PUB2000: Color Images Print to Color Printer in Black and White or Grayscale (253796)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Publisher 2000
This article was previously published under Q253796

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to print a Microsoft Publisher 2000 publication containing color images to a color printer, you may experience the following symptoms:
  • The images are printed in black and white or grayscale.
  • Text and autoshapes are printed in their correct colors.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the following conditions are true:
  • You are running Publisher 2000 on a Microsoft Windows 95-based computer.
  • You sent your last print job to a black and white printer.

    NOTE: Publisher 2000 does not update a registry setting when you change from a black and white printer to a color printer. This 'Dev_Mode' registry setting contains all of the printer device specific information such as color support, number of copies, and default page size.

RESOLUTION


To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods if you are running the original version of Publisher 2000 (without the SR-1 patch installed).

Install a Color Printer Driver to Toggle the Dev_Mode Registry Setting

To toggle the Dev_Mode registry setting, install the Hewlett Packard DeskJet 1200C (MS) printer driver, and then print your publication to disk using this printer driver. To do this:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
  2. Double-click the Add Printers icon.
  3. In the Add Printer wizard, click Next.
  4. Click Local Printer, and then click Next.
  5. In the list of Manufacturers, click HP.
  6. In the list of Printers, click HP DeskJet 1200C (MS), and then click Next.
  7. In the list of available ports, click File: Creates a file on disk, and then click Next.

    NOTE: This configuration allows you to print a publication to disk if the print device is not connected to your computer.
  8. When you are prompted to use the printer listed in the Printer name box as your default printer, click No, and then click Next.
  9. When you are prompted to print a test page, click No, and then click Finish.
  10. Right-click the HP DeskJet 1200C (MS) printer, and then click Properties.
  11. Click the Graphics tab, and then click Color.
  12. Under Color control, click the Print in color with image control matching on the host option.
  13. Click OK, click Apply, and then click OK.
  14. Start Publisher 2000, and then open your publication.
  15. On the File menu, click Print Setup.
  16. In the Name box, click HP DeskJet 1200C (MS), and then click OK.
  17. On the File menu, click Print, and then click OK.
  18. When you are prompted to type a file name in the Print To File dialog box, type the following line in the File name box

    drive:\test.prn

    where drive is the drive letter of the hard disk on which you want to save your publication, and then click OK.

    A file named Test.prn is created in the root folder of the hard disk. You can delete this file after you print your publication.
  19. On the File menu, click Print Setup.
  20. In the Name box, click the name of the color printer that is connected to your computer, and then click OK.
Your color printer should now print in color.

Upgrade Your Version of Microsoft Windows

To resolve this issue, upgrade your version of Windows to Microsoft Windows 98, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, or Microsoft Windows 2000.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in Microsoft Publisher 2000.
Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:8/6/2002
Keywords:kbbug kbenv kbprint KB253796
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.