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PCL Printer Driver Help Contents
HP Printer Driver Help
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About the Printer Driver Working with Paper Adjusting Print Quality Working with Fonts Setting Options Print Problems


About the Printer Driver

Printer driver features allow you to change the way your printer behaves. Your application may also provide similar functionality.

The HP printer driver has four standard tabs (Paper, Print Quality, Fonts, and Device Options) on which you can make changes to various settings. For more information, click any of the topics in the following list:

Working with Paper

Adjusting Print Quality

Working with Fonts

Setting Options


Working with Paper

Using the Paper tab options, you can control several aspects of how your printer works with paper. For more information about any of these options, click the appropriate option name in the following list.

Paper Tab Options

Paper Size

Paper Source

Copies

Orientation

Set Custom Paper Size

Restore Defaults


Paper Size

Use the Paper Size box to set your printer's default paper size or envelope size. You can set the paper size in your application or in the printer driver.

See Also

Set Custom Paper Size


Paper Source

The Paper Source box allows you to set which paper tray you want the printer to use. You can set the paper source in your application or in the printer driver.

Notes

1	If you select Auto Select, the printer will draw paper from Tray 1. If Tray 1 is empty, the printer will draw from Tray 2. If Tray 2 is empty, the printer will pause and prompt you to put paper into Tray 2.

2	If you select Manual Feed (Tray 1) or Envelope Feeder, the printer driver will use that selection until you change it or until you exit Windows. The next time you start Windows, the Paper Source selection will revert back to the printer's default paper tray.


Copies

Use the Copies box to specify how many uncollated copies you want to print.

In the Copies box, type or select the number of copies you want to print.

Note	If you set the number of copies in your application to a value other than 1, this value will override the value set on the Paper tab.


Orientation

Use the Orientation option buttons to select the orientation of print on your page.

Portrait [image] prints an envelope or a page that is taller than it is wide when you view the text right side up.

Landscape [image] prints an envelope or a page that is wider than it is tall when you view the text right side up.

Note	The orientation setting in your application will usually override the orientation setting in the driver.


Set Custom Paper Size

You can define custom paper sizes if the available size options do not meet your needs.

Note	The paper size setting in your application will usually override the paper size setting in the driver.

To define a custom paper size

1	Measure your paper.

Note	The smallest paper size supported is 3.5 by 6.3 inches (90mm by 160mm). The largest paper size supported is 8.5 by 14 inches (216mm by 356mm).

2	Choose the Set Custom Paper Size button.

The Custom Paper Size dialog box appears.

3	Select either the English or Metric option.

4	Type values in the Short Edge and Long Edge boxes.

5	Choose the OK button.

The Custom option in the Paper Size box is now set for the size you specified.

6	When you are ready to print, feed the paper into Tray 1 on your printer, short edge first.

See Also

Paper Size


Restore Defaults

Choose the Restore Defaults button to return all of the settings on the tab to the driver's factory default settings.


REt (Resolution Enhancement)
REt (Resolution Enhancement technology)

REt (Resolution Enhancement technology) refines the print quality of characters by smoothing out jagged edges that can occur on the angles and curves of a printed image.

Choose Printer Default to use the REt option that has been set using the control panel on your printer.

Choose darker settings to create smoother characters.

Choose Off if graphics, particularly scanned images, are not printing clearly.


EconoMode

EconoMode (draft-quality) causes the printer to use less toner on each page.

Printer Default uses the EconoMode option, either On or Off, that has been set using the control panel on your printer.

On prints draft-quality documents and can extend the life of your toner cartridge.

Off prints high-quality documents.


Restore Defaults

Choose the Restore Defaults button to return all of the settings on the tab or dialog box to the driver's factory default settings.


HP FontSmart Utility

Use HP FontSmart to install fonts in Windows and to uninstall and delete fonts from Windows. You can also create font lists and samples with HP FontSmart.

To open HP FontSmart, choose the Run HP FontSmart button.

To open HP FontSmart Help, choose Contents from the Help menu in the HP FontSmart application.


List Printer Fonts in Application Font Menus

This option controls whether or not built-in printer fonts are listed in your Windows applications. FontSmart Printer Matching fonts are normally installed by the HP Windows Printing System installer. If this option is selected, the same fonts will be listed twice in your Windows applications--once as printer fonts and once as TrueType screen fonts.

Deselect this option if fonts appear twice in your Windows applications. Only the TrueType screen fonts will be displayed.

Select this option if fonts are missing from your Windows applications. Built-in printer fonts will be displayed in place of the corresponding TrueType fonts, which are not installed.


Setting Options

Using the Device Options tab in your printer driver, you can adjust printer settings that are not available in your Windows applications. For more information about any of these options, click the appropriate option name in the following list.

Device Options Tab

2-Sided Printing (Duplex)

Page Protection

Driver Work Space (DWS)

About

Restore Defaults

See Also

Print Problems


2-Sided Printing (Duplex)

Note	The 2-Sided Printing (Duplex) option is valid only if you have a duplex unit installed in your printer and if you select one of the following sizes in the Paper Size box: Letter, Legal, Executive, and A4.

Use the 2-Sided Printing (Duplex) feature to specify single-sided printing, where your document is printed on only one side of the paper, or double-sided printing, where your document is printed on both sides of the paper.

The three 2-Sided Printing (Duplex) options are also affected by the Orientation setting on the Paper tab. Possible combinations of these options appear in the following table:

	Portrait	Landscape
None (1-sided)
Flip on Long Edge (Standard)
Flip on Short Edge

Note	The 2-Sided Printing (Duplex) option you choose will remain in effect until you change it or select a unsupported paper size.

See Also

Orientation


Page Protection

The Page Protection option allows the printer to reserve memory for processing complex text or graphic images and helps prevent memory errors.

Automatic (MEt) lets the printer driver choose the best setting for your document. For best results, choose this setting.

Special uses more printer memory and printer performance will be reduced. If you are receiving printing errors, selecting this option may let you print error-free.

See Also

Out of Memory Printer Error

Print Overrun Printer Error


Driver Work Space (DWS)

This setting indicates the size of work space in the printer that is available to the printer driver. The work space size for your printer is listed as PCL DWS in the Memory Section of the Self Test page. To set this option, type the size in the Driver Work Space (DWS) box on the Device Options tab.

To print a Self Test page, on the control panel on your printer, locate the PRINT SELF TEST item on the TEST MENU, and press the Select button.

See Also

Print Problems


About

Choose this button to display information about the name and version of the printer driver.


Restore Defaults

Choose the Restore Defaults button to return all of the settings on the tab to the driver's factory default settings.


Print Problems

The following topics describe print problems and present solutions. For information, click the appropriate topic title in the following list:

Printed Page Looks Different from Page on Screen

Out of Memory Printer Error

Print Overrun Printer Error


Welcome to Help for the HP Printer Driver The printer driver lets your computer communicate with your printer and use  all of the printer's features.


PCL Driver Section


Adjusting Print Quality

Using Print Quality settings, you can control how the printer prints. For more information about any of these options, click the appropriate option name in the following list.

Print Quality Tab Options

Graphics Quality

Graphics Mode

Text Mode

REt

EconoMode

Printer Resolution

Restore Defaults

See Also

Print Problems


Graphics Quality

Use the options in the Graphics Quality box to change the resolution of graphic images.

You can select one of three options in the Graphics Quality box:

High produces the highest quality graphics that your printer is capable of printing, according to the current Printer Resolution setting.

Medium and Low print at one half and one quarter, respectively, the resolution of High.

Note	The Graphics Quality setting affects the resolution of graphic images only, not text. The Printer Resolution setting affects both the resolution of text and graphic images.

See Also

Printer Resolution

Text Mode

Out of Memory Printer Error


Graphics Mode

Use the Graphics Mode settings to optimize graphics printing, increasing speed and quality.

Automatic allows the driver to select the optimal technique for sending graphics to the printer.

HP-GL/2 sends graphics to the printer as a combination of HP-GL/2 and raster images.

Raster sends all graphics to the printer as images composed of individual dots.

See Also

Text Mode

Printed Page Looks Different from Page on Screen

Out of Memory Printer Error

Print Overrun Printer Error


Text Mode

Use the options in the Text Mode box to specify whether text is to be sent to the printer as graphics or as bitmaps.

Note	In most cases, set Text Mode to Automatic. If your print jobs do not look as expected, change the setting.

Automatic lets the printer driver choose the fastest printing method for you.

TrueType as Bitmaps produces output that looks closer to what you see on your screen. This option may print slower but requires less memory to print than TrueType As Graphics.

TrueType as Graphics prints TrueType text as graphic images. Prints faster than TrueType As Bitmaps but requires more printer memory.

Note	TrueType As Graphics is available only if Graphics Quality is set to High and Graphics Mode is set to Raster.

See Also

Graphics Quality

Graphics Mode

Printed Page Looks Different from Page on Screen


Printer Resolution

Resolution refers to the number of dots per inch (dpi) of toner that the printer places on the page. As resolution is increased, the quality (clarity and visual appeal) of print on the page is improved. Using the 600 dpi Printer Resolution setting uses more printer memory than the 300 dpi setting.

Warning	Changing this setting may clear printer memory, which could contain downloaded fonts and macros.

See Also

REt

Out of Memory Printer Error


Working with Fonts

The Fonts tab provides access to two font-installing utilities: HP FontSmart and HP Font Installer. The Fonts tab lets you add fonts to your application's font menu and list the SIMMs you have installed in your printer.

For more information about Fonts tab options, click the appropriate option name in the following list.

Fonts Tab Options

HP FontSmart Utility

Font SIMMs

List Printer Fonts in Application Font Menus

Install Printer Fonts (HP Font Installer)

Restore Defaults


Font SIMMs

You can install SIMM-based font or scalable typeface products from Hewlett-Packard or other companies, as long as they are specifically designed for HP LaserJet printers.

To use SIMM-based fonts or typefaces in Windows, you need to physically install the SIMM (see the installation instructions included with the SIMM) and then load a .PCM file for Windows using the HP Font Installer.

To open HP Font Installer, choose the Install Printer Fonts button on the Fonts tab.

To open HP Font Installer Help, choose the Help button in the HP Font Installer application.

See Also

Install Printer Fonts


Install Printer Fonts

Choose the Install Printer Fonts button to open HP Font Installer. HP Font Installer only installs disk-based scalable fonts and HP PCL-compatible fonts and typefaces. Use HP FontSmart or the Windows Fonts utility to install TrueType fonts. (The Windows Fonts utility is in the Windows Control Panel.)

For more information, choose the Help button in the HP Font Installer application.

See Also

Font SIMMs


Restore Defaults

Choose the Restore Defaults button to return all of the settings on the tab to the driver's factory default settings.


Printed Page Looks Different from Page on Screen

Not all graphic images can be printed using the HP-GL/2 option in the Graphics Mode box on the Print Quality tab. If the printed image looks different from the image on your screen, change the Graphics Mode setting to Raster or Automatic. If the printed text looks different from the text on your screen, change the Text Mode setting to TrueType As Graphics.

See Also

Graphics Mode

Text Mode


Out of Memory Printer Error

Additional printer memory may be required before you can print full-page graphic images at higher Print Quality settings. If your printer did not print the entire graphic image on one page and displayed the Out of Memory printer error message, the printer ran out of memory.

To avoid this error, try one or more of the following:

Change the setting in the Graphics Mode box on the Print Quality tab. (If HP-GL/2 or Automatic is selected, select Raster instead; if Raster is selected, select HP-GL/2 instead.)

Change Page Protection to Special on the Device Options tab.

Select a lower Graphics Quality setting on the Print Quality tab.

Change Printer Resolution to 300 dpi on the Print Quality tab.

Install more memory in your printer. (For more information about adding printer memory, contact an authorized Hewlett-Packard dealer.)

See Also

Graphics Mode

Page Protection

Graphics Quality

Printer Resolution


Print Overrun Printer Error

The Print Overrun error message indicates that the data (rules, dense text, raster graphics, or vector graphics) sent to your printer was too complex.

To avoid this error, try one or more of the following:

Change the setting in the Graphics Mode box on the Print Quality tab. (If HP-GL/2 or Automatic is selected, select Raster instead; if Raster is selected, select HP-GL/2 instead.)

Change Page Protection to Special on the Device Options tab.

Make your page less complex by reducing the amount of dense text or the number of graphic images.

See Also

Graphics Mode

Page Protection