Presentations print or preview with an incorrect orientation in PowerPoint (302977)

SYMPTOMS

When you print your presentation, it is printed in the wrong page orientation.

Landscape presentations may be printed in portrait orientation. As a result, the presentation is centered on the page and cut off on both sides of the printed page.

Portrait presentations may be printed in landscape orientation. As a result, the presentation is centered on the page and cut off at the bottom of the printed page.

Presentations that were printed correctly in earlier versions of Microsoft PowerPoint are printed incorrectly in Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2003 or in Microsoft PowerPoint 2002.

CAUSE

PowerPoint 2003 and PowerPoint 2002 change the way PowerPoint sends print information to the printer driver. Certain unsigned printer drivers do not interpret this information correctly, and use the current default driver orientation.

In each case reported to Microsoft so far, Microsoft has not signed the printer driver in question. Driver signing is a process in which Microsoft certifies that a driver works properly with Microsoft Windows.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, obtain a printer driver from your hardware manufacturer that Microsoft has verified to work with your version of Windows (a signed driver). For more information about Microsoft Windows hardware compatibility, please go to the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/hcl/default.mspx

To temporarily work around this problem, use either of the following methods.

Method 1

Obtain the latest, unsigned driver for your printer. If this does not resolve the problem, contact your printer manufacturer and ask whether there are any signed drivers available for your printer. You can also ask whether your printer can use drivers for a similar, signed print device.

Method 2

Change the default print orientation to portrait or landscape, depending on how you want PowerPoint to print the presentation. To do this, follow these steps.

NOTE: This setting affects anything printed from your computer.

Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
Right-click your printer, and then click Properties.
Change the orientation to portrait or landscape as appropriate, and then apply the setting.

NOTE: The specific steps to change the orientation depend upon your print driver.
In PowerPoint, click Print Preview on the File menu. Verify that your presentation will be printed correctly.

MORE INFORMATION

Definitions of Print Orientations

Landscape: This term refers to a page that is wider than it is tall. A standard page with landscape orientation is 11 inches wide and 8.5 inches tall.

Portrait: This term refers to a page that is taller than it is wide. A standard page with portrait orientation is 8.5 inches wide and 11 inches tall.

You cannot change the layout of your slide in print preview. Changing orientation causes several layout problems that you cannot correct in print preview. For more information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

285498 You cannot click the Landscape and Portrait buttons on the Print Preview toolbar in PowerPoint 2002 or PowerPoint 2003