can't print from PowerPoint 2002

[Guest]

I have a PPt file that displays on screen just fine. But when I try to
print, it stops at a certain point (not always the same slide). At various
times, I have been able to print it in sections. I have tried to print to a
variety of printers, some very high capacity printers, with the same results.

This file was originally created in an earlier version of PowerPoint and has
been modified over time, most recently in 2002.

 

[Guest]

Hi Bethany,

Go to the File
Go to Print
Select scale to fit paper.
Click Ok.

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

I have a PPt file that displays on screen just fine. But when I try to
print, it stops at a certain point (not always the same slide). At various
times, I have been able to print it in sections. I have tried to print to a
variety of printers, some very high capacity printers, with the same results.

This file was originally created in an earlier version of PowerPoint and has
been modified over time, most recently in 2002.

It may be that the presentation has become corrupt.

I'd run through the suggested setup steps here first:
Do this before using PowerPoint seriously
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00034.htm

Then save a copy of your file to a new name.

Then do this:
HTML "Round-tripping" to repair corruption
http://www.rdpslides.com/pptfaq/FAQ00526.htm

 

[Guest]

Thank you, but this didn't make a difference. It still stopped printing at
about the 11 MB point. No error message; just stops cold, even though the
printer queue still shows "printing."

 

[Guest]

Thank you for the suggestions, Steve. I have tried them all with no success.
One thing that is different now is that my printer queue is showing that it
errors out. Any other ideas? I sure don't want to have to re-create 45
slides of content!!

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Thank you for the suggestions, Steve. I have tried them all with no success.
One thing that is different now is that my printer queue is showing that it
errors out. Any other ideas? I sure don't want to have to re-create 45
slides of content!!

If you print the pages one at a time, do you run into any consistent problems?

 

[Guest]

Not all of the slides printed when I did them one at at time. It
essentially just skipped printing certain slides, and continued on with the
rest. So I tried deleting the slides which didn't print, thinking they may
be corrupt or have some formatting problem. I was then able to print them
individually, but stil not "in bulk."

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

Not all of the slides printed when I did them one at at time. It
essentially just skipped printing certain slides, and continued on with the
rest. So I tried deleting the slides which didn't print, thinking they may
be corrupt or have some formatting problem. I was then able to print them
individually, but stil not "in bulk."

Sounds like it's a combination of things that stress the printer AND possibly some
corrupt objects/objects that trigger printer language that printers don't like to hear
over the dinner table. ;-)

What type of printer is it specifically? You mentioned having tried several but let's
focus on the one you most commonly use for now.

Is this a PS printer? If so, see if it has a non-PS mode and try using that (might
require installing a different driver).

If you have Acrobat, try printing to that to make a PDF then print from the PDF and
choose the As Image option in the Acrobat print dialog box.

 

[Guest]

The two main printers I am using are as follows: HP LaserJet 4050TN & Xerox
Work Centre Pro 65. Both are PS printers. Unfortunately, I don't have the
ability to install a different driver to add non-PS capability, nor do I have
Acrobat (these are networked printers).

Does knowing the type of printers help you with any suggestions for me?

 

[Steve Rindsberg]

The two main printers I am using are as follows: HP LaserJet 4050TN & Xerox
Work Centre Pro 65. Both are PS printers. Unfortunately, I don't have the
ability to install a different driver to add non-PS capability, nor do I have
Acrobat (these are networked printers).

Does knowing the type of printers help you with any suggestions for me?

It helps narrow things down a bit, particularly since they're both PS printers.

If you use any of the following in your slides:

- EPS graphics
- Bitmap graphics with transparency
- Bitmap graphics that you've used the transparency tool on in PPT
- Semi-transparent fills on shapes

try removing them and see if the file now prints (working on a copy of your original, of
course!)

PPT's Postscript is never going to win any prizes, but the stuff it tosses out when you use
the things I've mentioned above is particularly horrid; makes any sensible PS printer
recoil in horror. ;-)