Q: Does DECLARE-PRINTER by itself do anything?
A: No, it is only activated by a USE-PRINTER-TYPE command or -PRINTER flag for the type that it defines. This means that if you have a DECLARE-PRINTER for PostScript, the output will not automatically change to PostScript. You need the -PRINTER:PS or USE-PRINTER-TYPE PS. Only then the attributed that you have defined in the DECLARE-PRINTER take affect.