Label Mail Merge doesn't print first line on each page

[Merwyn]

Hello,

I have been working trying to print 1000 4013 labels to my Epson LQ-590
with Word 2003 for a couple of weeks now with limited success. Currently when
I print the labels with the configuration below my results are that the first
line printed on each page (every 12 labels) is not printed. It just give a
weird looking line like it missed all but the bottom of the line contents.
Then when it goes to the next page (12 labels), it prints the same line and
doesn’t advance to the top of the label. So every 12 labels the print is off
1 line. Below I have attached the configuration of my printer, the form
(tcc_labels) I set up as noted in a previous persons append, the printer
Server panel, the printer properties, and then the print options I used on
the mail merge process.

I did try to add some top margin space (.14) and got the first line
correct but that then skipped 12 labels or 2 labels at the end of each page
(not sure why the behavior was different).

I would very much appreciate any thoughts you have on how I can fix my
settings to get the first line appearing and not having it skip labels during
the print!

Thank-you so much for your thoughts
Merwyn

I tried to append screen captures of these config setting but could not
figure out how to append an image...sorry

Printer Configuration from Epson config program
Highliting the printer and selecting Print Server under the file menu
Highliting the printer and selecting properties:
Label Options in Words mail merge:
Details form above selected:
Printer Panel after print is selected:
Print options after the Word mail merge and then selecting print
Printer Properties
ADVANCED

Merwyn

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

What happens if you print onto ordinary paper? Many printers do a poor job
of accurately handling label stock.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Merwyn]

Thanks Doug, thats a great idea. I will give it a shot tonite and let you
know how it goes!

Merwyn

-------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Merwyn]

Thanks Doug, Great idea. I will give that a shot tonite and let you know how
it goes...

Merwyn

 

[Merwyn]

Thanks Doug, Great idea. I will give it a shot tonite and let you know how
it goes!

Merwyn

 

[Merwyn]

Hi Doug,

Ran the labels with standard paper and same results. The top line of every
12 labels (1 page) is just a line. However, when it is on a page we were able
to see that the first line it is supposed to print is actually like the
bottom stripe of the line. So if you divide the top line into stripes the it
prints the last pass! Not sure this is clear. It seems like it is blank for
the other stripes in the line, like it didnt print the stripes but advanced
correctly!
So then we figured why not try the laser printer with paper to see if the
printer makes a difference. We got the exact same results on the laser
printer. So does that mean it is some Word setting I have messed up?
Any ideas or recommendations are very much appreciated!!
Thanks
Merwyn

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

Check that in the Zoom section of the File Print dialog that the setting is
on No Scaling. I notice that the 4013 label is a pin feed type label. Do
you have a tractor feeder on the printer? Is there a DIP Switch setting
that controls whether the printer skips perforations?

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Peter Jamieson]

I do remember investigating what Word (2000/2003) was doing when it
printed labels to "ESC/P" printers, and although I think the results
were inconclusive, you may find the conversation at

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/mi....fields/browse_thread/thread/1bf92fa5e0e88da4

useful.

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

 

[Merwyn]

Hi Doug and Peter,

Thanks for trying to help me on this. I read the previous threads you
recommended in your email. The way I read it they sorta associated the
problem with Word 2003. So I installed on a system with Word 2007. The
results were the same as on Word 2003 where the first line is just the bottom
stripe of the line. This occurs on every 12th label

So I have this problem on the laser printer and the tractor printer with
either Word 2003 or Word 2007. If I use Word 2007 is there anything else I
can config or check?

I appreciate your time and efforts! Thanks!!!!
Merwyn

 

[Doug Robbins - Word MVP]

What are you loading into the laser printer? It almost certainly will not
properly handle labels that are designed to be used with a tractor feeder.

--
Hope this helps.

Please reply to the newsgroup unless you wish to avail yourself of my
services on a paid consulting basis.

Doug Robbins - Word MVP

 

[Peter Jamieson]

If it is related to that problem, I would expect the problem is still
there. But to give a slightly different slant on Doug's latest post, to
select 4013 originally, you have to have selected "Continuous-feed
printers" and Avery US Letter. Although I would normally expect Word to
encode its output depending on the printer driver, I wonder whether the
"Continuous-feed" selection actually affects the output (I don't
remember, and I haven't checked, sorry).

As well as ensuring no "zoom" it's usually worth ensuring A4/Letter
resizing is switched off.

Luckily, Doug still seems to have ideas to spare!


Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

 

[Merwyn]

Sorry guys, maybe I confused the issue with the laser printer activity. All
I did was choose the laser printer after the Merge instead of the Epson
printer. I also just left paper in the laser printer. It gave the same
results as on the Epson so I thought that might also be a hint. Maybe not. I
will stay away from the laser printer from now on.

So I was looking at the 'Print Server Properties' under file on the Printer
and Faxes panel. I set up my own form(called tcc_labels) as I saw in a
previous append. I set it up to match the Avery 4013 labels. Does this look
correct to you? Or should I not choose a custom form?
Top Margin: 0"
Side Margin: 0.38"
Vertical Pitch: 1"
Label:height 0.94"
Label Width: 3.5"
Number across: 1
Number down:12
Page size: 4.25" fanfold

I then used it in the printer properties :
Manual Paper feed: tcc_labels
Tractor Feed: tcc_labels
I also have Printer..properties...advanced..Paper size set to tcc_form..

Peter, I just checked the zoom and it is no scaling. I also checked the
A4/Letter resizing and it is checked so I assume that means on. I will turn
that off and try another run tonite.

Sorry this is so slow, but I really appreciate the help!!! Thank-you
Merwyn

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Or should I not choose a custom form?

a. I don't know.
b. if I were trying to work around this probem, I would probably try
all of the following before deciding that I had more or less exhausted
my "self-help" options:
- MS-defined Avery 4013 layout+no printer form
- MS-defined Avery 4013 layout+form
- my own custom label layout based on 4013+no printer form
- my own custom label layout based on 4013+form
- a custom label layout that had exactly one label+a printer form
to match
b. However, if Word is simply emitting a sequence that would be more
appropriate to a non-continuous printer or some such, it's difficult to
see how to proceed without diving deeper. At that point I'd probably try
to identify some label software that /would/ do the trick.

So not much help, really...

Peter Jamieson
http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk

 

[Merwyn]

Thanks Peter,

I haven't appended as I was doing the different options you mention
above..Sure are a lot of possibilities . As I changed the different
printer selections and format options above I would have it skip labels and
pages which is less desirable that the first line not printing. The funny
thing was as I kept trying options it took me 45 minutes to get back to where
I was originally

Anyways I am having some success saving the file to a .txt file and printing
it. For some reason Word 2007 is only saving the first page. Is there and
option to save the whole file to a .txt file?

Thanks again I appreciate your time
Merwyn

 

[Peter Jamieson]

Are you merging to a new file, then saving as a .txt file?

Peter Jamieson

http://tips.pjmsn.me.uk