printing crashes filemaker

[ieuuk]

Hi all,

I have a random problem when my users try to print from filemaker the client crashes. This has only started happening when we upgraded the server and the users from fm 8.0 to fm 9.0v3.

Has anyone had a similar issue and managed to resolve it?

Thanks,

ieuuk

[Ocean West]

are you trying to print a specific page - like Page 5 -10 from a 20 page report?

On the mac I have seen this.

[ieuuk]

no, not really - we have a different view which people change to so that it fits nicely on a page and then the user goes and selects file > print.

I tried disabling one users windows firewall and they have been ok for a while and another user managed to fix it by printing to a different printer and then trying to use the same one again.

The other strange thing is that even though filemaker crashes what you printed still comes out.

I'm at a real loss with this one... any suggestions are welcome

[bdam]

You're not the only one; we're having the same issue in our Citrix environment. You hit print, and FileMaker just dies.

Edited April 15, 2008 by Guest

[ieuuk]

it's so annoying - i need to get the crash report off of one of our pcs and will send it off to filemaker... see if i get anything that way.

thanks,

ieuuk

[mr_vodka]

You're not the only one; we're having the same issue in our Citrix environment. You hit print, and FileMaker just dies.

We have run into big time issues with Citrix and printing (more so lately)... and I believe it has something to do with this:

http://filemaker.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/filemaker.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=6335

Since a lot of our printers do not have native drivers that Citrix recognizes, we have to translate them through a proxy and by doing that it adds characters even on top of the IP.

This has becomes a critical issue for us at this point. The printing issues go beyond retaining the default printer. I have come to the conclusion Citrix and FileMaker hate each other when involving printing.

[bdam]

Sweet goodness; so I'm not the only one with both the default printer and crashing problem in Citrix!

My recent experience with PDF Errors (thread here) suggests to me that reporting a bug via FM's form isn't going to do much good.

If you have a problem the best thing to do is to document the issue as well as you can, and start a flat fee ($45) call with FM Tech support. If first level doesn't give you a good answer just keep at it and get up to the second level support. It was only at that point, after a week of back and for with first level, that they told me it was a known error and then closed the ticket.

Edited April 16, 2008 by Guest

[bdam]

At the tail end of my PDF case I asked if there were any known printing issues that would cause FM to crash. The answer was no, they are not aware of any such problem.

[LaRetta]

I asked if there were any known printing issues that would cause FM to crash. The answer was no, they are not aware of any such problem.

Not surprising really ...

[fabriceN]

Just to report that we have the same problem, with some clients. All macs. :

Not solved till now :

[bdam]

Just to be clear, you're talking about local Mac clients? Or Mac clients running Citrix?

[fabriceN]

Just simple local network.

All have Adobe Acrobat 8 installed, which is just an idea because it might be related to printing.

[aholtzapfel]

I have seen this problem.

FM's Explanation

pay close attention to the part that says "...or if the layout contains an object that is being clipped between two pages." (I know they say this is resolved but that has not been my experiance). If any part of the layout is clipped it will still crash, differant printers have differant "printable areas" and it may work on some printers but not others, If you have a line on a layout that "bleeds" off the side of the page it crashes everytime. I have played with this a little and have redone a couple of print layouts so that everything is well inside the printable area and it did fix the problem. (Of course I have 100+ print layouts and close to 20 printers on the network that could be used and have not taken the time to fix and test all of them and have not put FM9 in genreal use because of this issue.)

Good Luck,

Allen

[bdam]

Allen, if you can reliably reproduce the problem then do the FM world a favor and open a tech call with FileMaker for $45. If you can reproduce it in 9.v03 and logically pin it down to the issue you linked to then they'll have to address it or at least admit it's still a problem. If it's a problem with FM itself they'll refund $45. If it's not and they fix it then you just saved yourself a ton of work for $45.

[aholtzapfel]

if you can reliably reproduce the problem

I can. (So could you, Create a new database, 1 field, 1 layout, 1 record, and put a line on it that bleeds over the side of the page and print it. If you do this, make sure you don't have any valueable files open, as FM will crash.)

open a tech call with FileMaker for $45

Can't I'm poor, and my boss is cheap. There is not any compeling NEED for the company to use FM9 and is very difficult for me to assign enough urgency to this problem to even get the ball rolling. Best I can do is let ya'all know what I know.

All the best,

Allen

[bdam]

Hmm, I tried your suggestion with the attached file but it printed fine on several different printers.

test.zip

[aholtzapfel]

WOW! I tried it and it worked on mine too. But, try this. (All I did was resize the field.)

It now crashes everytime. It has never occured to me to make a field break across pages. :qwery:

TestThis.zip

[daj006]

We have the issue with Filemarker Pro 9.0v3 crash when a print job is sent.

Printing causes an error:

Filemaker Pro.exe has encounter a problem and needs to close.

- AppName: Filemaker pro.exe AppVer: 9.0.3.300 ModName: ntdll.dll ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset:000431a0

- Some times the WinXP Error “Filemaker Pro.exe has encounter a problem and needs to close.” Will be generated 2 or 3 times. Every time being the same details ntdll.dll

- The wkstns are Win XP sp2

- All other applications are fine. We have other large print runs with Access DB info & Mail merges, non of these have an issue.

- This error can be generated weather printing a 2 page or 600 page doc. Not limited to page sizes ie both A4 & A3 printer will receive the error.

- Sometimes on error but not consistent, the monitor display of the DB inside the Filemaker Pro window will become ‘squished/overlapping’.

The Monitor display (squishy text) doesn’t always happen, it only seems to happen on the big print jobs ie100+ pages, when it does – this is when the print job will only print a few pages & the rest blank The pages sent under the WinXP pinter doc que usually match.

Ie send 100p doc. – the Que will count 60 pages & stop, screen goes squishy, Printer will print 60 pages & 40 blank.

- Some of the print results form an error associated print request will be that some of the pages do print but the last are all blank.

- On a 600page doc. the error accrued. So they tried to cut down the amount of pages to print at a time. Ie 100 = error, 50 = error, 20pages where able to print but only twice before the error. The sent 10= error, 8 pages at a time printed ok. It was decided to send to a PDF & print PDF.

- The print jobs have been tested on Xerox & Rico printers with similar results.

- Have tested 2 Local HPs & they are still working ok, but only tested small jobs

- The issue seems to relate to any print jobs. We can’t see a pattern between print jobs with different formats/fields/or just plan text.

Test Print: pages 1-6 of a 1200 page doc.

- Sending to a networked Rico (Driver – RICO Aficio MP 3500 PCL 6) = Error

- Restart Filemaker

- Sending to Local HP1010 USB Printer = NO Error

- Send again to networked Rico = Error

Any help or ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

DaveJ

[Fancytricks]

SOLVED: This is linked to Adobe Creative Suite

We have had this issue with about 10 clients with this same issue for a long time, and doing some testing we have found that this is linked to an Adobe preference. We found this to be completely random, where it would be one computer in an office which would have this issue.

I will come back to you on Monday with the exact path of this pref file, as we deleted them all. But a heads up that we are all looking in the wrong place for this solution.

[Jalz]

Sorry Fancytricks whats been solved by removing the adobe pref file?

Please post results, I have creative suit and have been hot with some serious printing problems with FM9v3. I have other users on the network that dont have adobe creative suite, but acrobat reader and they are experiencing problems as well. FM have an open case, but have not heard from them for about 7 weeks now since I reported the problem.

[fabriceN]

Just an update. In the mean time we have found that running Onyx (freeware) to clean all the cache solves the problem.

HTH

Edited November 28, 2008 by Guest

[Jalz]

Thanks fabriceN,

We're using PC's unfortunately!

[fabriceN]

So switch to the mac, wait until you crash, then run Onyx :)

[Fancytricks]

Here is the solution as promised! yippie.

Issue: during the creation of PDF files on OS X, filemaker becomes unresponsive and then crashes.

Cause: The Adobe font preferences have been corrupted.

Resolution: Navigate to /User/username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/TypeSPT

delete the file AdobeFnt##.lst

[Mike J]

Same problem with Macs here. Creating and printing PDFs.

[Fancytricks]

Here is the solution as promised! yippie.

Issue: during the creation of PDF files on OS X, filemaker becomes unresponsive and then crashes.

Cause: The Adobe font preferences have been corrupted.

Resolution: Navigate to /User/username/Library/Application Support/Adobe/TypeSPT

delete the file AdobeFnt##.lst