Works 3.0: Using Heuristics to Solve Envelope Printing Problem (123805)

SUMMARY

When envelopes are created using Microsoft Works, Works relies on the Windows printer driver being used for information on how the printer is supposed to print envelopes. When you use certain Windows printer drivers, envelopes may print in the wrong orientation, with the wrong rotation, and so on.

Depending upon the printer and/or driver being used, it may be possible to use a heuristic, or a combination of heuristics, to solve the problem. The Works printer heuristics are numeric settings added to the Msworks3.ini file to change the way some printers print envelopes.

To use heuristics in Works 3.0, an [Envelope] section must be added to the Msworks3.ini file. The [Envelope] section allows you to insert specific settings that more closely match the settings needed for the printer to print envelopes.

To modify your Msworks3.ini file, open the file in a text editor, such as Notepad. The Msworks3.ini file is located in your Windows directory.

The following are descriptions of the printer heuristics and examples of using them.

MORE INFORMATION

The [Envelope] section in the Msworks3.ini file should read:

 [Envelope]
 Options=1  (1 enables the use of user-defined heuristics)
 LPTx=y     (x is the local port being used and y is one or a combination
             of the heuristics described below)

NOTE: If the local port used is set to LPTx.DOS, such as LPT1.DOS, set the LPTx=y line accordingly: for example, LPT1.DOS=y.

Many of the envelope printing problems with the Windows 3.x printer drivers have been resolved with Windows 95 printer drivers. If you experience envelope orientation problems after upgrading to Windows 95, check the Msworks3.ini for existing heuristics. Change:

 [Envelope]
 Options=1 to, Options=0

to disable any heuristics. If disabling the heuristics does not resolve the problem, change Options=0 back to Options=1, and use the heuristics below.

To combine heuristics, add their numbers together. The User-Defined Heuristics for envelope printing are:

1 = ALIGN LEFT: This corrects alignment/rotation problems. This tells Works that the printer either prints envelopes face up and left aligned or it prints envelopes face down and right aligned.

2 = ALIGN RIGHT: This corrects alignment/rotation problems. This tells Works that the printer either prints envelopes face up and right aligned or it prints envelopes face down and left aligned.

4 = ROTATE 180 DEGREES RIGHT: This corrects rotation problems. The printer is supposed to rotate right 180 degrees to print envelopes, but the printer driver incorrectly indicates only 90 degrees rotation. This will ONLY work if the printer is supposed to do 180-degree rotation to print envelopes.

8 = FORCE LANDSCAPE: Use this if the printer is supposed to print envelopes in landscape orientation but is incorrectly printing in portrait. For example, version 4.0 of the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 500 Series printer driver requires this heuristic.

16 = FORCE PORTRAIT: Use this if the printer is supposed to print envelopes in portrait orientation but is incorrectly printing in landscape. For example, some versions of the Canon BJ-200 and BJ-300 printer drivers require this heuristic.

32 = ENVELOPE FEEDER INSTALLED: Use this so Works always assumes an envelope feeder is installed on the printer, regardless of the choice made in the Options dialog.

64 = ROTATE 90 DEGREES RIGHT: This corrects rotation problems. The printer is supposed to rotate right 90 degrees to print envelopes, but the printer driver indicates the wrong rotation or none at all.

This works only if the printer is supposed to do 90-degree rotation to print envelopes.

Examples Of Using Printer Heuristics

Assume you are printing to LPT1 and trying to print envelopes to the Canon BJ-200 in Windows 3.x. Some versions of the BJ-200 driver will print with the wrong orientation so you will need to force a portrait orientation. The Options and LPT1 settings in the Msworks3.ini should read:

   [Envelope]
   Options=1
   LPT1=16

If you have heuristics in your Msworks3.ini, do not add another Options and LPT section. Add the new heuristic number to the existing number on the LPTx= line. For example, If you have the following Msworks3.ini section indicating that envelopes should print in a landscape orientation:

   [Envelope]
   Options=1
   LPT1=8

and you also want to indicate there is an Envelope Feeder installed, (heuristic = 32), your heuristics entry would read:

   [Envelope]
   Options=1
   LPT1=40

Things to Remember When Using Heuristics

Restart Works after the changes have been made to the Msworks3.ini, for the changes to take effect.

These settings serve to provide better information on how a specific printer is supposed to perform the print job. The settings will not force a printer to behave in a way that it otherwise would not.