Automatic configuration of peripheral devices

A computer-implemented method for configuring peripheral devices used with software running on a computer, the method comprising:

• a) performing a device assessment resulting in a list of available peripheral devices currently connected to the computer;
• b) computing from the list of peripheral devices a configuration setting value that represents a particular configuration setting of the accessible peripheral devices;
• c) if the computed configuration setting value exists in a settings repository, then automatically restoring a prior selection of the peripheral devices using a device selection in the settings repository corresponding to the computed configuration setting value;
• d) if the computed configuration setting value does not exist in the settings repository, then automatically selecting devices from among the available peripheral devices in accordance with a predetermined devices database comprising possible devices and corresponding priority ranks for the possible devices, and saving the computed configuration setting value together with a current device selection in the settings repository.