Computers are wonderful, except when they don’t work. It is the same with all levels of technology. My dad used to say, “Things used to be so simple.” Those days are long gone. There are mornings when before 6 AM. I have already had a fight with the coffee pot, the smart phone is locked up and they car’s “service engine soon” light come on half way to work.
Graphic artists also have days like this but often their frustrations arise when desktop publishing software acts up just as a big project is on deadline. Knowing where to start and how to begin troubleshooting issues like printing problems goes a long way to finding an answer under pressure.
Where to start
Anytime a computer won’t cooperate, you need to stay calm and think the problem through logically. Computers are machines and they only know how to do things they were programmed to do. So eliminating items that work help to isolate the issue and solve the problem.
When a document will not print, there are four levels that need to be explored. Is the problem a desktop publishing software issue, the file itself, the computer operating system or a physical problem with the printer?
The later is the easiest to troubleshoot. Is the printer on, plugged into the computer, or if it operates on a wireless network, is the network working, does it have paper and are the ink or toner cartridges loaded. Like my coffee pot, if the baskets and carafe are not in place, it won’t start. Printers are the same way. If it is an ink jet printer and one of the cartridges has been removed or is out of place, it won’t work.
Going to the next level
Restart the computer and try again. If it still fails, try to print the file to another printer. If that fails, begin to troubleshoot the desktop publishing software.
Make another simple file from the same software and see if that prints. If it does, the problem is with the saved file, if it still won’t print, the problem is likely with software.
For Adobe InDesign, on an Apple computer, delete the preference files and restart the program. To do this:
Quit InDesign and relaunch it while holding down the Control + Option +Command + Shift keys. For Windows computers, the keys to hold down are Control + Alt + Shift
Next, a dialog box will ask if you want to “Delete InDesign Preference Files?” Say yes and InDesign will replace them with the default preferences. This means any saved preferences you had will be deleted. But it is a small price to pay for getting the file to work correctly.
Try printing again and hopefully it will work.
Next Step
If not, the next step is to make sure you have the latest desktop publishing software loaded and that is it compatible with the operating system. Also, check to ensure the most up to date print drives are loaded and compatible. You can find the latest updates and compatibility charts on both the software and printer manufacturer’s Website.
Eliminate elements
Adobe lists several step-by-step guides to help resolve printing problems from its software. The guide here contains numerous possible troubleshooting scenarios and the steps to take for resolution. A few of them have been briefly explained already.
More complicated problems can exist and one scenario outlined by Adobe involves the graphics. Sometimes the images loaded in the in desktop publishing file are very large and the printer, network or computer you are trying to print from cannot handle the large data loads. Try deleted the images and save the file as a different name. If it prints, try reloading the graphics one by one to see which one is the choke point. When you discover it, resave it at a lower resolution and try again.
Potentially there are many other steps and elimination procedures to go through before you find the one or more than one thing causing the problem. Patience and a calm attitude will go a long way toward success in this and any other computer problem. The good news is once you solve the mystery, you know what to look for and how to proceed the next time something goes haywire.
– ArtworkAbode
