Java printing fails only on HP Laserjet 1300

[Rex]

Need some java guru type help.

Was thinking I had an incompatibility between an HP print driver and
java, but I'm not sure that's possible. I don't believe the two ever
really meet. I thought Windows was between them?

I have a situation where a runtime exception is thrown as my print
package (bought third party) tries to call the standard Windows print
dialog (kind of important: it never even gets to the Windows dialog.
It never even gets to try to send data to the printer).

I have my software out there with hundreds of customers and only this
one, who has three HP Laserjet 1300's, has the problem. If I swap
another printer (Dell Personal Inkjet Printer J740) in on her network,
viola, all is well again.

Here's what's really wierd. On any of her machines she can print to
the HP Laserjets if she first pulls up properties on the printer from
her control panel and just hits the "OK" button, without changing
anything. Printing will work for as long as my java application is
open. If she closes and reopens my java app, bingo, won't print again.
Atleast not until she goes in and hits the "OK" button again in the
printer properties dialog.

Something about pulling up the properties on the printer seems to wake
Windows up to the fact that the printer is there or something.
Ugggghhhh....

Here's her set up:

- 3 Gateway systems running WinXP service pack 1
- 3 HP Laserjet 1300's, one connected to each machine
- Latest driver for this printer (60.05.17.01) on each machine

Ever see your "Planet of the Apes"? Remember the "Forbidden Zone"?
That's where this problem is - in that "Forbidden Zone". Only certain
developers are allowed in there without reprecussion. I am not. I
will melt if I go in there and demons will eat out my eyes...

 

[Sudsy]

Rex wrote:

Here's what's really wierd. On any of her machines she can print to
the HP Laserjets if she first pulls up properties on the printer from
her control panel and just hits the "OK" button, without changing
anything. Printing will work for as long as my java application is
open. If she closes and reopens my java app, bingo, won't print again.
Atleast not until she goes in and hits the "OK" button again in the
printer properties dialog.

- 3 Gateway systems running WinXP service pack 1
- 3 HP Laserjet 1300's, one connected to each machine
- Latest driver for this printer (60.05.17.01) on each machine

<snip>

I /think/ that it might be an XP problem. Let me explain why. I was
configuring a fax-modem for a lady who already had a printer connected.
The "time-limited trial" of Office had expired so I was converting
everything to use Works.
- In Works word processor, everything is fine.
- In Works spreadsheet, the printer selection dialog is hosed. If I
deleted the ink-jet printer then I could use the fax modem. When I
added the ink-jet printer then /everything/ would come out on the
printer, even after selecting the fax modem as the output device!
Having spent too much time on the problem, and learning that the only
fax requirement was for word processing documents, I left it alone.
I wouldn't be surprised if there's a known glitch somewhere and so
you might try searching <http://www.microsoft.com>.
IOW it's not likely a problem specific to Java.

 

[Rex]

Nevermind. It's an HP bug...

http://bugs.sun.com/bugdatabase/view_bug.do?bug_id=6174596