XL97: Identical Patterns May Be Printed Differently (167313)
The information in this article applies to:
- Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q167313 SYMPTOMS
When you print a worksheet or a chart or view a worksheet or a chart in
print preview in Microsoft Excel 97, patterns applied to drawing objects
and AutoShapes may be printed differently from identical patterns applied
to other objects, such as worksheet cells and chart series.
Specifically, the following problems may occur:
- Patterns applied to chart series are not printed at all. Instead, the
chart series are printed with a solid gray fill.
- Patterns applied to worksheet cells or chart series are printed
more darkly and with more contrast than identical patterns applied to
drawing objects and AutoShapes.
Note that these problems may occur even if the worksheet or chart sheet
does not contain any drawing objects or AutoShapes.
CAUSE
This problem occurs because of a difference in the way that Microsoft Excel
97 "renders" objects when you print a worksheet or chart or view a
worksheet or chart in print preview. Drawing objects and AutoShapes use one
rendering system, while all other objects use another rendering system.
This may cause identical patterns applied to different objects to be
printed differently. This problem is especially noticeable if the colors
you use in the patterns do not contrast with each other.
WORKAROUND
Although there is no way to completely prevent these problems from
occurring, you can minimize their effects by doing any of the following:
- When you format objects in the worksheet or chart, use solid colors
whenever possible.
The problems described in this article do not occur when you use solid
colors.
- If you must apply a pattern to an object, use white as one of the two
colors.
- If possible, use two colors that contrast with each other.
For example, red and yellow contrast well with each other; sky blue and
aqua do not.
- Before you print the worksheet or chart, use print preview to view
the printed output.
You can then reformat objects in the worksheet or chart as required.
This step helps save paper and reduce unnecessary printer usage.
STATUS
Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products
listed at the beginning of this article.
MORE INFORMATION
| Modification Type: | Major | Last Reviewed: | 9/7/2001 |
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| Keywords: | kbchart kbprb kbprint KB167313 |
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