auto HP Deskjet 6500 Series on HOMEDELLTOWER on Ne02:

The process is that
1. You set the default printer to the one you want to use
2. Use the Perl
3. Use the output to get the name of the printer
4. Set the default printer to what it should be
5. Add the found printer name into the Perl code

You should then be able to choose the printer you want to use