offending command: filter

[tking2008]

Hi, I'm trying to print a document to an HP Laserjet P2015 printer. The doc has 2 embedded images on it, a logo and a signature. The output of the job diplays the following errors:

ERROR: ioerror
OFFENDING COMMAND: filter
STACK: ImageData, --filestream-- , --dict--, SubfileDecode ,

The job will print succesfuly on an HP 4350, and a 4300, but I need it on the P2015 because of the magnetic toner for checks.

any suggestion?

could printer memory be an issue?

Thanks
Tim

 

[Andy]

Re: offending command: filter

Hi Tim,

That sort of error in a PostScript/PDF RIP is usually down to one of two things:

a) a bug in the RIP.
b) the file having got corrupted (for example non-binary transfer resulting in cr-lf pairs being replaced by cr's, or non-binary transmission).

If it's a), you're stuffed. If it's b), I suggest you check how the file has been moved around (your network) to make sure no line ends have been changed. Another possible cause of b) is that the method you're using to send the file to the printer is not sending it as binary - it needs to be.

Regards,

Andy.

Andy Cave,
Chief Executive Officer,
Hamillroad Software Limited.
www.firstproof.com
www.hamillroad.com

 

[tking2008]

Re: offending command: filter

Thanks for the reply, can you explain what RIP is?

 

[Andy]

Re: offending command: filter

Hi Tim,

I wrote a long reply which just got trashed... So a short one...

Go take a look at the Harlequin RIP - www.globalgraphics.com - or the Adobe PDF Print Engine - www.adobe.com. They are both RIPs - Raster Image Processors - which take a job written in a particular PDL (Page Description Language) and convert that to a bitmap (or contone) which can be printed by a printer.

If you have a document for a particular application, then when you go Print your document is typically converted from it's native format to a PDL (PostScript, PDF, PCL, etc...) and that is sent to the printer (which typically contains a RIP to turn that PDL into bits/dots/marks that the printer can print).

If you're document is an application document you are printing, then another thing you could try is changing some of your print settings (trying printing as Level I PS or Level II PS), or saving as PDF and then trying to print the PDF, etc...

Regards,

Andy.

 

[tking2008]

Re: offending command: filter

Thanks for the info Andy. Also, any thoughts on why the job prints fine on the HP 4300 and 4350?

Tim

 

[PDL]

Re: offending command: filter

HP's Support site for your product. This may be a good place to start.
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...=1845551&prodTypeId=18972&supportTaskId=22994

Otherwise I'd try sending without either one, the other, or both of the images deleted. That may take you to the root of the problem. Good luck.

 

[Andy]

Re: offending command: filter

Hi Tim,

A little more info (that I alluded to) would be helpful. What is the document? Quark? Word? InDesign? A PDF document?

How it prints on a particular printer depends on what the printer supports - for example the printer might only support PCL, or HPGL, or PostScript Level 1, or PS Level II, or PS Level III, etc... It might also be because the different printers contain different vendor RIPs (e.g. Adobe, Harlequin, Jaws, etc...).

So the reason it prints on the HP 4300 and 4350 might be for example because when you go print in the application, it generates PS Level II and not (e.g.) PS Level III (to the one that fails). It could also because the one that works has a Jaws RIP and the one that fails has an Adobe RIP, or vica-versa, etc...

The above is why I suggested converting your document to PDF (try 1.4 PDF, or 1.3 PDF, or 1.5 PDF, etc...) as one of these might 'avoid' the error. But this is most certainly a workaround.

What would be useful info would be to know what RIPs & PDLs (PS Level I, II or II, PDF, PCL, etc...) are on each of the printers. From that you might be able to determine or find out if a later release of the RIP or O/S driver is available, which might fix errors/bugs in earlier releases.

Regards,

Andy.

Andy Cave,
Chief Executive Officer,
Hamillroad Software Limited.
www.firstproof.com
www.hamillroad.com

 

[PDL]

Re: offending command: filter

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...kId=135&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=1845551
Link to the drivers for your printer. You may want to try downloading and then reinstalling them.

 

[tking2008]

Re: offending command: filter

I found that the

Language Simulation:

P2015:
PCL 5E, PCL 6, PostScript 3


4350:
PCL 5E, PCL 6, PDF 1.3, PostScript 3

 

[Andy]

Re: offending command: filter

Hi Tim,

I looked on HPs web site but they don't say much about what their PS actually is - apart from it's a PostScript Level 3 Emulation (for both printers). They don't list who it's from or what release/revision of PS it is (for either).

Given that PDF 1.3 is later than PostScript Level 3, one could take an educated guess that the P2015 therefore contains an earlier implementation of PostScript which could therefore contain some bugs.

You could try re-installing the drivers as suggested, but I doubt that will work. I think you'll need to try a workaround as I suggested - convert to PDF and try printing, or try printing with a generic Level I PS PPD, etc...

Regards,

Andy.

Andy Cave,
Chief Executive Officer,
Hamillroad Software Limited.
www.firstproof.com
www.hamillroad.com