Excel will not print in black

[Guest]

I am not able to print an Excel worksheet in black, but it will print in
color. I am using XP Home Edition and Office 2003 Suite. I have reinstalled
the printer driver and it will still not work. I also cannot print
envelopes. Any suggestions?

 

[Earl Kiosterud]

Schuster,

Can you print in black in other applications? Could you be out of black
ink?

 

[Guest]

I can print Word documents in black, mail messages, Quicken, etc. My test
page print looks fine

 

[Mike H]

I am not able to print an Excel worksheet in black, but it will print in
color. I am using XP Home Edition and Office 2003 Suite. I have reinstalled
the printer driver and it will still not work. I also cannot print
envelopes. Any suggestions?

There's so little information that it's hard to take even a guess,
Schuster.

* What printer are you using? Does a printer test sheet look fine?
* Does the worksheet contain both color and black text or objects?
* When you say "not able to print in black", do you mean color objects
show up but black ones don't? or do you mean if you set your printer
properties to print black/greyscale only you get nothing? Are you also
saying that if you set printer properties to print in color all is fine?
* Are you using Excel page setup print properties to set color or b/w,
or are you setting the default printer properties?

 

[Guest]

I am using an HP deskjet 820Cxi. The printer test sheet looks fine. The
worksheet is a simple one with only one color. If set to automatic color or
black in Excel (using the toolbar icon), nothing shows up although the
printer sounds as if it is printing. If I change the data color to a
specific color it prints fine. If I set the print to black and white through
page set up, I also get nothing. I have also tried changing the printer
properties and have had no success. Word will print in black (except for
envelopes) as will Quicken, but Excel will not.. .. Your questions prompted
me to try changing part of the data to color and part to black and everything
prints fine. Go figure!

 

[Mike H]

Well, I'm kind of wondering if your black cartridge is working. HP
drivers will often print "quality" black by mixing the colors. Hence, an
application that allowed that would work fine. To be honest, though,
it's usually the other way around-a malfunctioning tri-color cartridge
causing tints when black is desired.

Also, Excel (as well as PowerPoint and Publisher) sometimes have issues
if print quality is other than "normal".

Do you have a spare black cartridge to try?

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your suggestions. Print quality is set at normal. I do not have
a spare cartridge but will get one and try that. What was confusing to me is
that the problem is application dependent. Thanks for your help.

 

[Mike H]

That it's application-dependent is not surprising at all. I hope you do
post back if you solve the problem.