PUB2000: Images Are Printed in Grayscale When You Print to a Color PostScript Device (238779)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
This article was previously published under Q238779

SYMPTOMS

When you print your publication to any color PostScript device, such as a Canon Color Laser Copier, Xerox DocuTech, SciTex Dolev, or QMS ColorScript printer, bitmap images may be printed in grayscale rather than in color.

This behavior can occur even if the Publisher objects or the vector-based graphics in your publication are printed in color.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if color support is disabled in the PostScript Printer Definition (PPD) file that is used by Microsoft Windows to render the PostScript data that is sent to the printer.

To verify that color support is enabled for your selected printer:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
  2. Right-click your printer, and then click Properties.
  3. On the General tab, click Print Test Page.
On the Windows Printer Test Page, look for the Color Support property in the printer description. If the Color Support property is False or No, Microsoft Publisher cannot print bitmap images in color when using this PPD file.

To optimize the size of the PostScript output, bitmap images are rendered in grayscale when there is no color support in the PPD file.

Because vector-based graphics consume less space, they are not optimized and are printed in color.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, contact your printer manufacturer for information about how to download and install an updated PPD file with color support enabled.

WORKAROUND

To print your publication in color, use Adobe Acrobat Distiller and Adobe Acrobat Reader with a PostScript driver in which color support is enabled:
  1. In Microsoft Publisher, open the publication that you want to print in color.
  2. On the File menu, click Print.
  3. In the Name box, click a PostScript printer with color support enabled.
  4. Click to select the Print to File check box.
  5. Click OK.
  6. In the File name box, type a filename with a .ps extension.
  7. In the Folders box, click the folder in which you want to store the file, and then click OK.
  8. Start Adobe Acrobat Distiller.
  9. On the File menu, click Open.
  10. Browse to and click the .ps file you created in step 6, and then click Open.
  11. Type a filename for the new .pdf file, and then click Save.
  12. Start Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  13. On the File menu, click Open, and then click the .pdf file you created in step 11.
  14. On the File menu, click Print.
  15. Click the printer you want to use, select the printing options you want, and then click OK.

MORE INFORMATION

The third-party products that are discussed in this article are manufactured by companies that are independent of Microsoft. Microsoft makes no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding the performance or reliability of these products.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/31/2001
Keywords:kbcmyk kbPostScript kbprb kbprepress KB238779
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.