Excel not printing with ELP-NX

[KenB]

Hi, All,

Got a weird one with ELP-NX and an MP C5503.

All apps print OK other than Excel. I have been told that it's Excel 2013 on Win 7 workstations.

The user sees the job at the control panel, but gets an error of something to the extent of "HDD password not provided". They are sending to Locked Print, and providing a user name and password. Not sure as to which driver they are using.

I had the customer save the same file as a PDF, and it prints OK.

This happens on about 15 of 20 workstations, and not with all files.

I am working with a number of handicaps here:

1. This is a remote customer, about 500 miles away

2. I can't do a remote session (join.me, WebEx, and TeamViewer are all blocked

3. The IT guy is totally non-cooperative

I had the customer send me a sample file, and I printed it with no issues using lLocked Print, as ELP requires.

The customer claims they can't open the Locked Print page on the copier. If the could, I would start a debug log, and submit to Ricoh Engineering.

I also asked them to "Print to File" from the Excel print dialog box, so that I could get a look at the PJL codes in it. They claim that the Print to File option is not there, which I am struggling with.

The next step may be to do a Card Save at the machine to capture the output. A really long way to go for such a relatively simple task. Plus I would have to get a tech to go on site.

I know Excel can be flaky, but I think that is where the problem lies.

Oi veh.

Thanks in advance for any input.

[qbert69]

Re: Excel not printing with ELP-NX

If the IT guy is being a total ass about this, you need to tell him to his face! Your company doesn't support microsoft software and he needs to hear it!--you have absolutely no control on what software they install, use and update! As an alternative, you could try using the spreadsheet program of either Open Office or Libre Office to truly rule out the fact of the print driver being the issue. And if they don't let you remote in to fix this issue and you have to drive the 500+ miles to get them fixed up, you need to charge the piss out of them!

Just my two centavos worth!



PS--In any situation where there is an IT involvement, I try as much to BEFRIEND and be on speaking terms, not just that, I try and exchange mobile phone numbers with the IT person so I have a DIRECT "go to" to get problems quickly resolved! If the IT person in your situation is being uncooperative, you need to contact the management DIRECTLY and explain the issue, thereby placing the burden of responsibility DIRECTLY on this IT person....and it won't be coming from you!...It will be coming from upper management!

[KenB]

Re: Excel not printing with ELP-NX

Thanks for replying.

I'm well aware of what to do with this jerkalope, not the first time something like this has come up. (I've been at this a loooong time now.)

He's a contacted support guy, not directly employed by the customer.

All I need to do is escalate this to a decision maker at the customer site - I think the rest would take care of itself. I'm trying to give him a reasonable chance before doing that.

I was just wondering if anyone had seen issues with ELP and Excel files, that was my reason for posting.

And, no, we will absolutely NOT drive 500 miles (each way) to a customer site.

"I fixed your ELP print problem with the one machine you have from us. That will be $4,000, please."

[KenB]

Re: Excel not printing with ELP-NX

I spoke with the tech who covers the area today.

Turns out this was a firmware / Java update issue.

Once they were brought to current versions, all the Excel files printed OK.

No thanks to the IT guy, btw.

Moral of the story: Make sure your firmware is up to date before calling "wolf".

Really weird... ELP issue with Excel files only. Sheesh.