Known Printer Problems

• Acrobat files may not print from Windows to the pr483 QMS 860 printer. This printer is a Level 2 PostScript and most current Acrobat files contain Level 3 PostScript commands in them.
• The pr473 HP printer is also a Level 2 PostScript printer and will not print Level 3 PostScript files. You will need to set your application to print Level 2 PostScript only.
• It is recommended that you not print manual paperfeed jobs from UNIX where the printer must pause and wait for the manual feed tray to be loaded.
• Level 3 PostScript commands primarily deal with the "color" definitions and commands, and are the primary cause of printing problems on Level 2 PostScript printers.
• Problems printing PhotoShop files. Some Adobe PhotoShop files contain binary information prior to the %!PS, and following the %EOF. To properly print these files you must remove the binary information from the begin and the end of the file. This especially applies to people who must incorporate them into (La)TeX documents using dvips.
• All PostScript files must contain %!PS as the first 4 characters. If your file doesn't print, this is a likely cause.
• PostScript files received by email may contain aberrant characters, at the end of line, or beginning of new lines. Binary portions of files received by email may be truncated, and will not print.
• Problems with lpr and EPS files. EPS files are "encapsulated" and contain no "printer specific" information. To print an EPS file using the lpr file.eps command you need to have a "utility wrapper" surrounding this code.
• Web pages and PDF files containing graphics are a whole "other" issue -- many of them cannot be printed because they were incorrectly made to begin with.
• If a PDF was made with special fonts that are not installed on a printer the file will not print correctly. Authors should be encouraged to embed all fonts into their pdf document to avoid this problem.

Last Updated: 09 Mar 2005