FMP9, WinXP -> crash when printing on Lexmark

[Markus Schneider]

Hello!

I got an FileMaker-installation (government-site) where all printers  
are Lexmark T620 (and newer ones). Worked perfect with FileMaker 6.  
Now, we installed FileMaker 9 (latest version) and FileMaker Server 9,  
migrated the FileMaker-Files... when printing (via scripts or manual  
as well), FileMaker 9 crashes - boom. Sometimes, 6-8 print-jobs are  
working fine, but in most cases the first or second print-job will  
crash FileMaker. The Printer will print the job, FileMaker (client)  
has to be restarted.

I tested other printers (Xerox, Ricoh, others) - absolutely no  
problem, printed dozens of copies, never had a crash. So, I asked the  
IT-guys to change the printer-driver... (btw. crash occurs with pure  
FMP-9 files as well, even with pure text-layouts)

(FileMaker Support suggested to change the printer drivers as well)

-> with the standard windows HP-Driver, I got no more problems - works  
perfect

The problem is that it can be complicated to have other drivers  
installed in a big company/government site (there is a SAP  
Installation - and SAP defined the printers) - they got printer-
servers with 20-50+ printers assigned. At the moment, we got a test  
printer-queue with HP drivers, running rock-solid

Does anybody know why the Lexmark driver won't work with FileMaker 9?  
(Sent a bug report in to FileMaker)

thanks

markus

[Stephen Pocock]

Some javascript/style in this post has been disabled (why?)

Hi Markus

 

I have about 200 user using Filemaker and Lexmark printers.  We have newer models but we also have occassional crashes when printing.  It almost always happens if you print a page range.

 

Not helpful, but you are not alone.

 

Regards

 

Stephen

>>> On 9/04/2008 at 1:10 am, Markus Schneider <[hidden email]> wrote:

Hello!

I got an FileMaker-installation (government-site) where all printers 
are Lexmark T620 (and newer ones). Worked perfect with FileMaker 6. 
Now, we installed FileMaker 9 (latest version) and FileMaker Server 9, 
migrated the FileMaker-Files... when printing (via scripts or manual 
as well), FileMaker 9 crashes - boom. Sometimes, 6-8 print-jobs are 
working fine, but in most cases the first or second print-job will 
crash FileMaker. The Printer will print the job, FileMaker (client) 
has to be restarted.

I tested other printers (Xerox, Ricoh, others) - absolutely no 
problem, printed dozens of copies, never had a crash. So, I asked the 
IT-guys to change the printer-driver... (btw. crash occurs with pure 
FMP-9 files as well, even with pure text-layouts)

(FileMaker Support suggested to change the printer drivers as well)

-> with the standard windows HP-Driver, I got no more problems - works 
perfect

The problem is that it can be complicated to have other drivers 
installed in a big company/government site (there is a SAP 
Installation - and SAP defined the printers) - they got printer-
servers with 20-50+ printers assigned. At the moment, we got a test 
printer-queue with HP drivers, running rock-solid

Does anybody know why the Lexmark driver won't work with FileMaker 9? 
(Sent a bug report in to FileMaker)

thanks

markus

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[Bruce Herbach]

Markus,

I hate to say this but this is most likely a Windows printer/Lexmark
driver issue and not an FM problem per say.   The fact that changing the
print driver fixed it supports this.  

You might check with Lexmark and see if they have a newer version of the
print driver.  Check to make sure it is Windows/Microsoft certified.  I
spent years as an IT tech/admin/director and have seen this type of
thing many times.  In many cases the vendor does not update the CD that
ships with the printer as new versions of the driver come out.   We used
to make it standard practice to go to the vendors web site and grab the
latest drivers for new printers instead of using the CD in the box.  

I know the IT team does not want to update print drivers.  It can be a
real pain for a large number of printers and PCs.  

If you have set number of stations that print you may be able to just
update these now and then update the print queues to distribute the new
version of the driver going forward.

Good luck.
Bruce


Markus Schneider wrote:

> Hello!
>
> I got an FileMaker-installation (government-site) where all printers
> are Lexmark T620 (and newer ones). Worked perfect with FileMaker 6.
> Now, we installed FileMaker 9 (latest version) and FileMaker Server 9,
> migrated the FileMaker-Files... when printing (via scripts or manual
> as well), FileMaker 9 crashes - boom. Sometimes, 6-8 print-jobs are
> working fine, but in most cases the first or second print-job will
> crash FileMaker. The Printer will print the job, FileMaker (client)
> has to be restarted.
>
> I tested other printers (Xerox, Ricoh, others) - absolutely no
> problem, printed dozens of copies, never had a crash. So, I asked the
> IT-guys to change the printer-driver... (btw. crash occurs with pure
> FMP-9 files as well, even with pure text-layouts)
>
> (FileMaker Support suggested to change the printer drivers as well)
>
> -> with the standard windows HP-Driver, I got no more problems - works
> perfect
>
> The problem is that it can be complicated to have other drivers
> installed in a big company/government site (there is a SAP
> Installation - and SAP defined the printers) - they got
> printer-servers with 20-50+ printers assigned. At the moment, we got a
> test printer-queue with HP drivers, running rock-solid
>
> Does anybody know why the Lexmark driver won't work with FileMaker 9?
> (Sent a bug report in to FileMaker)
>
> thanks
>
> markus
>

[Markus Schneider]

Thank You very much for the answers!

the problem is that I can't do anything by myself - every bit I have  
to turn on or off costs money because of the need of an IT guy...  
probably more money than a single, cheeper LaserPrinter would cost...
At the moment, we got that HP-printer-queue - so there is hope that  
things will be stable

The thing that puzzels me is that every other app (Word, Excel, SAP,  
Outlook, etc.) doesn't have one single problem with the Lexmark  
printers - it's just FileMaker - and just FileMaker 9... They are  
running older versions of FMP as well in that departement - no  
problems with V5, V5.5, V6

It's hard to live in non-FileMaker world (the whole government here is  
running windows on the client side), after a long discussion we  
decided to stay with FMP - and then this problem.... printing is one  
of the important things

markus

Am 09.04.2008 um 04:32 schrieb Bruce Herbach:

> I hate to say this but this is most likely a Windows printer/Lexmark  
> driver issue and not an FM problem per say.   The fact that changing  
> the print driver fixed it supports this.
> You might check with Lexmark and see if they have a newer version of  
> the print driver.  Check to make sure it is Windows/Microsoft  
> certified.  I spent years as an IT tech/admin/director and have seen  
> this type of thing many times.  In many cases the vendor does not  
> update the CD that ships with the printer as new versions of the  
> driver come out.   We used to make it standard practice to go to the  
> vendors web site and grab the latest drivers for new printers  
> instead of using the CD in the box.
> I know the IT team does not want to update print drivers.  It can be  
> a real pain for a large number of printers and PCs.
> If you have set number of stations that print you may be able to  
> just update these now and then update the print queues to distribute  
> the new version of the driver going forward.

------------------------------------------------------
Markus Schneider, ReM Software GmbH
Holunderweg 65, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland
T: ++41 (0)32 623 9505
E: [hidden email]
W: http://www.rem-software.ch

[Tammy Fleming]

I have it happening with more than one type of printer.  Konica  
Minolta 7228, Konica Minolta 7165 and Sharp AR-280.  Tried changing/
updating drivers.  Still crashes using Dell XP SP2 computers.   We  
never use drivers that come with CD's and always download the latest  
version.  I suppose I can try changing to a different vendors driver  
but the fact that this happens on more than one manufacturer of  
printer is disturbing.  This seems like a Filemaker issue.  We did not  
have any of these problems prior to upgrading to FM9.

Tammy Fleming
Director of Finance and Information Technology
Odyssey Press Inc.

[phone] - Phone
[phone] - Fax
www.odysseypress.com
Skype - tammy519





On Apr 8, 2008, at 10:32 PM, Bruce Herbach wrote:

> Markus,
>
> I hate to say this but this is most likely a Windows printer/Lexmark  
> driver issue and not an FM problem per say.   The fact that changing  
> the print driver fixed it supports this.
> You might check with Lexmark and see if they have a newer version of  
> the print driver.  Check to make sure it is Windows/Microsoft  
> certified.  I spent years as an IT tech/admin/director and have seen  
> this type of thing many times.  In many cases the vendor does not  
> update the CD that ships with the printer as new versions of the  
> driver come out.   We used to make it standard practice to go to the  
> vendors web site and grab the latest drivers for new printers  
> instead of using the CD in the box.
> I know the IT team does not want to update print drivers.  It can be  
> a real pain for a large number of printers and PCs.
> If you have set number of stations that print you may be able to  
> just update these now and then update the print queues to distribute  
> the new version of the driver going forward.
>
> Good luck.
> Bruce
>
>
> Markus Schneider wrote:
>> Hello!
>>
>> I got an FileMaker-installation (government-site) where all  
>> printers are Lexmark T620 (and newer ones). Worked perfect with  
>> FileMaker 6. Now, we installed FileMaker 9 (latest version) and  
>> FileMaker Server 9, migrated the FileMaker-Files... when printing  
>> (via scripts or manual as well), FileMaker 9 crashes - boom.  
>> Sometimes, 6-8 print-jobs are working fine, but in most cases the  
>> first or second print-job will crash FileMaker. The Printer will  
>> print the job, FileMaker (client) has to be restarted.
>>
>> I tested other printers (Xerox, Ricoh, others) - absolutely no  
>> problem, printed dozens of copies, never had a crash. So, I asked  
>> the IT-guys to change the printer-driver... (btw. crash occurs with  
>> pure FMP-9 files as well, even with pure text-layouts)
>>
>> (FileMaker Support suggested to change the printer drivers as well)
>>
>> -> with the standard windows HP-Driver, I got no more problems -  
>> works perfect
>>
>> The problem is that it can be complicated to have other drivers  
>> installed in a big company/government site (there is a SAP  
>> Installation - and SAP defined the printers) - they got printer-
>> servers with 20-50+ printers assigned. At the moment, we got a test  
>> printer-queue with HP drivers, running rock-solid
>>
>> Does anybody know why the Lexmark driver won't work with FileMaker  
>> 9? (Sent a bug report in to FileMaker)
>>
>> thanks
>>
>> markus
>>
>

[LegacyUSA]

Conversely, we had a problem with HP printers in the days of FMPro 2 and 3. The cure was to switch to an older printer driver.

Markus Schneider wrote:

Thank You very much for the answers!

the problem is that I can't do anything by myself - every bit I have  
to turn on or off costs money because of the need of an IT guy...  
probably more money than a single, cheeper LaserPrinter would cost...
At the moment, we got that HP-printer-queue - so there is hope that  
things will be stable

The thing that puzzels me is that every other app (Word, Excel, SAP,  
Outlook, etc.) doesn't have one single problem with the Lexmark  
printers - it's just FileMaker - and just FileMaker 9... They are  
running older versions of FMP as well in that departement - no  
problems with V5, V5.5, V6

It's hard to live in non-FileMaker world (the whole government here is  
running windows on the client side), after a long discussion we  
decided to stay with FMP - and then this problem.... printing is one  
of the important things

markus

Am 09.04.2008 um 04:32 schrieb Bruce Herbach:
> I hate to say this but this is most likely a Windows printer/Lexmark  
> driver issue and not an FM problem per say.   The fact that changing  
> the print driver fixed it supports this.
> You might check with Lexmark and see if they have a newer version of  
> the print driver.  Check to make sure it is Windows/Microsoft  
> certified.  I spent years as an IT tech/admin/director and have seen  
> this type of thing many times.  In many cases the vendor does not  
> update the CD that ships with the printer as new versions of the  
> driver come out.   We used to make it standard practice to go to the  
> vendors web site and grab the latest drivers for new printers  
> instead of using the CD in the box.
> I know the IT team does not want to update print drivers.  It can be  
> a real pain for a large number of printers and PCs.
> If you have set number of stations that print you may be able to  
> just update these now and then update the print queues to distribute  
> the new version of the driver going forward.



------------------------------------------------------
Markus Schneider, ReM Software GmbH
Holunderweg 65, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland
T: ++41 (0)32 623 9505
E: [e-mail]
W: http://www.rem-software.ch

[Kevin Hammond]

Along with the recommendations of updating the driver you may wish to look at the fonts on the layout being printed.  This would be a work around if you do not have the ability to update the driver yourself.

---TEST----

[Markus Schneider]

lucky me... the IT departement replaced the drivers - we got a queue  
with the stock HP drivers -> works perfect now. I created some dozans  
of print-outputs, no error until now (knock on wood - seems a bit like  
voodoo to me.. but that's V9..)

Thanks!

markus


Am 16.04.2008 um 23:53 schrieb Kevin Hammond:

> Along with the recommendations of updating the driver you may wish  
> to look at
> the fonts on the layout being printed.  This would be a work around  
> if you
> do not have the ability to update the driver yourself.
>
> ---TEST----
>
> -----
> Kevin Hammond
> FileMaker Certified Developer
> http://www.dbservices.com Database Development Services
> FileMaker Business Alliance
> 7997 Wolford Court
> Fishers, IN 46038
>
> Making Software Work the Way You Do
> --
> View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/FMP9%2C-WinXP--%3E-crash-when-printing-on-Lexmark-tp16568526p16668344.html
> Sent from the FMPro at Dartmouth mailing list archive at Nabble.com.

------------------------------------------------------
Markus Schneider, ReM Software GmbH
Holunderweg 65, CH-4500 Solothurn, Switzerland
T: ++41 (0)32 623 9505
E: [hidden email]
W: http://www.rem-software.ch