PUB2000: Circles in Imported Pictures and BorderArt Don't Print (198246)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
This article was previously published under Q198246

SYMPTOMS

If you print a publication to a high-resolution PostScript device (such as an imagesetter), circles and ellipses in BorderArt patterns or imported pictures may not print.

This may occur if the ellipses or circles are close to the bottom or right- side edges of the page.

This problem occurs if you are running Publisher on Windows 95 or Windows

NOTE:It does not occur if you are running Windows NT.

CAUSE

Both the Microsoft and Adobe versions of the PostScript driver for Windows 95 and Windows 98 have problems printing circles or ellipses close to the edge of the page at high resolution.

This problem occurs in other programs, such as Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint. However, as you seldom print to extremely high-resolution devices from these programs you may never encounter it.

WORKAROUND

Method 1: Print At a Resolution of 1200 DPI (or Lower.)

Publisher ships with a PPD (PostScript Printer Definition) file called the Microsoft Publisher Imagesetter (MSGenbw.ppd). If you use this driver, hairlines will print at 1/600". If you do not have this driver listed, you can add it. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. On the Start menu, point to Settings and then click Printers.
  2. Double-click the Add Printer Wizard.
  3. Follow the instructions on screen. When the Wizard prompts you for the manufacturer and model of the printer, click Have Disk.
  4. Click Browse.
  5. Browse to the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder (or wherever you have Publisher installed.)
  6. Click OK again.
  7. On the Printers list click MS Publisher Imagesetter. Click Next.
  8. Follow the instructions to complete the Wizard.

Method 2: Use a Third-Party Program To Convert the Picture To EPS.

To convert the picture to EPS, follow these steps:

  1. Select the object.
  2. On the Edit menu, click Cut.
  3. On the Edit menu, click Paste Special.
  4. In the Paste Special dialog box, click Picture and then click OK.
  5. On the Tools menu, point to Commercial Printing Tools and then click Graphics Manager.
  6. Click Create Link.
  7. Click "Create a file from the full-resolution graphic stored in the publication and link to that." Click OK.
  8. Choose a file name and destination folder for the new graphic. This graphic will be in the Windows Metafile (.wmf) format.
  9. Open that created graphic in a PostScript-based illustration program such as Macromedia FreeHand or Adobe Illustrator.
  10. From the illustration program, save or export the graphic as an Encapsulated PostScript (EPS) file. The simple act of saving the graphic should convert the hairlines to fixed-width lines. You may want to set the target PPD to the MS Publisher Imagesetter.
  11. Switch back to Publisher. The Graphics Manager dialog box should still be open.
  12. Click Change Link.
  13. In the Link to Graphic dialog box, choose the new EPS image you created and then click Link to File.
By using this method you are manually generating PostScript code for the circles and ellipses. When you print from Publisher, it doesn't have to generate its own code, it just downloads the pre-existing PostScript code.

MORE INFORMATION

This issue only affects imported pictures and shapes with BorderArt patterns. If you draw a circle or ellipse with the drawing tools of Publisher, what you are really getting is a very high-quality polygon, not a true circle or ellipse.

The third-party products discussed here are manufactured by vendors independent of Microsoft; we make no warranty, implied or otherwise, regarding these products' performance or reliability.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/7/2001
Keywords:kbinfo kbprb kbprepress kbprint KB198246
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.