Networked Printing (2000)

[philkiwi]

I am running Word 2000 on two networked PCs running Windows XP2. I have a file saved on PC1. If I print it from PC1 it appears normal. However, if I open it on the networked PC2 and print it from there it comes out somewhat reduced in size. The printer is an HP LaserJet 5L attached to PC1. Can anyone explain why this happens and what can be done to overcome the problem?

[Andrew Lockton]

Is PC2 running a later version of Word?

My guess is that there are comments or tracked revisions in the file and the print settings have told the file to leave space for the balloon help to display these annotations. Check your settings on PC2 for Tools>Options>Tracked Changes to ensure that Use Balloons is set to Never.

[philkiwi]

Both PCs are running Word 2000. In neither is Track Changes turned on. Incidentally, I cannot find any mention of Use Balloons. The effect is as if It had been asked to print at something like 95% of original size, an overall reduction, not just leaving space somewhere for possible additions.

[HansV]

Is the size reduced in both dimensions (width and height)?
Is the output centered on the page, or does it use the standard top and left margins?

[philkiwi]

The output from PC2 has the same top margin as that from PC1 but the left and right margins, together with the bottm margin, are increased significantly. The width of the text area from PC1 is 16cm and the depth is 12cm. On the output from PC2 the width of the text area is 15 cm and the depth is 11.2 cm.

[HansV]

Strange... Do other Word documents print OK from PC2 (i.e. the same as from PC1)? And other types of files, such as Excel spreadsheets?

[philkiwi]

I have tried printing another Word document stored on PC1. This was an unjustified example and did not completely fill the page. Again, the two printouts had the same top margin but the left and right margins were increased on the PC2 printout. The widest portion of PC1 was 14.5 cm and the depth of text was 19.6 cm. On the PC2 printout the widest portion was 13.6 and the depth was 18.5 cm. It is as if I were asking it to be printed at 95% or so. I tried printing a section of an Excel file and the two outputs were identical.

[HansV]

So the problem appears to be specific to Word, not to the individual document. Try Phil Rabichow's <!post=Systematic Approach to Behavioral Problems in Word,197827>Systematic Approach to Behavioral Problems in Word<!/post>.

[philkiwi]

I have gone through all four steps in the linked articleand the problem remains. As a matter of interest I have a small program called CoolRuler from Fabsoft which overlays anything on the monitor. On both PC monitors the main heading of the first document I discovered this problem with measures 11 CM. Printing from PC1 gets a heading of exactly 11 CM but from PC2 it is 10.3CM.

[HansV]

Grasping at straws now: is the setting for "Allow A4/Letter paper resizing" in the Print tab of Tools | Options different on the PCs?

[philkiwi]

A fine choice of straw to grasp at!!!! That box was checked on PC2 which was causing the trouble and not on PC1. I unchecked it and printing from both PCs now results in identical printouts. Thank you so much.

[HansV]

Phew! (insert [wipe sweat from brow] smilie here)

[chrisgreaves]

> "Allow A4/Letter paper resizing"

Good one!
I now find myself considering that in many mysteries like this, Recording a macro might be a fast-track method of noting differences.
We complain loudly about the voluminous code generated in some recordings, but it does provide us with a linear rendition of the settings on a set of tabs.

I'm not sure it would have solved this particular mystery, but it may be a cheap and fast way to uncover a significant proportion of future mysteries.