Print Setup Problems

The Viewer relies on Windows to handle all printing operations. If the Windows printer is not setup correctly, the Viewer will have problems printing.

Default Printers. Windows designates one printer as the default printer. The Viewer also has its own default printer that can be different from the Windows default printer. This is because you might want to use a one kind of printer or plotter with the Viewer which wouldn't be appropriate for Windows word processing.

Invalid Printers. Since the Viewer has its own default printer that can be different from the Windows default printer, it is important to make sure the Viewer’s printer is valid. The Viewer’s printer can be invalid if you have never designated a default printer in Windows or if you have changed printers without updating the Viewer. If the Viewer's default printer is invalid, the Viewer won't print or you will get an error message when you try to do a print related operation. You may even have trouble setting the default printer because Windows won’t run the printer setup window.

Fixing Invalid Printers. Solving this problem requires two steps. First, you must have a valid default printer installed in Windows. You can do this by going to the “Printers” section of the Windows Control Panels. Once you have a valid Windows printer, you can force the Viewer’s default printer to be valid, by selecting the "Preferences->Use Factory Settings" option from the menu bar. This will establish the Windows default printer as the Viewer’s default printer. Now, if you want the Viewer’s default to be different from Window’s default, you can then run the Viewer’s Printer Setup to establish your new default. Finally, save the new printer setting by selecting the "Preferences->Defaults->Save User Defaults" option from the menu bar. See the discussion on Printer Setup for more information.

Large Format Printers. Some large size printers that have a paper size larger 32 inch can have problems with their drivers. Compass has special settings that can compensate for this problem. Click here for detailed information about enabling this option.