Printers crash

[mleiser]

I once asked about this but didn't get a resolution. We print to a number of printers, some are the same model numbers, some are differetn. Many times when we try to print the application shuts down and then it prints. This can be on different printers or even on the same model where some print some don't. I have the right drivers. It's frustrating. I'm currrently using version 9. It's not a driver problem, not a particular printer problem. What could it be? Hope someone can answer this time. Thanks.

Mike

[aholtzapfel]

does it seem to happen when you are printing to a printer other than the OS's default?

It can be prevented by changing the OS's default printer to the one you want to print to, doing a page setup manually in the file you are printing from, and then printing.

(I have created a vbs script that changes the OS defualt printer, and writes the printer to use in the registry. The next pagesetup[NoDialog] in a filemaker script should set that printer for the fm file and then it prints correctly, I use the same script to change printers in scripting in order to send some documents to one printer and others to a differant one.)

This is a bug/flaw/disgrace in the way filemaker behaves on the Windows OS and is a challenge to overcome, good luck.

[mleiser]

Unfortunately it happens to the default printer as well. It's so frustrating. Don't know what to do. Any other ideas? Thanks.

Mike

[aholtzapfel]

I have also seen it happen if filemakers "defualt" is not the same as the the OS's. So, if you do a "page setup" by choosing it from the file menu, and choose the same defualt printer, It should work.(Setting it in a script is a whole differant aniamal. It's when these two don't match, it tends to fail.) Other issues that can effect this is long printer names (not sure if this is an issue in ver you are running)Earlier versions can fail if the printer name is too long.(32 chars I think, this includes the entire network path for network printers.)

I have also seen posts reporting problems with certain printer drivers (mostly HP).

EDIT: OH, I have also seen graphic objects that break across pages cause filemaker to crash(on windows) when printing(lines, shapes, ...) and with differant printable areas on each printer (they often vary by a few pixels) it may work on one and not anouther. (I had this problem inconsistantly and never nailed down the behavior completely but solution was to make sure that all objects were well inside the printable area of the page.)

Good luck.

[aholtzapfel]

How well have these kinds of issues been addressed in filemaker 11? Anyone know?

(Windows OS printing issues/crashes/driver incompatabilities)