TIFF Image Prints with a Vertical Line on Some HP LaserJets

ID: Q106219

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Windows for Workgroups versions 3.1, 3.11
Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a
Microsoft PowerPoint for Windows, version 3.0

SYMPTOMS

When you print a scaled TIFF image from Word for Windows to a Hewlett- Packard (HP) LaserJet III or 4 printer, a vertical line may print on the left side of the TIFF image when you are using certain printer drivers. (The line may also appear on the right side, or at a corner.)

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you are using any version of the HPPCL5A.DRV or HPPCL5E.DRV (except 31.1.26) drivers. The following is a list of the affected printers and driver versions:

HPPCL5A.DRV - (ships with Windows 3.1 and Word 2.0)
Printers Affected: III, IIID, IIISi, and IIIP
Driver version(s): 31.3.89

HPPCL5E.DRV - (available from HP)
Printers affected: 4, 4L, 4M, 4Si, 4SiMX, 4ML, and 4P
Driver versions: 31.1.03, 31.1.08, 31.1.12a, 31.1.18, 31.1.20, and 31.1.25

Tektronics Phaser II postscript driver 3.58.(Apple LaserWriter II NT has been used as a workaround.)

The vertical line does not print if you use the HP LaserJet Series III printer driver version 2.1 (HPPCL5MS.DRV) or the LaserJet 4 printer driver version 31.1.26 (HPPCL5E.DRV).

WORKAROUND

Use one of the workarounds below:

If you are using a LaserJet III, obtain its newest printer driver, HPPCL5MS.DRV version 2.1.

If you are using a LaserJet 4, obtain its newest printer driver, HPPCL5E.DRV version 31.1.26, which is available from Hewlett-Packard.

Scale the graphic to a different size. The vertical line prints only at certain horizontal-vertical size ratios. Slightly increasing or decreasing one of these dimensions may prevent the vertical line from printing.

From the Format menu, choose Picture and crop 0.01 inch from the area where the line appears.

This is a problem in the original LaserJet III (HPPCL5A.DRV) driver code. The same code was also used in the LaserJet 4 (HPPCL5E.DRV) driver. The new LaserJet III driver (HPPCL5MS.DRV) does not use any of the old code and therefore the problem does not occur with that driver.

STATUS

HP has confirmed this to be a problem when you print TIFF or PCX images using the printer drivers listed above. For more information, contact Hewlett-Packard Technical Support or access the HPPER forum on CompuServe.

Additional query words: w4wprint 2.00a 2.00a-CD 2.00b 2.00c macppt winppt wfw wfwg

Keywords :
Version : WINDOWS:2.0,2.0a,2.0a-CD,2.0b,2.0c,3.0,3.1,3.11,6.0,6.0a
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type :