Printing Envelopes with the HP DeskJet 550C or 560C

Last reviewed: October 10, 1997
Article ID: Q95403
The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c

SYMPTOMS

In Word for Windows, when you use the Create Envelope command to print a Number 10 envelope using the Hewlett-Packard (HP) DeskJet printer driver (DESKJETC.DRV) version 3.0 or 3.1 on the HP DeskJet 550C or 560C printer, the envelope may print incorrectly. If you set a printer heuristic (+544), envelopes may print correctly. To ensure that your envelope prints correctly every time, however, use one of the following printer drivers supplied by Microsoft and set a printer heuristic (+544):

  • Microsoft HP DeskJet 540c, 550C, or 560C (monochrome) printer driver version 2.0 (HPDSKJET.DRV). This driver ships with Windows for Workgroups.
  • Microsoft HP DeskJet printer driver version 2.1 (HPDSKJET.DRV) dated 12/07/92, available from the MSDL.

Word for Windows version 6.0 does not use printer hueristics to contol printer functionality. To change printer functionality choose Options from the Envelopes and Lables dialog box. Under the Envelope Options dialog box categoty Printing Options you can set the Feed method (orientation and location) of the envelope.

MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft recommends that you use the Microsoft HP DeskJet 540c, 550C, or 560C (monochrome) printer driver version 2.0 or printer driver version 2.1 to print envelopes using the Create Envelope command in Word for Windows. When you use one of these Microsoft printer drivers, you must set the HPDSKJET=+544 printer heuristic to print envelopes correctly. See the "Printer Heuristic DESKJETC=+544 and HPDSKJET=+544" section below for information.

  • The HPDSKJET.DRV version 2.0 printer driver is supplied with Microsoft Windows for Workgroups version 3.1.
  • The HPDSKJET.DRV version 2.10 printer driver is available via modem from the MSDL (Microsoft Download Service), at (425) 936-6735. Download the file titled, HPDSKJET.EXE.

If you are printing any size envelopes except COM-10 to an HP Deskjet 1200C printer using version 2.20 of the driver (HPPCL5E.DRV), you may need to set a printer heuristic of HPPCL5C=+548 in order to get them to print correctly. This heuristic may not work with all custom size envelopes. For these envelopes, you must format a letter size document for landscape, and then increase the top and left margins to create a working area the size of the envelope.

For more information about the MSDL, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   WDL.TXT and MSDL and library and information and Win3

Troubleshooting Incorrect Envelope Output

When your envelope prints incorrectly, one of the following occurs:

  • Word displays the following error message:

          Margins are set outside of the Unprintable Region.
    

    If you choose the OK button, your envelope prints in the correct position, but the address may be truncated.

        -or-
    
  • The envelope address does not print on the envelope at all. When this happens, the envelope may be printing on the left instead of the right side of the printer. To determine whether the envelope address is printing on the left side of the printer or not at all, print the envelope on a piece of letter-sized paper.

        -or-
    
  • Using the printer driver version 2.10, the envelope must placed into the paper tray the opposite direction of the diagram in the paper tray of the printer. If the envelope is placed in the tray correctly, the address will print in the opposite corner of the envelope.

If nothing prints on the letter-sized paper, check the following:

  1. From the Tools menu, choose Options. Under the Print Category, make sure these settings are correct:

    a. The Reverse Print Order option should be cleared.

    b. The Draft Output option should be cleared.

  2. Note: This setting applies only to the Microsoft HP DeskJet 540c, 550c, or 560c printer driver versions 1.2 (DESKJET.DRV), 2.0 (HPDSKJET.DRV), and 2.10 (HPDSKJET.DRV)

    From the File menu, choose Print Setup. Select the DeskJet printer and choose the Setup button. The Resolution setting should be 300 DPI.

  3. If the envelope feeds through the printer blank, check to ensure that the 1.1 (DESKJET.DRV) version of the driver is not being used. This driver shipped with Windows version 3.1. This driver does not support the DeskJet 550.

Printer Heuristic DESKJETC=+544 and HPDSKJET=+544

If your envelope address prints on the left instead of the right side of the printer, heuristic DESKJETC=+544 may correct the problem. This printer heuristic sometimes, but not always, prints envelopes correctly on the DeskJet 540c, 550c, or 560c. Heuristic 544 forces Windows to print the envelope in reverse landscape orientation. Without this printer heuristic, the DeskJet 540c, 550c, or 560c prints envelopes in portrait mode by default. The following are the heuristics used for the HP DeskJet 550c:

  • Using the printer driver DESKJET.DRV from HP: Deskjetc=+544
  • Using either printer driver from Microsoft: HPDSKJET=+544

For information on setting printer heuristics, query on the following words in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   newmacro.doc and functionality and printer and heuristics

HP DeskJet 540c, 550C, or 560C Printer Driver Notes

  • HP DeskJet printer driver version 3.0 (DESKJETC.DRV) is supplied by HP for use with Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1.
  • HP DeskJet printer driver version 2.0 (HPDSKJET.DRV) is supplied by Microsoft for use with Windows version 3.1.
  • HP DeskJet printer driver version 2.10 (HPDSKJET.DRV) is supplied by Microsoft for use with Windows version 3.1.

The DESKJETC.DRV printer driver is manufactured by Hewlett-Packard, a vendor independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding this product's performance or reliability. Contact Hewlett-Packard Technical Support at (208) 323-2551.

Hewlett-Packard has confirmed a problem with inconsistent envelope printing using their driver.

The HP printer drivers included here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.

REFERENCES

"HP Deskjet 550C User's Guide," pages 2-13 to 2-15.


KBCategory: kbprint
KBSubcategory:
Additional query words: 2.0 2.0a 2.0a-CD 2.0b 2.0c 3.10 win3x
winword2 winword deskjet chopped off hpdj


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Last reviewed: October 10, 1997
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