Solved: {SECTIONPAGES} problem on printing

[fionabolt]

This is a weird one.

I have used ?Page { PAGES} of { SECTIONPAGES } pages? many times in headers and footers in templates I?ve created, and thought I knew how they worked. However, for this client I'm having problems when printing the document.

The visual on the screen in Print Layout is correct eg. Page 1 of 3 pages, the visual on print preview is correct, as before. HOWEVER, when you print the document to a printer, it prints out as "Page 1 of 1 pages", "Page 2 of 2 pages", and "Page 3 of 3 pages". What is even more bizarre is if the client prints the document to PDF, then the page numbers are correct.

I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it!

PS - I have made sure that update fields is checked on printing.

Any one seen this before and solved it? Any one got any ideas why this would be so? The client is using Word 2003 SP2.

Many thanks
F

[TonyJollans]

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/AppErrors/PageXofY.htm

[fionabolt]

Tony

Thanks for that. I had seen the problem before in Wd2000. However, this client is using Wd2003 with all service packs installed.

To update further on the problem. I now think it might be printer driver related (this makes sense as printing the document to PDF works fine). I tried printing the document to one of the client's colour printers and again the output was fine. However when using HP LaserJet 4250n (which the client has as a standard and globally!) then we get the problem as I reported earlier.

v. weird.

F

[TonyJollans]

This is a problem that won't go away. It was, I believe, fixed in one of the service packs for 2000 but the fix was not carried forward into 2002 or 2003 and so it keeps on rearing its ugly head. I did think it was just with NUMPAGES rather than SECTIONPAGES and from what you say, the printer driver does sound guilty in this case.

I haven't read the article in ages but I presume it mentions background printing - does it make any difference if you switch this off.

[fionabolt]

Thanks for that. It seems to solve it locally here, just waiting for the results of testing in Europe, Asia and the Americas!

Fingers crossed this will solve it.

Regards,
F

[TonyJollans]

Working here is a good start :)

[fionabolt]

Thanks Tony, that's solved it for me. The client on the other hand is now worried what if they send an open Word document to one of their clients.... (there already a protocol in place not to do this, theyre supposed to PDF everything!). So I'll have to come up with another way......