Microsoft KB Archive/254401

= Visio: Cannot Print Visio Drawings on an HP Pen Plotter =

PSS ID Number: 254401

Article Last Modified on 6/4/2003

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Technical Edition
 * Microsoft Visio 2000 Enterprise Edition
 * Microsoft Visio Standard 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Professional 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Technical 5.0x
 * Microsoft Visio Enterprise 5.0x

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This article was previously published under Q254401



SYMPTOMS
When you print a Visio drawing on an HP pen plotter that is not set as the default printer in Windows and is using version 2.3 of the HPGL printer driver, Visio prints the drawing to the default printer.

If the HP pen plotter is set as the default printer, you may receive a General Protection Fault error message. In some cases, when you click Ignore, the drawing is printed successfully.

This problem can occur with any version of Visio. Visio 5.0 and later versions include Page Break and Print Preview features that require more interaction with a printer driver to display a drawing accurately.



RESOLUTION
Because the HPGL 2.3 driver has not been updated for full compatibility with Windows 95 or later, Microsoft cannot guarantee that all Visio versions will work with it, or, if they do, that you will get consistent results. However, you might be able to print some drawings successfully using the following suggestions:
 * Install a different printer driver.

If your plotter is compatible with the HPGL/2 language, install the most recent HPGL/2 printer driver that Hewlett-Packard provides.
 * Set your plotter as the default printer.

If your plotter is not compatible with the HPGL/2 language, set the plotter as the default printer in Control Panel.
 * Do not use the Page Breaks and Print Preview features.

To turn off the Page Breaks feature, on the View menu, click Page Breaks to uncheck the command.
 * Use a different video driver.

Try using the VGA or SuperVGA video driver that is included with Microsoft Windows. For information about changing a video driver, please see your Windows documentation.
 * Paste your drawing into another program.

Another program, such as Microsoft Word, may not require the same information from the plotter driver to print documents as Visio does.

NOTE: Microsoft recommends that you save your Visio drawing frequently, especially before you attempt to print it on the plotter.



MORE INFORMATION
For information about how to contact Hewlett-Packard, click the appropriate article number in the following list to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

65416 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, A-K

60781 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, L-P

60782 Hardware and Software Third-Party Vendor Contact List, Q-Z

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.

Keywords: KB254401

Technology: kbVisio2000Search kbVisio500xSearch kbVisioSearch kbZNotKeyword3

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