Can't print envelopes in Word 2004 or Word X

[Silkroad]

Working on document recently, changed page setup to be 14 x 8-1/2.
Word changed normal.dot without prompting me at SAVE (which is my
default), after that all documents were 14 x 8-1/2, changing it didn't
help. Finally deleted normal.dot, Word then created a new one with
8-1/2 x 11 page setup, the default. However, ever since I changed page
setup to 14x8-1/2, I have been unable to print envelopes -- using
Envelope Wizard, I insert text, click PRINT, the envelope displays
properly on screen -- but print preview shows a blank envelope. And a
blank envelope is printed. I upgraded to Office 2004, hoping that
would fix it. It didn't. I don't know what else to do. Any ideas?

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

The most likely solution, I think, it that Word is printing the envelope
text in a different place than the printer is feeding the envelope through.
E.g., Word is printing expecting center feed, but the printer feeds from the
left, and so it appears to be blank.

To test this, you could try sending through a piece of paper instead of an
envelope, and see if ink shows up anywhere.

Possible fixes: make sure you have the exact printer selected in Word and
are using the printer-supplied printer driver that matches your printer
(places to check: File | Page Setup and File | Print). Make sure the
correct envelope size is selected. If that still doesn't work, in the Tools
| Envelope dialog select Custom... And ensure that the little diagram
matches how your printer feeds the envelope.

--
Daiya Mitchell, MVP Mac/Word
Word FAQ: http://www.word.mvps.org/
MacWord Tips: <http://www.word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/>
What's an MVP? A volunteer! Read the FAQ:


PS. Daiya's first law of software consumption: Never upgrade hoping to fix a
problem unless an official ReadMe or other trustworthy source of information
absolutely states in exactly as many words that the problem was a known bug
that is now fixed. I'm amazed by all these trusting people who spend
hundreds on a wish and a prayer.

 

[Silkroad]

I already thought of that, but full sheet of paper prints blank. And
diagram matches how printer feeds envelope. I also tried different
envelopes, none will print. But labels works just fine.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Hmm...sorry, I misread before and thought it displayed in Print Preview, now
I see that it displays on in Page Layout but not Print Preview.

Check to make sure for some reason that it isn't generating in Hidden text?

DM

 

[Silkroad]

No, no hidden text. I'm thinking the only thing left to try is to
delete MS Office, including User Data, and then do clean reinstall.
Any thoughts on this? BTW, thanks for your suggestions thus far.

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

There are quite a few program troubleshooting measures short of remove and
reinstall. They are all listed here:
http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/TroubleshootingIndex.htm
(hit refresh a few times in Safari, or use a different browser)

Try a fresh Normal template, new preferences, third-party add-ins
especially, and note the instructions on the proper way to "delete" and
reinstall. You don't need to delete User Data, the only thing in there that
makes a difference is the Normal template.

Or just try testing it in a different user.

Also, Tools | Envelope puts the addresses in frames or text boxes or
something. Turn on nonprinting characters and make sure those haven't been
shrunk down so much as to squeeze the text into non-existence.

 

[Silkroad]

I set up new user in OS X, then invoked Word, and envelope printed ok.
Thanks. Hooray. So, would I delete MS User Data folder, or just
identity(ies), or what?

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

If a new user works it suggests corruption in the normal template or in the
preferences. The other link tells you how to test/fix those.

DO NOT delete the MS User Data folder. Nothing system-related is kept in
the MS User Data folder, except for the Normal template--otherwise that is
all just your data. Identities are for Entourage, and holds your
mail/contacts/etc, but does not hold anything that affects how the program
runs except in the case of database corruption, and don't affect Word
anyhow.

Why are you so anxious to throw away all your data?

 

[Silkroad]

Well, I wasn't intending to throw away all my data. It's just that
I've already tried creating a new normal.dot, that didn't fix it. So
working backwards, I guessed (wrongly, as it turns out) that User Data
would be the next thing to try.

BTW, I used to teach Word for Windows, and I'm a pretty good
troubleshooter. But this OS X/2004 version for Mac is different enough
that I haven't figured out the nuts and bolts, if you know what I mean.

And, yes, I realize upgrading to the newest version doesn't fix things,
but in the case of MS apps, that's usually what they suggest as a last
resort. Of course, that doesn't help very often. ;-)

Which other link tells me how to fix corrupted preferences? As I said,
I already tried new normal.dot, that didn't help.

Thanks again, and again....

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

Well, I wasn't intending to throw away all my data. It's just that

I've already tried creating a new normal.dot, that didn't fix it. So
working backwards, I guessed (wrongly, as it turns out) that User Data
would be the next thing to try.

Nope. Preferences file is the next thing to try, and the first thing to try
in just about any Mac app when it starts acting up. Every Mac app has a
preferences file, and they tend to corrupt. I think they're kinda like the
Windows registry, though I'm not real sure.

BTW, I used to teach Word for Windows, and I'm a pretty good
troubleshooter. But this OS X/2004 version for Mac is different enough
that I haven't figured out the nuts and bolts, if you know what I mean.

Some links re general differences, though out of date, especially re
Unicode:
http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/Differences.htm
(hit refresh a few times in Safari, or use a different browser)

And, yes, I realize upgrading to the newest version doesn't fix things,
but in the case of MS apps, that's usually what they suggest as a last
resort.

Is that why it comes up so often? That makes much more sense to me now.

Which other link tells me how to fix corrupted preferences? As I said,
I already tried new normal.dot, that didn't help.

From this link. You'll see a heading Damaged Preferences and Settings Files,
though the link lists just about all the standard troubleshooting
suggestions.
http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/TroubleshootingIndex.htm
(hit refresh a few times in Safari, or use a different browser)

If you want to learn the nuts and bolts of MacWord, that page is a good
place to start, as is this page, maybe:
http://word.mvps.org/MacWordNew/backupprefs.htm

DM

 

[Silkroad]

Since I know that, if you delete normal.dot, Word will create another
(default) one, I naturally assumed that I could delete preferences, and
a new file would be created. Am I wrong? Is that not how preferences
works?

I never bothered to back up normal.dot or preferences, b/c I was pretty
sure they weren't something critical that could not be recreated
easily. Now I'm not so sure.

So, how do I get rid of corrupted preferences and/or replace with new
uncorrupt file?

 

[Daiya Mitchell]

The webpage I suggested explains all that. *would you please read it?* from
the troubleshooting index, click on the heading Damaged Preferences. Follow
the instructions.

Both files are worth backing up regularly, because it's easier to switch a
copy in than redo what it holds. However, it's much easier to reset the
prefs held in the prefs file than to redo Normal template.