Difficulty printing in landscape mode
Hi. I am trying to print with roll paper on a Star Micronics printer. The default is to print the prescription with the print driver in portrait mode so that the end result is for the finished script to be taller than wide. However, I have found that the script formats better if it prints in landscape mode.
The problem is that the only way it will print in landscape mode is if you change it from portrait to landscape AFTER you click on print preview or print... and change it then. But that, of course, would be a pain to have to do that each time. Obviously, one can go into the properties or printer preferences and set the default to landscape and save it. I have done that, and it remains set as landscape after I close it and open it back up. The problem is when I then print a prescription it prints is portrait mode even though it remains in landscape mode.
As a aside, when I use a PCL6 driver for Word or PDF files, they won't print as landscapes either way. Only the "test page" from within the printer driver window will print in landscape mode.
The problem is that the only way it will print in landscape mode is if you change it from portrait to landscape AFTER you click on print preview or print... and change it then. But that, of course, would be a pain to have to do that each time. Obviously, one can go into the properties or printer preferences and set the default to landscape and save it. I have done that, and it remains set as landscape after I close it and open it back up. The problem is when I then print a prescription it prints is portrait mode even though it remains in landscape mode.
As a aside, when I use a PCL6 driver for Word or PDF files, they won't print as landscapes either way. Only the "test page" from within the printer driver window will print in landscape mode.
ASKER
Scrathyboy,
We have seven LaserJet printers, one of which is color and three of which are networked. We use inexpensive HP LaserJet 1020s in each exam room specifically for printing prescriptions to regular 8 1/2 by 11 paper. Since, one can fit five scripts to a page, it is very cost effective.
The problem is the Star Micronics printer is the only printer which will print on the Federally mandated CII (oxycontin, fentanyl, Ritalin, etc.) paper. I wish I could have used Zebra printers, and maybe they do work, but I went with Star, because they are what are recommened by my electronic health record.
Why does the RAM affect it? Aren't the settings in the print driver itself? I probably don't understand it.
Thanks very much for your comment. I am still trying. It wouldn't be an issue if the "twips" thing on the software (the EMR) worked as it is supposed to. It only moves the prescription to the right and not to the left as it also states it should.
And trust me, with the Federal government also responsible for more than half of my income via Medicaid and Medicare which pay approximately 1/3 of what Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aetna and Cigna pay, doctors aren't rich anymore. Especially when you couple that with four years of students loans at $40,000 per year and a mere pittance for a resident's salary. : ) Why the hell am I smiling, lol.
Thank you.
We have seven LaserJet printers, one of which is color and three of which are networked. We use inexpensive HP LaserJet 1020s in each exam room specifically for printing prescriptions to regular 8 1/2 by 11 paper. Since, one can fit five scripts to a page, it is very cost effective.
The problem is the Star Micronics printer is the only printer which will print on the Federally mandated CII (oxycontin, fentanyl, Ritalin, etc.) paper. I wish I could have used Zebra printers, and maybe they do work, but I went with Star, because they are what are recommened by my electronic health record.
Why does the RAM affect it? Aren't the settings in the print driver itself? I probably don't understand it.
Thanks very much for your comment. I am still trying. It wouldn't be an issue if the "twips" thing on the software (the EMR) worked as it is supposed to. It only moves the prescription to the right and not to the left as it also states it should.
And trust me, with the Federal government also responsible for more than half of my income via Medicaid and Medicare which pay approximately 1/3 of what Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Aetna and Cigna pay, doctors aren't rich anymore. Especially when you couple that with four years of students loans at $40,000 per year and a mere pittance for a resident's salary. : ) Why the hell am I smiling, lol.
Thank you.
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ASKER
Thanks scrathyboy and nobus:
I will definitely try the Win2k drivers. I know the setup was a bit difficult, mainly because Star Micronics doesn't bother to let you know about all the utilities you need to run to make the pritner work like making black marks valid rather than invalid. It isn't a very straightforward process, i.e. simply downloading a print driver or using a CD.
A macro may work. Unfortunatley, that's a little over my head. I am sure I could do it if instructed. Is that something you just write in notepad or is that a batch file?
I will definitely try the Win2k drivers. I know the setup was a bit difficult, mainly because Star Micronics doesn't bother to let you know about all the utilities you need to run to make the pritner work like making black marks valid rather than invalid. It isn't a very straightforward process, i.e. simply downloading a print driver or using a CD.
A macro may work. Unfortunatley, that's a little over my head. I am sure I could do it if instructed. Is that something you just write in notepad or is that a batch file?
the easiest is with a program, like MacroExpress : http://www.macroexpress.com/
here some free ones (never tried them)
http://www.autohotkey.com/
http://www.tethyssolutions.com/download.htm
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Search/macro.html
http://www.freedownloadaday.com/2005/08/24/free-macro-program-for-windows/
in short - it acts like a recorder of everything you do, and plays it back.
here some free ones (never tried them)
http://www.autohotkey.com/
http://www.tethyssolutions.com/download.htm
http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Search/macro.html
http://www.freedownloadaday.com/2005/08/24/free-macro-program-for-windows/
in short - it acts like a recorder of everything you do, and plays it back.
I abhor work arounds and add on programs in cases like this. You either get the printer working right with windows, or scrap the idea -- that is the only long term solution.
Installation of W2K drivers is really quite easy, you just extract them to a directory, and when you update the driver, as I said above, point to that directory and say OK to the "not certified" BS. I do it all the time.
Installation of W2K drivers is really quite easy, you just extract them to a directory, and when you update the driver, as I said above, point to that directory and say OK to the "not certified" BS. I do it all the time.
ASKER
I abhor them as well. The only problem is I went to the sites and the drivers that are compatible with Win2K are the same that work with XP. Basically, it seems like the Raster driver which I am using is the same driver listed on their site.
not necessarily. There are usually subtle differences. Download that driver, expand it to the HDD, and do the update drivers in printer/properties/ports/u
e.g. microsoft whether XP of W2K gives flakey drivers for HP laserjests, but if you go to the www.hp.com site, you get correct drivers that really work. Look around for drivers that are not done by MS.
e.g. microsoft whether XP of W2K gives flakey drivers for HP laserjests, but if you go to the www.hp.com site, you get correct drivers that really work. Look around for drivers that are not done by MS.
ASKER
OK. I will try to change the driver from within the properties section. The website you gave me in Google actually takes you to the Micronis site. It's funny, because their driver downloads are unique compared to most. They give you some weird options at least for what I am used to. I did figure it out though. If you download the driver from Star Micronis, you will see what I mean.
Why not print these prescriptions with a laser printer? That will retain the settings you select from one run to the next. If they are prescriptions, surely there is enough money in them to afford a decent laser printer?