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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Illustrator CS2 not printing to HP4M

Richard Adams - Aug 25, 2006 - 10:30 am

Hi

Thank you for this service. I searched the forums and could not find an answer for this issue (although I found answers for about five other things).

I have upgraded from CS to CS2. All applications print to my HP4M but Illustrator. If I create a CS2 file and import it into CS it will print but not from CS2.

Any ideas? I tried to download the latest ? drivers from HP however it seems that I need WinZip to expand OS 10 drivers.

I am using a G5 DP2.0 with 3.5 Gb ram and OS 10.4.7(8j135), Darwin 8.7.0

The HP driver version 10.4, PPD 1.1.0X, Postscript version (2011.110) 1.

Thanks

Rick

gsahli - Aug 25, 2006 - 1:43 pm

Rick,
I don't use Illustrator, but somewhere in the menus is a setting for ASCII vs binary postscript output. HP says their printers prefer ASCII.

Let me know where you find it (and that it works).

Richard Adams - Aug 26, 2006 - 4:19 am

Hi

Thank you for this.

In the Illustrator help file it describes;

To change the PostScript level for printing
When you print to a PostScript or PDF file, Illustrator automatically selects the PostScript level of your output device. If you want to change the Postscript level or data format for PostScript files, do the following:
Choose File > Print.
For Printer, select Adobe PostScript® File or Adobe PDF.
Select Graphics on the left side of the Print dialog box.
For PostScript, select the level of compatibility with the interpreters in PostScript output devices.
Level 2 improves the printing speed and output quality of graphics printed on a PostScript Level 2 or greater output device. Level 3 provides the best speed and output quality on a PostScript 3 device.
(Optional) If you chose Adobe PostScript® File as the printer, select a Data Format option to specify how Illustrator sends the image data from your computer to a printer.
Binary exports the image data as binary code, which is more compact than ASCII but may not be compatible with all systems. ASCII exports the image data as ASCII text, which is compatible with older networks and parallel printers and is usually the best choice for graphics used on multiple platforms. It is also usually the best choice for documents used only on Mac OS systems.

So I tried this and the process created a .PS file on the desktop. I dragged the .PS file onto the HP4M printer icon to print it. The printer flashed like it was receiving something to print and then stopped. The desktop printer box showed no job printing. This is exactly the same as if I chose print from Illustrator.

So I am still looking for a possible solution. I was on Adobe's forum and someone there posted the same problem. I commented to the thread yet Adobe has not posted a response.

Thank you very much for this. Like Spock said, once you eliminate all that it's not, you are left with what it is.

Thanks

Rick

gsahli - Aug 26, 2006 - 4:50 am

So, there's no way to choose ASCII and print straight to the printer?

Did you try opening the .ps file in Preview and printing it? (For more troubleshooting, that is)

Have you tried RESET Printing System (a menu item in Printer Setup)?

Richard Adams - Aug 26, 2006 - 5:48 am

Hi Again.

The .PS file will open with Preview after it is converted to PDF and It will print to the HP4M (as will every other program but Illustrator CS2). So now I have a work around however inelegant it is.

I tried to look for the reset printing system you mentioned and there doesn’t seem to be one in Illustrator. So I looked in the system prefs under print and fax. There doesn’t seem to be a reset in there either, however it would seem that the printer is working and configured fine. It's just Illustrator CS2 that has a problem.

I would welcome any other suggestions but thanks for the workaround.

Rick

gsahli - Aug 26, 2006 - 9:11 am

When you run Printer Setup Utility, "Reset Printing System" is found just above Quit Printer Setup.
This can be helpful by resetting preferences and permissions for the postsript pre-print filters in the CUPS printing system.

Richard Adams - Aug 27, 2006 - 4:44 am

Hi

I did the reset printer and that deleted the printers in the list. I readded the laserjet 4 and Adobe PDF and tried again. As usual, the light on the printer flashes like it's getting a job and then stops, nothing prints. So this didn't change anything.

Thank you.

gsahli - Aug 27, 2006 - 5:48 am

Running out of ideas here:
Please try the alternate driver HP Laserjet 4 Series, Gimp-Print, that is included in OS X.

Richard Adams - Sep 2, 2006 - 3:51 am

Hi

Last Sunday I had to take my Mac in for service. The fan always runs at high speed. They need to order a part and let me have it back for the long weekend. The first thing I did was check my mail and respond to your post. I'm sorry but there was nothing I could do.

What is Gimp-Print?

Thanks

Rick

gsahli - Sep 2, 2006 - 5:35 am

Gimp-Print is a set of open-source printer drivers included by Apple in OS X.

Richard Adams - Sep 3, 2006 - 6:15 am

Hi

I tried searching for Gimp-Print and I couldn't find a driver by that name. When I try to change the "Print Using" in the printer browser for the HP4M, it's not in the list of available drivers. Even the Apple drivers are for the actual products, no Gimp-Print.

I did however notice that although I connect to the printer through an ethernet cable to a hub and then to the printer, the dialouge box says that I am using AppleTalk, if that makes a difference. However as I have said, I think that this is more an Illustrator problem since every other program will print to the HP4M.

Thanks

Rick

gsahli - Sep 3, 2006 - 9:37 am

The Gimp-Print drivers are mingled with HP drivers in the HP printer brand group. The HP Laserjet 4 Series model is probably out of numerical order - but unless you did a "custom" install of OS X, it's difinitely there.

Appletalk doesn't matter in this instance.

Richard Adams - Sep 4, 2006 - 6:19 am

Good Morning.

I just ran a quick test with the gimp=print and it worked.

Thank you very much for helping me with this. I hope it will work with all my Illustrator files.

Thank you so very much, I really appreciate the time you spent with me on this.

Richard Adams

gsahli - Sep 4, 2006 - 2:15 pm

Please let me know if Illustrator prints.