Microsoft KB Archive/23462

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DOSWord: Troubleshooting Techniques for Printer Problems

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Q23462

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Word for MS-DOS, version 3.x

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SUMMARY
TIP: If you're looking for information about Word for MS-DOS, see the Word for MS-DOS support Help file. For details about how to obtain this help file, click the Qnumber below to see the KB article:

"Q248810 Word MS-DOS Help File Available: KB Articles About Word for MS-DOS"

You can check the following things to find the cause of a printing problem:


 * 1) Check if the printer is plugged in and on line.
 * 2) Check to see if the printer switches are set correctly.
 * 3) See if the printer cable is secure.
 * 4) Check if there are correct settings in Print options.
 * 5) See if text has been formatted correctly.

MORE INFORMATION
If the problem occurs with all files, it is often useful to see if the printer will print correctly from DOS. Check what port is listed in Word under "Print Options setup:". Quit out of Word and use the DOS COPY command to copy some text to that port. For example, enter the following:

'''COPY CON LPT1:

This is a test.

^Z''' (The ^Z is typed by holding down the CONTROL key and typing Z). If all is well, the computer should respond "1 file copied" and the printer on LPT1: should print out "This is a test." If it does not, there is something wrong with the basic communication between the computer and the printer.

There are several variables involved in the printing process that it may be useful to vary, one at a time. The most common ones are the printer, the cable, the computer, the document file, the copy of the PRD, the copy of Word, and the version of DOS.

The order in which to try varying each of these may be suggested by the nature of the problem. As in any logical investigation, it is best to keep all other variables the same while only one is changed. Thus, if a different cable is used, all other variables are the same, and the problem goes away, then it is safe to assume that the cable was the problem. However if the computer and the cable and the version of DOS are changed and the problem goes away, still more investigation will have to be done to better determine exactly which caused the problem.

Do a Print File from Word of a document that exhibits the problem. Print File will send exactly the same character stream as Print Printer, but will send it to a file on disk rather than to the printer. The Print File can then be examined to determine exactly what text and what control codes Word is sending out to the printer. The Print File can be examined via any method by which files are normally viewed (including the DOS TYPE command, or loading it into Word), but a utility such as DOS DEBUG (that is designed specifically for viewing the innards of a file) is best.

The printer manual and the text version of the Word PRD for that printer can be used in conjunction with the Print File from Word to determine whether or not Word is sending appropriate characters. If Word is sending out the appropriate characters, then the problem lies with something the character stream encounters after Word has sent it and is through with it.

Additional query words:

Keywords : kbprint

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