Printing problems after switching to FMPro v.7

[Matthew F]

We upgraded our databases from FMPro v.6 to v.7.3 and immediately encountered printing problems. This appears to be independent of the computer we're printing from although all are running Mac OS X v.10.3.5 or 10.3.7. Our printer is a 100BaseT networked HP LaserJet 4050N with 8 MB of RAM. I state this because the printer gives an "Out of Memory" error with an FMPro v.7 reports in excess of 4 pages.

I've noticed that FMPro v.7 creates unusually large files. For example a 15 page report when saved as a PDF is 3.4 MB in size and also won't print more than the first 4 pages from the Preview program. Previously, in FMPro v.6, using the same report layout, a 26 page report was only 344 KB. I think the new files are excessively large because other PDFs I have (e.g. FMPro Help Documents) are only 2 MB in size and number over 50 pages. We've never encountered 'Out of Memory' errors previously so I think there may be something else wrong with the files other than there sheer size. Reducing the print resolution at the printer from the default of Auto*1200 to 300 dpi didn't help. Although we can print pp.1-4, we can't print pp.5-8, etc.

Has anyone encountered this problem or have suggestions?

[Mysterwriter]

1/8/05

I have had profound problems printing after upgrading from version 6 to 7, and have contacted FileMaker about it. They don't know what to do at this time. After converting, I can not print what is on the screen. When I go to print from Browse mode, I get columns and lists with one file. With another file, most of the page is missing. Another one has a different problem. Now I am discovering that sometimes opening a particular file can't be done without locating some other file which is not in my scripts. The situation is terrible. Please contact Filemaker to let them know.

[Matthew F]

What do your files look like in Preview mode?

[OnTheOutside]

We have the same issues. We are often doing crazy workarounds such as saving as pdf, then reducing PDF size via Acrobat Pro or just printing one page at a time direct from FM.

Our HP 4050 printers were upgraded to max memory, we routed print jobs thru a print server and we still have this issue. We also get 79.000 errors which are non-specific memory problems on HP LaserJet printers. Egad! Does anyone have suggestions?

[Matthew F]

Well I guess I'm not the only one with this problem. However, I also gather that it is not a universal problem. I have an unrelated FMPro v.6 database that I converted to FMPro v.7 and it doesn't exhibit this behavior. In the latter case the PDF output is 60 kB in v.6 but still only 70 kB in v.7. There may be some specific attributes in the design of databases or layouts which causes printout to balloon to a huge size in FMPro v.7.

[Matthew F]

The problem with excessively large print jobs was solved by converting all of my fonts to Helvetica. When scannning through the raw PDF data I noticed what looked like a lot of space going to embedded fonts. I don't know which of the fonts were the culprits.

[Matthew F]

When I found out that Helvetica is not a standard font for PCs I tried switching all of the fonts to Arial since this font is common to Mac and PC platforms. However, this brought back the problem excessively large print jobs (at least when generated from a Mac). Again, switching all of my fonts from Arial back to Helvetica fixed the problem by reducing the size of a 13 page print job from 10 MB to 1 MB.

[chemparrot]

I am having this problem too - am having to print reports with about 5000-6000 records, about 50 pages, but cannot print anything over about 15-20 pages. If I save them as PDFs, 15 pages = 8.4 MB, 36 pages = 21 MB. I will look at what fonts are used (though I think everything is pretty much in Helvetica), but I do need to include some special characters for footnoting purposes.

This is something that FileMaker really needs to do something about!

[Matthew F]

Filemaker states that "out of memory" printing errors are still a problem with FileMaker v.8 and is associated with certain fonts in Mac OS X. The cuprits they mention are Helvetica, Times, Skia, and Hoefler. See Filemaker's Knowledgebase article #5545 for details.

[Matthew F]

Filmaker Pro v8.02 appears to have finally solved the printing problem on Mac OS X. This problem first appeared in FM Pro v.7 and affected all of our G4 Macs running OS X while printing to HP LaserJet printers. Installation of 8.02 made the "Out of Memory" printing errors disappear. :)