When I choose File / Print Current Document and send it to the network printer, the dialog disappears but nothing prints.
When I set the Printer to be Adobe PDF, it will create the PDF file. BUT, here’s the weird part, the PDF won’t even print to the printer.
When I export the PDF to Microsoft Word, the resulting Word document will print to the network printer.
This problem with Print Current Document (or Ctrl-p) happens with all the documents in my Scrivener project.
Another oddity. After I send the document to the printer in the Ctrl-P dialog, the printer status says “one document pending” but after a few seconds that message even disappears.
Is it possible you’re selecting an empty folder when this happens? An empty folder, but you expect its SUB-documents to print?
I put the cursor inside a document (not a folder) and press Ctrl-P. The print dialog box comes up. I choose the HP Officejet network printer. The print job is sent. The print queue notes 1 print job pending, then printing. The print job queue empties. But nothing prints.
Does Ctrl-P work for you (or File/Print Current Document)?
Yes, it works on my installation.
A possible explanation would be that you have a different paper size set-up in your printer than what your Scrivener project is set-up for. Some printer drivers postpone printing when the paper type doesn’t match. They usually would come up with a dialog on the printer’s display, asking whether you want to print anyway. That dialog might not appear in your case for whatever reason or might not have seen it.
This would also explain, why the PDF file is not printing – same problem with the paper size.
You might want to check out the paper size setting at the printer and your Scrivener document. If that doesn’t help, try printing to another device, for example a virtual printer that prints to a file.
In Scrivener 3 (Windows), under File / Page Setup, the paper size is set to Letter. That is what the HP Officejet printer is expecting. I don’t know of any other settings in Scrivener to check.
That is the setting I was referring to. So that looks okay.
Can you open the generated PDF with a PDF-Viewer and check for anything unusual? That a PDF doesn’t print makes the whole case a little suspicious – meaning: The problem might not be directly related to Scrivener, but something else.
I have Adobe Acrobat Pro and looking at the document properties did not reveal anything.
I saw one tip in an online forum about trying to print a PDF as an image (in Adobe Acrobat Pro: File / Print / Advanced / print as image) and that worked. But other than that, the PDF refuses to print (as does the Word document and the original Scrivener document). They all exhibit the same behavior – the print job seemingly is set off to the print queue, the print queue reports printing the document, the print queue is emptied, but nothing prints on the printer.
Perhaps you can send that PDF documents to the L&L support team. They should be able to figure out what’s wrong with it. – Or they find out that it prints on their system and the problem must be somewhere else.
I am almost afraid to ask: Do other PDF documents print without problem at your site?
This is the first time any type of documents exhibit this behavior. I started writing in Scrivener 3 yesterday for the first time since I installed the updated version and I wanted to printout one document to show my editor.
Where do I send documents (not just the PDF but the Word doc too) to Scrivener support?
Many thanks for all your help.
Some online responses to a similar problem with HP printers implies a broken print spooler, caused by a Microsoft update. One of the solutions is at https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Printing-Errors-or-Lights-Stuck-Print-Jobs/Print-queue-job-does-not-print/td-p/6529433 . Look at the Accepted Solution at the part that follows this:
Alternatively, from the Microsoft tech support website is this possible solution:
"You may need to clear spooler files and restart the spooler service. The print spooler is a file that manages the printing process. To clear and reset the print spooler:
In the search box on the taskbar, type services, and then select Services in the list of results.
Select the Standards tab, and then double-click Print Spooler in the list of services.
Select Stop, and then select OK.
In the search box on the taskbar, enter %WINDIR%\system32\spool\printers, select %WINDIR%\system32\spool\PRINTERS in the list of results, and then delete all files in the folder.
In the search box on the taskbar, search for services, and then select Services in the list of results.
Select the Standards tab, and the double-click Print Spooler in the list of services.
Select Start, select Automatic in the Startup Type box, and then select OK."
Well, mixed results. I did the steps you listed for stopping the print spooler / clearing the spool files / starting the print spooler.
Now, the PDF prints from Adobe Acrobat Pro.
But the Word file still does not print. Nor does Scrivener Ctrl-P (Print Current Document).
I’m reluctant to start uninstalling/reinstalling print drivers since EVERYTHING else is working fine. It is only Scrivener 3 that is not working. I even went back to Scrivener 1 for Windows and “Print Current Document” works perfectly to the same HP Officejet printer.
On their main website at the very bottom there is a section “Get In Touch” with three big boxes below it. The first one is “Bug Reporting”. Or simply use this link L&L Bug Reporting.
Thank you, I will do that.
I just got back the definitive reply from Scrivener support. Indeed what I reported is a bug. Here’s their reply:
There is a bug with the Qt framework we use to create Scrivener and printing to some HP printers. This means some uses, as you have found, cannot print directly from Scrivener.
Their only suggestion was what I already attempted, to use the compile function or to export to Word. Both of which are clunky solutions.
But, at least I know it’s not my system but rather a known bug.
Thanks again for all your help.
Do not hold your breath waiting for Qt or HP to fix the bug, though.