Characters May Print Over Each Other When Using Print Server (196298)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

CAUSE

When a print session is printing through the Microsoft Windows NT Graphic Device Interface (GDI), an {x,y} coordinate has to be passed to the GDI to indicate where it should start printing a string of data. Because uppercase characters are mostly wider than the average character width, the x- positions calculations can end up being too short. This results in printed output with overlapped characters.

RESOLUTION

SNA Server 3.0

To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for SNA Server version 3.0. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

184307 How to Obtain the Latest SNA Server Version 3.0 Service Pack

SNA Server 4.0

This problem was corrected in the latest SNA Server version 4.0 U.S. Service Pack. For information on obtaining this Service Pack, query on the following word in the Microsoft Knowledge Base (without the spaces):

   S E R V P A C K

MORE INFORMATION

After applying the update, add the following registry entry to change the way that the x-coordinate calculations are made to correct the overlapping problem. To add the registry entry, perform the following steps:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, view the "Changing Keys And Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Note that you should back up the registry before you edit it.

Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate the following key in the registry: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\SnaPrint\Parameters NOTE: The above registry key is one path; it has been wrapped for readability.
On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value: Value Name: UseProportionalFontFix Data Type: REG_SZ Value: <any value> NOTE: Any value can be used since this registry entry is enabled if it exists.
Quit Registry Editor.