Text jumbles to left of screen in Word XP

C

Cep

Hello,

This is a perculiar problem that I hope someone has seen before. One of my
users whilst using Word XP SP3 will send an open document to print. Every so
often all the lettering in the document will "jump" to the left of the screen
in a non-coherent mess of letters one over the other, making the document
completly illegible.

Now the first instinct is to say this is a printer problem and that the
drivers should be re-installed but considering this problem appears to happen
randomly, as it will print normally most of the time and now seems to occur
when a document is sent to a completely new printer recently introduced to
the system. I dont think it is.

Plus this only ever happens in Word.

Has anyone heard of this problem?
 
B

Bob Buckland ?:-\)

Hi Cep,

There are a number of reported cases of this, but so far, not enough data to find a pattern to the cause that has been report. It
is usually with, but not limited to, HP printers and happens with Word 2002 and Word 2003 on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

It may be driven by the use of Add-ins with Word and the handling of temp files by Word and Windows, but it could be from the use of
a 3rd party firewall or other running software. The first time I ran across it was using the Word 'Redaction' addin from Microsoft.

1. What version of Windows are you using and is it kept current?

2. Do you have any items listed in Word under Tools=>Templates and Add-ins?

3. What firewall products and version are you using?

4. If you close Word normally then search for files from Start=>Search using the name string of

~$*.*;*.spl

what files do you find and in what locations do you find these (you can save the results of the search as a text file from inside of
Start=>Search? (The nnnn.SPL files may be listed as 'Shockwave Flash Objects' but those are usually leftover printer spool (waiting
to be printed) files).

5. Is the location of the files different from where you end up if you use Start=>Run and type %temp%

6. What printer model and driver version are you using?

Workarounds include

a. Going to File=>Print and switching printer choice then switching back [Close] to return to Word.

b. With Word close using Start=>Search to delete all files found with
~$*.*;*.tmp
names and clearing the browser cache using
Start=>Programs=>Accessories=>System Tools=>Disk Cleanp

============
| Hello,
|
| This is a perculiar problem that I hope someone has seen before. One
| of my users whilst using Word XP SP3 will send an open document to
| print. Every so often all the lettering in the document will "jump"
| to the left of the screen in a non-coherent mess of letters one over
| the other, making the document completly illegible.
|
| Now the first instinct is to say this is a printer problem and that
| the drivers should be re-installed but considering this problem
| appears to happen randomly, as it will print normally most of the
| time and now seems to occur when a document is sent to a completely
| new printer recently introduced to the system. I dont think it is.
|
| Plus this only ever happens in Word.
|
| Has anyone heard of this problem?
| --
| Thanks, Cep.>>
 
C

Cep

Apologies for the late reply Bob,

In answer to your questions,

1. It is a WINXP SP2 machine which is updated via our WSUS server
2. PDFMaker.dot is listed by default on all our machines
3. Windows firewall is disabled via GPO because it interfers with McAfee and
we have no other firewall products installed. Our network is firewalled from
the net via ISA 2k and a router which of course would have no bearing on the
problem here.
4. I won't be able to provide you with that information just yet, I would
need to run some tests.
5. As above
6. The problem occurs on any printer in house and we have lots. Brother
1250's, Toshiba Estudio 350's HP 2200 Lasers, HP 6MP's etc etc. Almost all
are using PCL6 drivers.

I will test your workaround method as well.

The only main difference between this machine and others we have is that MS
Project 2003 is installed also.
--
Thanks, Cep.


Bob Buckland ?:-) said:
Hi Cep,

There are a number of reported cases of this, but so far, not enough data to find a pattern to the cause that has been report. It
is usually with, but not limited to, HP printers and happens with Word 2002 and Word 2003 on Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

It may be driven by the use of Add-ins with Word and the handling of temp files by Word and Windows, but it could be from the use of
a 3rd party firewall or other running software. The first time I ran across it was using the Word 'Redaction' addin from Microsoft.

1. What version of Windows are you using and is it kept current?

2. Do you have any items listed in Word under Tools=>Templates and Add-ins?

3. What firewall products and version are you using?

4. If you close Word normally then search for files from Start=>Search using the name string of

~$*.*;*.spl

what files do you find and in what locations do you find these (you can save the results of the search as a text file from inside of
Start=>Search? (The nnnn.SPL files may be listed as 'Shockwave Flash Objects' but those are usually leftover printer spool (waiting
to be printed) files).

5. Is the location of the files different from where you end up if you use Start=>Run and type %temp%

6. What printer model and driver version are you using?

Workarounds include

a. Going to File=>Print and switching printer choice then switching back [Close] to return to Word.

b. With Word close using Start=>Search to delete all files found with
~$*.*;*.tmp
names and clearing the browser cache using
Start=>Programs=>Accessories=>System Tools=>Disk Cleanp

============
| Hello,
|
| This is a perculiar problem that I hope someone has seen before. One
| of my users whilst using Word XP SP3 will send an open document to
| print. Every so often all the lettering in the document will "jump"
| to the left of the screen in a non-coherent mess of letters one over
| the other, making the document completly illegible.
|
| Now the first instinct is to say this is a printer problem and that
| the drivers should be re-installed but considering this problem
| appears to happen randomly, as it will print normally most of the
| time and now seems to occur when a document is sent to a completely
| new printer recently introduced to the system. I dont think it is.
|
| Plus this only ever happens in Word.
|
| Has anyone heard of this problem?
| --
| Thanks, Cep.>>
--
Bob Buckland ?:)
MS Office System Products MVP

*Courtesy is not expensive and can pay big dividends*
Click to expand...
 
M

Mike Robinson

This happens at least once a day for one of our clients (running WinXP
Pro SP2 / Word 2003 SP1 or 2). Other clients at the same site also have
the problem very occasionally (running Word 2000 SP3 on Windows 2000).

The XP user only started getting the problem a couple of weeks ago when
she moved to another desk with a different printer. This is an HP
LaserJet 2430n with three trays, each with a different paper type. The
printer is then shared from the print server three times, each with a
different paper type / tray set up. The users have Word macros to select
the printer based on which tray they want, so that (for e.g.) the first
page gets printed on headed paper and subsequent pages on plain paper,
then a filing copy gets printed on the third type.

The text jumbling problem always occurs after a macro has been run. Other
documents opened after this have all characters on the first line
position as well, and all print-outs show the problem. Closing Word and
re-opening it seems to fix the problem.

The macro looks like this:


Sub letter_1_copy()
'
ActivePrinter = "\\server\HP LaserJet 2430 PCL 6 B"
'
Application.PrintOut FileName:="", Range:=wdPrintRangeOfPages, Item:=
wdPrintDocumentContent, Copies:=1, Pages:="1", PageType:=wdPrintAllPages,
Collate:=True, Background:=True, PrintToFile:=False, PrintZoomColumn:=0,
PrintZoomRow:=0, PrintZoomPaperWidth:=0, PrintZoomPaperHeight:=0
'
ActivePrinter = "\\server\HP LaserJet 2430 PCL 6 M"
'
Application.PrintOut FileName:="", Range:=wdPrintRangeOfPages, Item:=
wdPrintDocumentContent, Copies:=1, Pages:="2-999", PageType:=
wdPrintAllPages, Collate:=True, Background:=True, PrintToFile:=False,
PrintZoomColumn:=0, PrintZoomRow:=0, PrintZoomPaperWidth:=0,
PrintZoomPaperHeight:=0
'
ActivePrinter = "\\server\HP LaserJet 2430 PCL 6 T"
'
Application.PrintOut FileName:="", Range:=wdPrintAllDocument, Item:=
wdPrintDocumentContent, Copies:=1, Pages:="", PageType:=wdPrintAllPages,
Collate:=True, Background:=True, PrintToFile:=False, PrintZoomColumn:=0,
PrintZoomRow:=0, PrintZoomPaperWidth:=0, PrintZoomPaperHeight:=0
'
End Sub


The user has now started printing each part of the document individually
and, since she doesn't use the macros, she hasn't had this problem occur
since.
Does anyone have any ideas?

Mike
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MVP]

I was curious and followed the link. Not something I usually do but I'm
bored. It's a supposed solution to the problem with text in Word getting
scrunched up on the left side of a document. I say supposed because I've
only ever seen that happen one time (to my boss) and all he had to do was
close out the document and open it again. Don't know if this "solution"
works or not.
 
L

LVTravel

TO the OP. Sure did look like spam from the subject and the text though.
The OP definitely should have stated in the subject what the solution should
have been for and in the text a little clearer message stating the issue and
the fix.

JoAnn - I wasn't curious enough to follow the link since it had a number
behind the URL although this one did semi-indicate a page of a blog. Most
of these types of URLs are spam.


JoAnn Paules said:
I was curious and followed the link. Not something I usually do but I'm
bored. It's a supposed solution to the problem with text in Word getting
scrunched up on the left side of a document. I say supposed because I've
only ever seen that happen one time (to my boss) and all he had to do was
close out the document and open it again. Don't know if this "solution"
works or not.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




LVTravel said:
A solution to what? On the surface it sounds like spam to me.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
J

JoAnn Paules [MVP]

I know they're usually crap but for some dumb reason I clicked this time.
Every now and then I just can't fight that blasted sense of curiosity. ;-)

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




LVTravel said:
TO the OP. Sure did look like spam from the subject and the text though.
The OP definitely should have stated in the subject what the solution
should have been for and in the text a little clearer message stating the
issue and the fix.

JoAnn - I wasn't curious enough to follow the link since it had a number
behind the URL although this one did semi-indicate a page of a blog. Most
of these types of URLs are spam.


JoAnn Paules said:
I was curious and followed the link. Not something I usually do but I'm
bored. It's a supposed solution to the problem with text in Word getting
scrunched up on the left side of a document. I say supposed because I've
only ever seen that happen one time (to my boss) and all he had to do was
close out the document and open it again. Don't know if this "solution"
works or not.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




LVTravel said:
A solution to what? On the surface it sounds like spam to me.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
B

Brian Stevenson

I am such a bonehead! So many people have pointed out that my response
looked a lot like spam. I humbly apologize for changing the subject line and
not including the original message.

We finally broke down a shelled up the money for a Microsoft Support tech to
help us with this printing problem. It was well worth it because we got a
solution that actually works. On my personal blog, I documented the case
with screenshot so people understand what the problem looks like and how to
fix it. It's a very legitimate link and it was necessary because the
microsoft discussion groups don't let me embed images. Again I apologize.

Here is the link again should you decide to forgive me:
http://www.brianstevenson.com/blog/?p=136

Sincerely,
Brian Stevenson
 
B

Brian Stevenson

I am so sorry! Please forgive me.

LVTravel said:
TO the OP. Sure did look like spam from the subject and the text though.
The OP definitely should have stated in the subject what the solution should
have been for and in the text a little clearer message stating the issue and
the fix.

JoAnn - I wasn't curious enough to follow the link since it had a number
behind the URL although this one did semi-indicate a page of a blog. Most
of these types of URLs are spam.


JoAnn Paules said:
I was curious and followed the link. Not something I usually do but I'm
bored. It's a supposed solution to the problem with text in Word getting
scrunched up on the left side of a document. I say supposed because I've
only ever seen that happen one time (to my boss) and all he had to do was
close out the document and open it again. Don't know if this "solution"
works or not.

--

JoAnn Paules
MVP Microsoft [Publisher]




LVTravel said:
A solution to what? On the surface it sounds like spam to me.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
M

Mike Robinson

=?Utf-8?B?QnJpYW4gU3RldmVuc29u?=

Hi Brian,

Thanks for posting a reply.

I've set background printing to "off" on the affected workstation and asked
the user to test. I'll post to let everyone know the result.

Mike
 
Top