PPT97: Text Shadows Don't Print Properly to PCL Printers (190094)

SYMPTOMS

If you print shadowed text from PowerPoint to a Hewlett-Packard (HP) LaserJet II series (or another PCL level 4) printer, it does not print as expected. Both the text and the text shadow are printed in black, causing the text to appear doubled. This effect is most obvious if you use either a shadowed text style or apply an object shadow to text.

CAUSE

The printer control language (PCL) of HP LaserJet series printers does not support printing text in any shade of gray. The HP LaserJet Series III printers, which use PCL level 5 technology, do support printing text as white, but do not support printing text in any shade of gray.

The LaserJet series printer drivers that ship with Windows 95 have a Print TrueType As Graphics option. This option allows text formatted as white to be printed in white, but it does not enable a PCL printer to print gray text.

WORKAROUND

Method 1: Change the Slide Background

One way to create text with a drop shadow and print it correctly to a LaserJet class of printer is to give your PowerPoint slide a gray or colored background and format the shadowed text so that either the text or the text shadow is white. In addition, if you are using a LaserJet II-class printer, you must follow these steps:

On the File menu, click Print Setup.
Select your LaserJet II-class printer driver as a specific printer for either your Slides or your Notes, Handouts, or Outline pages. Click Setup.
In the Setup dialog box, click Options.
Click to select the Print TrueType As Graphic check box. Click OK.
Click OK two more times.

Method 2: Create a Text Effect

Create the text using WordArt.