Re: Can't print from Word 2008 (Excel prints OK)

Not that we men gotta stick together:-) but your hubby's methodology [IMHO]
is right in line with standard troubleshooting procedure. If something can
be configured in more than one way & the current way doesn't work, it's no
guarantee that the other options won't. Testing each option is instrumental
in narrowing down the field & isolating the source of the problem. However,
there's one widespread misconception that comes in to play here...

The fact is that Word (or any other application program) doesn't *print*
anything. It allows the user to create & modify the files that get printed.
Printing , however, is actually handled by the printer driver software & the
OS. The program you're printing from simply calls for the service when
needed. What sometimes makes this hard to accept is a situation such as
yours - where "one program 'prints' and another 'doesn't print'", but the OS
offers different levels of print services & each app calls specific ones.
Additionally, the file structure used by each program is different -
spreadsheets aren't the same as word processing documents which aren't the
same as pictures, etc., & not all programs of the same type call the same
services. It's a bit more involved than it appears on the surface - but it's
designed to *look* simple... And so it does when it works:-)

Throw in the network configuration & that adds another dozen or so
considerations into the mix - especially with the TCP/IP which is then
acting as an interpreter. There's a lot of communication & translation going
on and the breakdown could be anywhere along the line. If the problem goes
away once permissions are repaired & with the printer directly connected to
a local system it pretty much points the finger at the server configuration.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 6/16/08 10:04 PM, in article
n-FE6919.19043916062008@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Odd" <n@xxxxx> wrote:

I have not tried every possible application. But I have tried several,
including Excel. It's only Word that I can't print from.

My spousal unit inserts that the following paragraphs are all a red
herring due to the previous paragraph...

We had a server in pre-Mac days. And we swapped to a TCP printer to be
able to turn the server off and save electricity. If we attach it to
A's computer then A's computer must be switched on for B to print. And
vice versa. Which is a waste of electricity.

We currently have our printer connected to a Buffalo USB Print Server,
which itself is connected to our local network. Sorry for not having
described that earlier ... I'm just now understanding it ... my spousal
unit has set all this up.

He restates that the key information is in the first paragraph. And
he's trying to convince me to connect directly to the printer to
determine whether this is some kind of network issue that Word can 't
cope with, or whether Word is simply being stubborn (and probably
female). This stubborn female says it's not a usable solution so why
waste the effort ... <am I wrong?>


B


In article <C47BB19E.3D4FF%onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
CyberTaz <onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

After reviewing your messages again a few other points:

It sounds like there are other programs that you can't print with as well -
is it the same issue? Different in some way?

Have you tried connecting the printer to one system & designating it as a
shared printer rather than going the TCP/IP route? {System Preferences>
Sharing - Printer Sharing]

I'm also curious as to whether updating to 10.5.3 might make a difference.

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 6/16/08 12:29 AM, in article C47B6450.3D4F1%onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx,
"CyberTaz" <onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Have you tried repairing disk permissions & restarting your Mac?

How about the suggestion from john McGhie?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 6/15/08 12:09 PM, in article
n-24E3DC.09094015062008@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Odd" <n@xxxxx> wrote:

My printer is an Epson Stylus Photo R260. I installed the latest driver
from Epson (I think it was already up-to-date.)

When I set up a print queue I am offered two possible drivers - "EPSON
SP R260 Series" or
"Epson Stylus Photo R260 - CUPS+Gutenprint v5.1.6.

I am using the Gutenprint driver, because with the other driver none of
my applications can print ... I always get a communication error. With
the Gutenprint driver my Word print-preview will not show me any file
contents and only a blank *** of paper comes from my printer. With
the non-Gutenprint driver my Word print-preview shows me my file
contents, but I can't print due to the communication error.

I'd be tempted to assign it all to incorrect printer hardware setup,
except that with the Gutenprint driver I can print from almost all of my
applications - including Excel, but not with Word.

I don't have a different printer available. And I haven't tried
connecting the printer directly to my iMac since it needs to be shared
with everyone else at our house. So that wouldn't be a useful solution.


B


In article <C479F454.3D3FB%onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx>,
CyberTaz <onlygeneraltaz1@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Even more fundamental - Have you checked to see if there is a more
current
driver available for the printer?

Do you have another printer available? Can you print to it?

What happens if you create a PDF?

Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac



On 6/14/08 10:05 PM, in article
n-5D4421.19053314062008@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Odd" <n@xxxxx> wrote:

Hi,

I opened word, and typed "Are We There Yet?" into the (I assume new)
file. Use File>Print and ensured it explicitly chose my printer (made
sure it was connected).

But my printer presented me with a blank *** of paper. (As does the
Mac OS print preview, so I think my printer is printing me exactly what
the Mac OS print preview sees).

I then tried to use the toolbar 'print' button, but it still complained
that it "couldn't communicate with the printer ... ". So I think it
somehow can't communicate with my Mac OS.

Thanks for the suggestion. All experiments are useful ... even those
that don't provide the hoped-for result.

More ideas, anyone?


B



In article <C47AA7EC.1608B%john@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
John McGhie <john@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Use File>Print (i.e. Choose Print from the File menu).

The Print button on the toolbar uses whatever print setup was stored
when
you last printed something. In a new installation it can pick up some
strange settings. That error message should read "Word cannot
communicate
with the printer that has been stored for use with the Print button,
please
choose another printer!" Even if it is the same printer, it may now
have
a
different IP address :-)

Go to File>Print and explicitly choose your printer (make sure it is
connected at the time).

Once you do that, Word will hold that setting and the toolbar button
will
work.

Cheers


On 15/06/08 8:28 AM, in article
n-3D3B1D.15581014062008@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Odd" <n@xxxxx> wrote:

Hi,

I'm using Mac OS X 10.5.2 and Microsoft Office 2008. I have the
latest
Office updates from Microsoft.

I have never been able to print from Word. My printer is networked,
using TCP/IP.

If I use the Word 'Print Preview' then I can see my document in the
preview. If I use the Max OS X print preview then all I see is a
blank
page. If I try to print from the print button on the Word toolbar, it
complain that "Word cannot communicate with your printer".

But I can print from other applications (Firefox, Text Wrangler). I
can
even print from Excel! But I can't print from Word.

Does anyone have anything to suggest? TIA for any help ...


B


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