Printing Problems

[my_realtor]

I'm trying to print some forms but when I try to print I get a box asking for
a file name to print to. I'm trying to print documents on my printer. When I
close that box I'm back to the document but no way to print because I keep
getting that little box asking for a file name. How do I get rid of that file
name box so I can print to my printer again. I'm running Windows XP and I've
had this setup since 2003 and have never had a problem like that before. In
fact, I had printed a page just before that started to happen. I was totally
surprised to see that box asking for a file name.
Please let me know how to avoid the file name box? Thanks for any help.

 

[carolnpete]

I am having exactly the same problem so I hope there is someone out there
that can help us both!
carolnpete

 

[Tim Meddick]

Are you definitely selecting your printer in the print dialogue?

You don't accidentally have 'Microsoft Office Document Image Writer' set
as your default printer?

OR, you are making sure that the 'Print to File' box is NOT checkmarked?



If non the above, then try going to 'Start Menu' > Settings > 'Printers
and Faxes' > "Your Printer"

....and right-click on "Your Printer" and select 'Set as Default Printer'


Also, if that has no effect, try selecting 'Add Printer', and re-add
your printer again.

Then, as above, set as 'default printer'


==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[carolnpete]

Hi Thanks for your reply. Firstly where do I find the print dialogue.
Secondly never heard of Image Writer! Thirdly, where is the box that should
not be checkmarked. As you can tell I am a beginner with computers!
carolnpete

Are you definitely selecting your printer in the print dialogue?

You don't accidentally have 'Microsoft Office Document Image Writer' set
as your default printer?

OR, you are making sure that the 'Print to File' box is NOT checkmarked?



If non the above, then try going to 'Start Menu' > Settings > 'Printers
and Faxes' > "Your Printer"

....and right-click on "Your Printer" and select 'Set as Default Printer'


Also, if that has no effect, try selecting 'Add Printer', and re-add
your printer again.

Then, as above, set as 'default printer'


==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Tim Meddick]

Very sorry, I knew I should have mentioned that bit!

The 'print dialogue' is the large box that comes up when you choose
'print' from the 'File' menu (from the menus at the top of many programs
such as; 'Word').

Always print this way, and not from the 'print icon' that many programs
have. You then have more control over what is happening (where you are
printing to).

The dialogue itself is quite large and contains a list of all the
installed printing devices (not just printers - but things like the
'Microsoft Document Image Writer' and 'PDF file virtual printers' as
well as 'real' printers ).

The 'checkbox' to 'Print to file' is also located here.

The 'default printer' is usually set by being the last printer to have
been printed to. But you can change it by going to :
'Start Menu' > Settings > 'Printers and Faxes'

....and against one of the list of installed printers will be a 'tick' in
a black circle. This marks which one is the default printer.

You re-set which it is here, by right-clicking on the printer you want
to be default and choose 'Set as Default Printer' (this option is only
available for printers other than the current default)

So, to re-state - choose 'File' > 'Print' from the top menus in a
program, to get the 'print to' dialogue with the options I was talking
about.

*NB In *some* programs, such as Notepad, you don't get the 'Print to'
dialogue, it just uses the last printer used (i.e. the default). Use
Word or WordPad instead.

Hope this helps.

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

Hi Thanks for your reply. Firstly where do I find the print dialogue.
Secondly never heard of Image Writer! Thirdly, where is the box that
should
not be checkmarked. As you can tell I am a beginner with computers!
carolnpete

 

[Lem]

Hi Thanks for your reply. Firstly where do I find the print dialogue.
Secondly never heard of Image Writer! Thirdly, where is the box that should
not be checkmarked. As you can tell I am a beginner with computers!
carolnpete

Are you definitely selecting your printer in the print dialogue?

You don't accidentally have 'Microsoft Office Document Image Writer' set
as your default printer?

OR, you are making sure that the 'Print to File' box is NOT checkmarked?



If non the above, then try going to 'Start Menu' > Settings > 'Printers
and Faxes' > "Your Printer"

....and right-click on "Your Printer" and select 'Set as Default Printer'


Also, if that has no effect, try selecting 'Add Printer', and re-add
your printer again.

Then, as above, set as 'default printer'


==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

It depends on what application you're using to print and exactly how
you're attempting to print.

In Microsoft Word, for example, you can print *either* by clicking the
"print" icon *or* by clicking "File" and then selecting "Print." The
former method just starts printing. The latter method opens the "print
dialog" screen.

The print dialog looks something like this:
http://www.informit.com/content/images/bok_067232217X/elementLinks/16fig04.gif
although the "Printer selection" area where you select a printer may be
a simple drop-down box rather than the selection of icons shown in the
screenshot.

Here's a print dialog from PowerPoint 2007 showing the drop-down box
(item 1): http://z.about.com/d/presentationsoft/1/5/4/L/-/-/02print.png

If that isn't clear, please identify the application from which you're
trying to print.

Make sure that the selected printer is a real printer attached to your
computer. If it isn't, make your printer the "default printer" as
explained by Tim Meddick.

The above print dialog screen is also where the "print to file" check
box is located. In general, this box should NOT be checked (it doesn't
do what you probably think it does, anyway).

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[carolnpete]

THANK YOU very much, the little box - Print to File - was ticked. Don't know
how it got ticked as I had been printing ok, but hey ho, it's all ok now.
Many thanks, hope you are sorted too my-realtor.
carolnpete

 

[Tim Meddick]

Carol & Pete,
I hope so too, and cheers, I'm glad that you got
it sorted.

"my_realtor" - Have you checked out the helpful image - url posted by
Lem?

http://www.informit.com/content/images/bok_067232217X/elementLinks/16fig04.gif

....of the 'Print To...' dialogue.


(Lem - I hope you don't mind me quoting this url from your post )

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[my_realtor]

Thanks for the help but I don't see anything that says 'print to file' that
may be ticked. I thank everyone for their help and I might get it to print
again if I figure it out. I have to go to a meeting right now without the
forms but I'll try to tackle this when I get back.
Again; Thanks to all.

 

[Tim Meddick]

Linda,
I'll try once more to explain for when you get back...

Using Word or WordPad, choose 'File' from the top menus, then 'Print'.

This will bring up the 'Print to...' dialogue.

See a picture of the 'Print to...' dialogue here :

http://www.informit.com/content/images/bok_067232217X/elementLinks/16fig04.gif

(url posted by "Lem")

You will see on the picture that the box marked 'Print to file' is in
the lower right-hand side.

Make sure you have selected your actual printer in the 'Select printer'
list box in this dialogue also.

If you use a 'print icon' to print, you will not see this 'print to...'
dialogue at all!! So if the *wrong* printer is selected as 'default'
OR the 'Print to file' box is checkmarked, then all you will get is the
'Save to file...' dialogue, to browse for a place to save your file!.

What I mean by *wrong* printer set as default, is; some 'printers' are
not 'real' but 'virtual' and use printing [spooler / twain] software to
print to a file.

Examples of this are :
Microsoft Document Image Writer
PDF Virtual 'printers'

You can only overcome these defaults by using the 'long' print method of
choosing 'File' from the top menus and then 'Print' to bring up the
'print to...' dialogue. Then select your printer making sure that the
'print to file' box is not marked.




==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Lem]

Thanks for the help but I don't see anything that says 'print to file' that
may be ticked. I thank everyone for their help and I might get it to print
again if I figure it out. I have to go to a meeting right now without the
forms but I'll try to tackle this when I get back.
Again; Thanks to all.

If you mean you can't see a "print to file" box on *your* computer,
please identify what program you're using when you print.

Otherwise, the check box is just to the left of the "Preferences" button
on the first image and above and to the right of the circled "3" on the
second image.

Tim: sure, it's perfectly OK to quote from my posts.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[my_realtor]

I'm back! I have tried to print from the menu which is the only way I print
because I have no control of my printing from the icon. When I click on print
the preference box does not open. All I get is the box that asks for a file
name. I did go to my printers from the control panel and I can not see that
on the printer at all. My printer is still asking for a file name in order to
print. Is there anything else I can do? I did take a screen shot but I don't
know how to get it to you so you can see what I'm talking about.

 

[Paul]

I'm back! I have tried to print from the menu which is the only way I print
because I have no control of my printing from the icon. When I click on print
the preference box does not open. All I get is the box that asks for a file
name. I did go to my printers from the control panel and I can not see that
on the printer at all. My printer is still asking for a file name in order to
print. Is there anything else I can do? I did take a screen shot but I don't
know how to get it to you so you can see what I'm talking about.

If you want to share a picture, you can use a photo sharing site.
Imageshack.us is one example of a photo sharing site. There is a
list of some of them here. You shouldn't have to pay for the service.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_sharing

If they ask for an email address, you should keep a valid "junk" address
around, for such occasions. For example, I have a gmail account I use,
just for accepting email verification from various places. If someone
asks for an email address, I give them that, because I don't really
care if it gets spammed. (And some companies do bomb the mailbox,
once they get that email address.) Don't give them your "good" email
address, because there is always someone out there willing to
sell that email address.

Paul

 

[Lem]

I'm back! I have tried to print from the menu which is the only way I print
because I have no control of my printing from the icon. When I click on print
the preference box does not open. All I get is the box that asks for a file
name. I did go to my printers from the control panel and I can not see that
on the printer at all. My printer is still asking for a file name in order to
print. Is there anything else I can do? I did take a screen shot but I don't
know how to get it to you so you can see what I'm talking about.

- What application are you attempting to print from?

- When you go to Printers and Faxes, what is the name of the icon that
has a check mark next to it? What are the names of the other icons that
show in Printers and Faxes?

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[Tim Meddick]

Linda,
First off, follow Paul's advice about posting images.

Secondly, answer Lem's question about what you see in 'Printers and
Faxes' folder.

Third, answer this, you say you don't get the 'pint to...' box, so tell
me; what happens if you open a document in WordPad (go and do it now)
and with your mouse click on 'File' from the top menu then onto 'Print'
from the menu that drops down after you click on 'File' ???

What happens then? - Still no 'print to...' box - just your 'Save to
file' box?

==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[my_realtor]

I am trying to print forms from two different sites and from 2 different
printers. I get that same 'print to file' which is asking me for a file name
to print too. I want to print from my printers and not to a file. I have
checked to see if the box is 'ticked' and it is not. One I'm trying to print
is a form from the IRS site and the other is an application from my credit
union. I did print a page from the site we are discussing all of this on and
it didn't ask for a file name to print to. I am getting a message from Adobe
reader asking me to go to manage add-ons in Interet Explorer and enable
add-ones from Adobe. Would this message cause the printing problems I'm
having?
Both of my printers are HPs if that helps.
I'm at a loss and getting desperate to be able to print these forms I need.


-
my_realtor (Linda)

 

[Tim Meddick]

Linda, You say that the 'Print to file' box is not checkmarked?

If you can say that, have you seen the 'Print to...' dialogue we have
been talking about?

What I asked you to do wasn't too hard.

I needed to know what happens when you go to the top 'File' menu and
then click on the 'Print' command.

It seems to me from what you're saying that you are possibly trying to
print a PDF document from within 'Internet Explorer'.

In this case you will not get the box that we have been talking about (I
did say to use WordPad first, to try out which is your default printer).

The box that you will see is generated by Adobe Acrobat Reader and I
want you to tell me what is selected in the top box labelled 'Printer'
Name:

This is what is called a 'drop down' box, and if you click on the little
'down arrow' directly next to it, you will see an extending list of
'printers' that are installed on your system.

Make sure you know what the make of the printer you are trying to print
to is called and then select this from that 'drop down' list.

If it doesn't seem to be listed there, report back and we will take it
from there.

Well done for seeing that 'Print to file' box is not checkmarked
though.....one possible cause can be eliminated!


==

Cheers, Tim Meddick, Peckham, London.

 

[Lem]

I am trying to print forms from two different sites and from 2 different
printers. I get that same 'print to file' which is asking me for a file name
to print too. I want to print from my printers and not to a file. I have
checked to see if the box is 'ticked' and it is not. One I'm trying to print
is a form from the IRS site and the other is an application from my credit
union. I did print a page from the site we are discussing all of this on and
it didn't ask for a file name to print to. I am getting a message from Adobe
reader asking me to go to manage add-ons in Interet Explorer and enable
add-ones from Adobe. Would this message cause the printing problems I'm
having?
Both of my printers are HPs if that helps.
I'm at a loss and getting desperate to be able to print these forms I need.


-
my_realtor (Linda)

Please answer the questions about what you see in the Printers and Faxes
screen.

To (at least temporarily) avoid issues between Adobe Reader and IE,
instead of *printing* the forms, save them to your desktop. Then double
click the saved forms, Adobe Reader should open, and now you should be
able to use the File > Print command *in Adobe Reader* (and not in
Internet Explorer). When you do so, make sure that you're printing to
an actual printer.

If the problems you have been having are *only* when you attempt to
print a pdf file that is open in IE, the easiest way around that may be
to go to Control Panel > Add or Remove Software and uninstall Adobe
Reader. Then go to http://www.adobe.com/ and click on the button to
"Get Adobe Reader." Save the file to your desktop. Close IE. Double
click the Adobe Reader install file and follow the prompts.
Uninstalling and reinstalling Adobe Reader *should* reset any
communications issues between Reader and IE.

--
Lem -- MS-MVP

To the moon and back with 2K words of RAM and 36K words of ROM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Guidance_Computer
http://history.nasa.gov/afj/compessay.htm

 

[my_realtor]

Len:
For one thing, I don't know what Paul means by about posting images.
Secondly, what I see in 'Printer and Faxes' is the 2 printers I have
installed; one of them being just a printer and the other being a multi
function; printer, fax, copier. The mulit function is the defult printer.
I did print a ducument from WordPad which printed up prefectly. It seems
that I only get the 'print to file' box when I try to print from the intenet.
I don't understand the rest of the request.
I move slowly right now because I fell on Easter and broke my back, which
I've had spinal cord sugery for. I can't move as fast as I could before the
surgery so it takes me a while to get back to my computer once I've moved
from it. I'm sorry about that.
Thanks for everyone's help. I'm sure I'll get it to work properly with all
of the help I'm getting.

 

[Paul]

Len:
For one thing, I don't know what Paul means by about posting images.
Secondly, what I see in 'Printer and Faxes' is the 2 printers I have
installed; one of them being just a printer and the other being a multi
function; printer, fax, copier. The mulit function is the defult printer.
I did print a ducument from WordPad which printed up prefectly. It seems
that I only get the 'print to file' box when I try to print from the intenet.
I don't understand the rest of the request.
I move slowly right now because I fell on Easter and broke my back, which
I've had spinal cord sugery for. I can't move as fast as I could before the
surgery so it takes me a while to get back to my computer once I've moved
from it. I'm sorry about that.
Thanks for everyone's help. I'm sure I'll get it to work properly with all
of the help I'm getting.

If you want to share a picture, you use a web site on the Internet to do
that.

You upload your picture to the website. Visit the imageshack.us site
and follow the instructions. Upload your picture.

"My_realtor" --> imageshack.us

Then, you post a URL, telling us where it is stored on the Internet.
(The imageshack.us site should tell you, where the picture is stored,
so you can find it later.)

http://www.imageshack.us/pictures/1234567.jpg

We can then click on that link, when we read your posting,
and see your picture.

imageshack.us --> "the audience"

So you don't post the picture itself in one of these discussion
forums, you post an Internet link (URL) instead, telling
us where to find the picture.

Paul