LJ 1200 won't print conv docs from 5.1

[Ken Spiker]

I have a LaserJet 1200 and not only does it refuse to print
PDF documents, it won't print documents which were
converted to Word X from Word 5.1. It just spits out a
blank page. There's no problem with my HP Deskjet 5550 on
the same documents. And it doesn't have any problems with
documents created in Word X. Strange problem, yes? Maybe
it's a LaserJet problem but has anybody heard about this?
Thanx,

Ken

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Ken:

If a printer refuses to print PDF, the first thing I suspect is that it does
not have a PostScript interpreter. If it doesn;t, it cannot print PDF, end
of story.

If the printer DOES have a PostScript Interpreter, then you also need to use
the PostScript Driver to feed it. Hewlett-Packard LaserJets have two
drivers available: one sends the printer PCL, the other sends PostScript.
PCL is the HP native Printer Control Language. It will not pass PostScript
through to the printer, so there is nothing there to get interpreted.

To fix this, you need to add the HP PostScript driver for the LaserJet 1200
and print to that instead. OS X has a native HP 1200 printer driver that
will probably give good results if you cannot download the real one from HP.

If you bring this right, I think the other problem will come right too.

Hope this helps

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on Wed, 9 Jul 2003

I have a LaserJet 1200 and not only does it refuse to print
PDF documents, it won't print documents which were
converted to Word X from Word 5.1. It just spits out a
blank page. There's no problem with my HP Deskjet 5550 on
the same documents. And it doesn't have any problems with
documents created in Word X. Strange problem, yes? Maybe
it's a LaserJet problem but has anybody heard about this?
Thanx,

Ken

Please post all comments to the newsgroup to maintain the thread.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]

 

[Ken Spiker]

Thanx for the input; I'm a little unclear about what you
mean about PostScript Interperter. I went to the HP site
and downloaded the software installer for the LaserJet, the
only software listed for Mac OSX. That should be enough one
would think. I am able to use Word 5.1 files if I create a
New Document in Word X and paste the text in rather than
convert it.

But the PDF refusal to print to the laser printer is a
bummer. In our line of work that's very important. John, if
you could clarify your earlier answer I would be grateful.

thanx,

Ken

 

[John McGhie [MVP - Word]]

Hi Ken:

A PostScript Interpreter in HP language is a hardware expansion card that
needs to be installed in the printer, which adds the functionality to
interpret the PostScript(r) language.

Hewlett Packard has a competing page description language and they have to
pay Adobe a license for PostScript (everyone does) so it is not
automatically installed in certain printers, it's available as an optional
add-in.

You need to check with your printer administrator that PostScript is
actually installed in that printer. If it is, you also need to check that
the Printer has enough RAM to enable the decoding of PostScript. Anything
less than 6 MB is likely to produce the results you are seeing. In colour,
32 MB is safer. For full-bleed A4 in colour, you really need 64 MB.

Cheers

This responds to microsoft.public.mac.office.word on Fri, 11 Jul 2003

Thanx for the input; I'm a little unclear about what you
mean about PostScript Interperter. I went to the HP site
and downloaded the software installer for the LaserJet, the
only software listed for Mac OSX. That should be enough one
would think. I am able to use Word 5.1 files if I create a
New Document in Word X and paste the text in rather than
convert it.

But the PDF refusal to print to the laser printer is a
bummer. In our line of work that's very important. John, if
you could clarify your earlier answer I would be grateful.

thanx,

Ken

Please post all comments to the newsgroup to maintain the thread.

John McGhie, Consultant Technical Writer
McGhie Information Engineering Pty Ltd
Sydney, Australia. GMT + 10 Hrs
+61 4 1209 1410, mailto:[email protected]