FMP 12 + Win 8, Forms lose lines, underlines, boxes,...in forms

[guruuno]

I replaced a customers PC with new Dell XPS 8500, Windows 8, Filemaker Pro, previously had a Dell XPS 8100, Windows 7, Filemaker Pro 11.  Custom built database with about 1500 records and 15Mb in size print previews fine but omits and leaves out lines here and there on forms printed out from either an Oki ML-420 with Epson FX 80 print driver or Epson Workforce Pro WP-4533.  I had no issues for 2 years on the Windows 7 box running Win 7 + FMP 11, but now this issue?

 

I also installed FMP12 on my Windows 7 & Windows 8 Virtual Machines for testing purposes and used the same database to try to duplicate, and cannot.  I am however using a HP LaserJet 2100.

 

Is it something to dow with Windows 8?  Is this a know issue with FMP12?  (I browsed the forums, lots of persons complained about similar issues from past version changes, but I am kind of stumped, forthcoming a total wipe out, re-install of everything, or roll-back to Windows 7 and or FMP 11?

 

Anyone want to chime in on this to offer any ideas??

 

 

Did a few tests until 2 AM last night.  Bottom line is ANY output to any other printer whether onsite of offsite is 100% perfect, as long is it is NOT an Okidata ML-420 with Epson FX 80 (1) emulation (which worked for years under Win 7 + FMP11).  All output FROM FMP12 to the OKI printer, irregardless of print driver or emulation still drops lines (as in example image, all other data, character print as normal).

 

So, as an additional test from FMP12, rather than print to the OKI ML-420) (cusromer needs carbonless paper with 2 copies, much like auto dealerships and banks, hence the need for this old technology which is still widely being used to this very day), the test I did was PRINT TO PDF, saved to resulting output file that would normally be printed directly to the printer (with the lines/characters missong), and the output is as expected, all lines printed, etc. (as they do show in the print preview also from FMP12).  However, the output finished product as printed from PDF is not as crisp and clear as if it were printed directly from the FMP12 -----> Oki ML-420.  Is there a way to know what fonts are embedded in the output file from within the FMP database script so that I can possibly figure out how to make the PDF replicate the crisp output from the dot matrix printer, as temporary holdover until a solution is found?

 

As a final note, I am not a programmer, so I am at a loss regarding any internal anything of FMP, but all of these discoveries point me to some possible errors in the coding, or am I not looking at the correct things to try to solve this dilemma.

I'd hate to have to roll back everything to WIndows 7 and FMP11 just to make the output print as previously done (correctly), and really wonder where I should poke into the code of FMP to look for what to fix what?

 

Summary:

1> How to fix output from FMP12 to Epson FX80 driver on Oki ML-420 to print correctly as was correct in version FMP11?

2> As a temporay fix, how to make the PDF output rather than direct output to ML-420 match fonts to be crisp and clear?