1.100 FAQ-617 What to do if the color printer only prints black?

color-printer-prints-black

Last Update: 2/3/2015

If you meet the problem that when you print an Origin graph, you only get black and white output although you have a color printer, you may try the following for trouble shooting:

1. Check that your color cartridge/toner is not empty or blocked

This is the least likely cause of the problem, but an important check to make. Most color printer drivers and/or software provide functions to verify alignment and color output. Consult your manual or open your printer driver by clicking Start : Settings : Printers and right-click on your printer's icon and select Properties. Browse the Properties dialog for options that perform system checks.

2. Look for a 'Print only Black and White' option

Open your printer driver's Properties dialog (see above) and look for a color option that uses black only. Uncheck it or select an option that enables color. Some color printers have different resolutions for color and black-and-white (usually higher resolution in black-and-white). Some applications (not Origin) will force a printer to use a quality mode that affects this option, and if the resolution is forced to its highest the color output may be disabled.

3. Enable gray scale printing

Some combinations of printers and operating system versions can lead to a miscommunication between Origin and a printer driver. Under these circumstances, Origin may 'think' it is dealing with a black-and-white printer when it is actually using a color printer. In the Origin Print dialog displayed one of two check boxes depending on the print capabilities read by Origin:

• Enable color as gray scale

This check box displays for color printers

• Use simplified colors

This check box displays for black-and-white printers

If you are seeing the first checkbox and you are using a color printer, then checking the box should tell Origin to send all color information and let the printer handle any conversions that may come up. In earlier versions of Origin there was a rather cryptic "Print color on black and white printers" check box which did the same thing.

Keywords:Print Graphs