Printing labels using a custom form; 2003, XP, Jet Direct.

June 11, 2008

Problem: A form feed between each label unless the printer is assigned as the

default printer.

We're printing labels. I created a new form on the print server, then

created a logical printer and assigned the form to it using the default

settings, not the print preferences.

I'm using the standard method of searching AD for the printer then

installing it on the users desktop. If I make it the default printer I have

no problems. If I don't the user has to go to printing preferences and drill

down and find the form and select it.

Check me if I'm wrong here, but the way I understand Windows printing to

work is that form should be pushed out to all the users as the default form.

They should not have to go to printing preferences and drill down and select

the form.

To add fuel to the fire, this doesn't occur on a few users pc's. It works

perfect.

All users are assigned to the power users group.

Here's our setup, Compaq ProLiant DL380 G5 running Windows 2003 SP2

Standard for the print server, XP Pro SP2 on the desktops, HP D510's mostly,

some D530, some 5100, Lexmark 2400 Series dot matrix printers attached to the

network via HP Jet Directs. XP detects the printer as a Lexmark 2490 so

that's the driver I'm using.

I've done all the easy things to try and solve the problem. Swapped out

drivers by deleting them from the server and desktops. Swapped out printers,

parallel cables, drop cables, Jet Directs. Taken a laptop and plugged it

into the problem users drop cable and tested printing, it prints fine with

their credentials from the laptop. Tried logging in as different users on

the pc's that work, and can print without the form feed. Tried logging in as

users on the problem pc's, all have the form feed problem. I have some pc's

that are identical, same nic's and same nic drivers, some I can print from

without the form feed, others I can't. These are Broacom Xtreme nic's. The

D510's have Intel Pro 100 VM's. All have the latest nic drivers, all

desktops are patched with the latest patches.

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