Printer Issues Checklist Issues Many customers email and/or call in

Printer Issues Checklist
Issues
Many customers email and/or call in regarding various issues with printing MathType
equations. Quite often the display of the MathType equations will appear as expected
but the printed document will not match the display. What is happening is that the
PICT or Metafile is created as exact as possible for display, and when the display and
print environments don't match, there can be differences in the equation's
appearance on screen and when printed.
Note: MathType does not get involved during the display or printing process, and in
fact equations can be displayed and printed without MathType being installed.
There are basically 3 "phases" that all need to be in sync with each other for correct
output:
1) when the equation is created in MathType (or EE, for that matter)
2) when the equation is displayed on screen
3) when the equation is printed
So if any of these 3 environments differ in the available fonts or their outlines then
differences can occur, and may range from barely noticeable to very annoying! If you
think about it in this way, you can see why moving a Word document to a different
PC can cause problems if the fonts aren't present, which is similar to moving the doc
to a Mac. The same applies if the fonts on the printer don't match the computer's
fonts, which is why 'Print TrueType as Graphic' (suggested in Common ResponsesPrint Environmensts) can help; it removes the differences between 2 and 3.
***Note that eps files are commonly used when editing in InDesign. When using this
combination it is imperative that PostScript fonts are used. For details on how to do
this in the Windows environment please see #5 under, Printer Checklist Q & A***
It's also important to note is that, quite often, these issues involve third party
software applications such as In Design, Acrobat or Quark. The reason to note this is
because often customers will say that a document looks good in MathType and Word,
but does not when used with another application. Once again, the MathType object is
embedded/inserted into the application, and it is the application that is involved with
the display/print process. This includes the Windows metafile and the Macintosh PICT
formats, which means even Microsoft Word.
One of the first items to check when a customer calls in is the printer driver. If the
printer driver is outdated this can cause the document to print differently (characters
omitted, changed and or clipped are common complaints) than expected. This is
addressed in TechNote77 on our web site and links to the various printer companies
are provided for the convenience of the customer.
Another issue is the use of PostScript versus TrueType font. When Printing MathType
equations to a PostScript printer one must use the PostScript fonts offered by
MathType and installed into the MathType folder. Within the Mac and Window Read
Me there is an explanation of installing and using these fonts. The Read Me for
Windows is located in Start | All Programs (Programs) | MathType (5) | MathType
Read Me, while the Read Me for the Mac is found in Applications | MathType (5) |
MathType Read Me. The customer can also install the fonts for free (Windows) from
our home page www.dessci.com or download and install the MathType 30 day free
trial (Mac and Windows but the only way Mac users can get the fonts).
Printer settings can often be used to resolve issues. Quite often something as simple
as choosing to print with True Type fonts as a graphic can resolve an issue. This can
be tricky in that different printers offer different choices and you may need to refer
the customer to the printer manufacturer (TechNote77).
Embedding the fonts into a document can make it easy and convenient for the
recipients of documents with MathType equations to view. This is for Windows users
only, as the Mac does not allow for font embedding. Note that there is a bug in Office
2000 that prevents this unless the fonts are marked as "installable". Also, in
MathType 4.0 the versions of the fonts included with MathType were "editable",
which means that Word and PowerPoint will display them if they are used for text,
but not within graphics. MathType 5.0 for Windows and the TrueType font installer
currently available on our website include revised fonts which are "installable".
Details on this procedure are on our web site in TechNote50.
Another tip involves converting MathType equations. If a customer calls in and you
discover that the document he/she is trying to display and/or print from was not
made on the same platform that he/she is working on, then that customer will need
to use the Convert Equations command in the MathType menu. An example would be
if someone called in was using Mac OS X and complained that a colleague working on
the Windows platform had sent him/her a document and they couldn't print/display it
properly. This is a classic case for using the Convert Equation command. Detailed
information is given in TechNote50 and TechNote43 and this is where we, most
often, refer the customer to.
One of the most common complaints involves printing PowerPoint slides. What
happens is that the customer cannot print PowerPoint slides (with color backgrounds
and equations) in grayscale or black and white. The issue is that PowerPoint
automatically re-colors all of the elements of presentations when printing so that it
prints in black and white with a white background. However it does not re-color
pictures, which is what MathType equations are to PowerPoint. Another factor to
consider is that the technology in PowerPoint is not as advanced as the Technology
in Word. Specifically you cannot do global changes to equations in PowerPoint the
way you can in Word. What this means is that you will need to manually change each
equation to accomplish the desired effect.
There is a very specific issue relating only to Mac OS X, Word 2004 and the
MathType symbolic font. It involves issues inserting characters from
MathType's 'symbolic' fonts in Microsoft Office 2004 applications. As stated in the
TSN we believe this problem is due to the way Mac OS X and Office 2004 handle
keyboard input. Office 2004 interprets keystrokes as Unicode characters, and
switches to a font that contains that character, i.e. an alphabetic font. (In Office X,
by contrast, keystrokes are used to input a glyph from the currently selected font,
even if it is symbolic and doesn't contain the character represented on your
keyboard.) The details are covered in TechNote110. At this time there is no real
solution to this problem until the bug is fixed by Microsoft and/or Apple, but there
are workarounds offered in the TechNote.
Another known issue is when printing/displaying the contour integral. The circle is
shifted to the left or to the right. Here is an example
. It seems to have moved
the circle upward in this gif file. There is a canned response regarding this that can
be sent to customers. One suggestion is that you have the customer try to print with
True Type fonts as a graphic (as in other responses) if you have the option in your
printer settings. Another is to switch from PS to PCL or vice versa when printing,
and if that doesn't work, try printing to a different printer. One final suggestion is
that the print driver may need updating and that is addressed in TechNote77.
Following is a Printer Check List which was created to offer a "At a Glance" view of
printing issues, a Q and A session to guide in asking appropriate questions and
giving appropriate answers, and finally some common responses that we send to
customers.
Printer Checklist
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Display versus printing
Printer driver
Font Installers
Printer settings
Embed Fonts
Convert Equations
PostScript/Non-PostScript Printer
Font Types
PowerPoint
Mac OS X, Word 2004
Contour Integrals
Printer Issues Checklist Q and A
Before opening a Q and A session with a customer get the OS, Office and MathType
versions and or any applicable Updates/Service Packs that the customer is using.
1. Does MathType display properly?
If no, then this is a font issue and they may need to install the necessary fonts.
Fonts can be installed from our web site (Windows platform only) or from the
evaluation version (Mac or Windows) or downloaded/bought from a third party.
There is also a Font Foundries canned response that you can email to the customer.
If all of the fonts are installed then the video card or driver may need updating.
If yes, they may not be using the latest printer driver available for their printer.
Refer to them TechNote77 for specific instructions on updating their printer driver.
***Remember that MathType is not involved in display or printing from other
applications. Once the MathType object is embedded/inserted into the application it
is the application that is involved with the display/print process. This includes the
Windows metafile and the Macintosh PICT formats***
2. Can you print from MathType but not from the other application?
If yes, check printer settings for these apps. You may need to poke around to find
them. An example is as follows:
HP 2300
a.) Key Ctrl + P
b.) Click Properties | Advanced | Graphics Mode | Send graphics as Raster/Vector
or
Copier
c.) Key Ctrl + P
d.) Click Properties | View Settings | Quality | Send TrueType as
4. Are you the originator of the document? If not, was it created on the
Windows or Macintosh platform?
If the document was created on a platform other than the one that the document is
being displayed/printed from, the Convert Equations command will need to be run
first. This is located in the MathType pull down menu in Word. The Convert dialog
pictured below with the appropriate settings for converting.
5. What type of printer are you printing to, PostScript or non-PostScript?
They may need to use the MathType PostScript fonts that are located in the
MathType folder. The default location is C:\Program Files\MathType\Fonts\PostScript.
The information regarding the use of these fonts is in the MathType Read Me which
can be found in Start | Programs (All Programs) MathType 5 (Windows). The
information regarding the use of PostScript fonts on the Mac is located in
Applications | MathType 5 | Fonts | About the PostScript Fonts (OS X). See Common
Responses for details.
When saving eps files and Placing them into InDesign it is essential to use PostScript
fonts. Note that the MathType PostScript fonts may not be what is needed and they
may need to install a different font. The example here is using the Times and Symbol
font but any PostScript font applies. If a customer needs help installing PostScript
fonts (Windows Platform), and if they have the necessary fonts available, follow the
steps below:
1. Open the Start Menu
2. Go to Control Panel and open the Fonts folder
3. Remove any TrueType font of the font that you are replacing, in this case I
removed Times New Roman TrueType (ttf) and Symbol TrueType (ttf). You
can place these in another folder such as one on your desktop for future use.
4. Next go to File | Install New Font...
5. Choose the drive where the font is kept. In this instance it was
v:\\Newton\APPS
6. Scroll down to the applicable folder. In this case fonts\adobe type basics
7. Choose the font (s) from the List of fonts: and click o.k. I chose Times Roman
(Type 1), Times Bold (Type 1), Times BoldItalic (Type 1), Times Itallic (Type
1) and Symbol (Type 1).
If they don't have the necessary fonts you can refer them to the list of font foundries
that follows:
Adobe
http://www.adobe.com/
Bitstream
http://www.bitstream.com/
The Font Bureau http://www.fontbureau.com/
Monotype
http://www.monotype.com/
URW
http://www.urwpp.de/deutsch/home.html
Eyewire
http://www.eyewire.com/
Fonthaus
http://www.fonthaus.com
6. Can you print successfully from another printer?
If no, have them send the document to us so that we can test it on our end. Be sure
to confirm what OS they are on, what version of Word (or other application) they are
using, the make and model of the printer, what type of printer it is (PS or non-PS)
and what the printer settings are. It's good practice to have them send the latter
information in the same email as the document.
If yes, direct them to TechNote77.
Common Responses
Print Environments
We often hear that printed material does not come out the same as that which is
displayed on the monitor. This is a very common issue when printing and is as varied
as the types of printers that exist. What is happening is that the PICT or Metafile is
created as exact as possible for display, and when the display and print
environments don't match, there can be differences in the equation's appearance on
screen and when printed. One suggestion is that you try to print with True Type
fonts as a graphic if you have the option in your printer settings. Other solutions
vary and are addressed in TechNote #77 located at
http://www.dessci.com/en/support/TSN/tsn77.htm.
PowerPoint Printing
We have had many customers write in stating that they cannot print PowerPoint
slides (with color backgrounds and equations) in grayscale or black and white. The
issue is that PowerPoint automatically re-colors all of the elements of presentations
when printing so that it prints in black and white with a white background. However
it does not re-color pictures, which is what MathType equations are to PowerPoint.
Another factor to consider is that the technology in PowerPoint is not as that in
Word. Specifically you cannot do global changes to equations in PowerPoint the way
you can in Word. What this means is that you will need to manually change each
equation to accomplish the desired effect.
Printing Integrals
We are aware of the issue when printing the contour integral and have added it
to our bug database for further investigation. In general we often hear that printed
material does not come out the same as that which is displayed on the monitor. This
is a very common issue when printing and is as varied as the types of printers that
exist. What is happening is that the PICT or Metafile is created as exact as possible
for display, and when the display and print environments don't match, there can be
differences in the equation's appearance on screen and when printed. One
suggestion is that you try to print with True Type fonts as a graphic if you have the
option in your printer settings. Another is to switch from PS to PCL or vice versa and
if that doesn't work try printing to a different printer. One final suggestion is that the
print driver may need updating and that is addressed in TechNote #77 located at
http://www.dessci.com/en/support/TSN/tsn77.htm.
MathType’s PostScript Fonts (Windows):
MathType Setup copies both TrueType and PostScript versions of the MathType fonts
to your MathType folder. The TrueType fonts are also installed into your Windows’
Fonts folder so that they’re available for use in all applications. For the large majority
of our customers this setup is fine. If you prefer to use PostScript fonts (e.g. you
may work with a printer that only accepts PostScript fonts) you can manually install
MathType’s PostScript fonts. You need to be using Adobe Type Manager, or be using
Windows 2000, Windows XP or newer (these support PostScript fonts without the
need for Adobe Type Manager).
MathType’s PostScript Fonts (Mac):
The MathType 5 Installer places copies of MathType's TrueType fonts in your Fonts
folder. Some users may prefer to work with PostScript fonts, in which case we have
provided PostScript versions of the Euclid and MT Extra fonts that can be used on OS
9 or OS X. These fonts are in LWFN ("LaserWriter font") format, meaning they
consist of suitcases containing bitmap fonts, plus a collection of Type 1 outline fonts.
To use the PostScript fonts on OS 9, you need Adobe Type Manager. OS X supports
PostScript fonts natively, but has some issues detailed below.
To use the PostScript fonts instead of the TrueType fonts:
1. Remove MathType's eight TrueType suitcases from your fonts folder (System
Folder:Fonts on OS 9, /Library/Fonts on OS X). The list of suitcases to remove is:
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Euclid
Eucild
Euclid
Euclid
Euclid
Euclid
Extra
Fraktur
Math One
Math Two
Symbol
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MT Extra
Symbol
2. Copy the 25 font files from <MathType folder>/Fonts/PostScript into your fonts
folder.
Note: The Symbol font in the PostScript folder is a TrueType font, the same version
found in the TrueType folder. We do not ship a PostScript version of Symbol because
this font is built into PostScript printers. If you need a PostScript version of Symbol
for your Mac, you must obtain a copy from Adobe.
Known Issues with PostScript fonts on OS X:
There are two known problems with PostScript fonts on OS X that affect MathType:
1. Mac OS X draws the wrong glyphs for 8 characters in Euclid Symbol and 6
characters in MT Extra/Euclid Extra. This problem will also affect other symbolic
PostScript fonts you may have. This is due to a bug with how Mac OS X handles
symbolic fonts. This affects screen and printed output on OS X, but not EPS output.
We have notified Apple about this issue, and any concerns should be raised directly
with Apple.
Euclid Symbol:
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infinity (replaced by bullet)
proportional to (replaced by mu)
not equal to (replaced by pi)
identical to (replaced by integral)
weierstrass 'p' (replaced by radical)
circled plus (replaced by approximately equal to)
superset of (replaced by ellipsis)
logical or (replaced by slash)
Euclid Extra/MT Extra:
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integral loop (replaced by bullet)
unknown glyph (replaced by space)
'fi' ligature (replaced by apple)
dotless i (replaced by superscript 3)
fraction slash (replaced by caron)
double acute accent (replaced by degree)
2. If you assign a symbolic PostScript font to the "symbol" style in MathType's Define
Styles dialog (e.g., Euclid Symbol), then some fence templates (parentheses, braces)
draw over-stretched on screen, but print at the right size.
PicturePadding
PicturePadding is a way to control the space around objects in a Word document on
both the Windows and Mac Platforms. This can affect MathType equations as well as
any graphic object in a document and the process is different for Windows and Mac.
Both have "gotchas" in that by reducing the value to 0 clipping of the objects can
occur. The following is what is in the Canned Responses for Outlook.
PicturePadding Window Platform:
By changing a variable value in your registry, you can add or remove "picture
padding" around your equations.
First, quit MathType. Make sure that MathType is not running in Server Mode. (Look
for a small icon in the corner of your screen next to your system clock that looks like
a stack of three square tiles with a blue sigma on the top. If it appears, right-click on
it and choose "Exit" to quit MathType's server.)
From the Windows Start menu, choose Run. Type in "regedit" without the quotes.
The Registry Editor functions very much like Windows Explorer. The interface is
composed of two primary windows. In the left window, expand
HKEY_CURRENT_USER by double-clicking on its folder icon or single-clicking on the
boxed-in + beside it. Inside it, expand the Software registry. Inside Software,
expand Design Science, then DSMT5, then Windows. Across the bottom of the
Registry Editor window, you should see:
My Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USERS\Software\Design Science\DSMT 5\Windows
In the right window, you should see a small AB-scrap icon next to a Data called
PicturePadding. Double-click on the icon. A window will appear. The default Value
data is 2, which means there are currently 2 pixels of padding around your MathType
equations. By increasing this number, you can increase the padding and by
decreasing the number, you can reduce or remove the padding.
Change the 2 to a 1 or 3 (or whatever number you wish). Click OK. You should not
quit the Registry Editor yet. Return to a Word document, choose "Convert Equations"
from the MathType pull down menu, and update all the equations in your document
(new equations will also be affected). You should see the difference in the amount of
space around the equations. You can also reduce the padding value to 0 but you do
run the risk of Word "clipping" parts of your equations (which is why there is 2 pixels
of padding by default)
PicturePadding Mac:
By changing a variable value in your preferences, you can add or remove "picture
padding" around your equations. To do this go to Users | <user> | Library |
Preferences | MathType 5 Preferences, right mouse click (control click on Mac) and
"Open with" (Word 2004 or some such editor). Once the preferences are opened do a
find (cmd f) for Picture. This should bring you to PicturePadding under [Windows]
where you can reset the number. By increasing this number, you can increase the
padding and by decreasing the number, you can reduce or remove the padding.
Upon closing out of the MathType 5 Preferences you will be asked to Save the
change, the default will be to the MathType Preferences folder with the MathType
folder on you harddrive. Accept these settings and open Word to add equations or
Convert Equations via the MathType pull down menu. You will see that the spacing
has been changed according to the numeric value set. A word of caution is if you
decrease the PicturePadding, and are using super/sub scripts or fractions, there may
be clipping to your equations.
"MOTW" Mark Of The Web Comment
Prepared by Beth Sargent
Issue:
Mark of the web is a way of adding a comment into a web page that allows you to
prevent IE from blocking active content. An example would be JavaScript or ActiveX
Controls. This would eliminate the message, "Allowing active content can be useful,
but active content might also harm your computer. Are you sure you want to let this
file run active content?" For MathPage or MathPlayer pages it would look like this
<!-- saved from url=(0014)about:internet --> The following KB article is from the
Microsoft web site.
What is the Mark of the Web?
The MOTW is a comment added to the HTML markup for a Web page. When a user
opens the Web page from their local machine, Internet Explorer references this
comment to determine the security zone in which it should run the page. Following is
an example of a valid MOTW comment.
<!-- saved from url=(0023)http://www.contoso.com/ -->
To be valid, a MOTW comment must follow some simple rules.
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The comment must start with the following:
<!-- saved from url=
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The comment must end with the following:
-->
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The comment must contain a value to indicate the string length of the URL
that follows, in the form (####). Note that the length in (####) can be less
than the length of the URL; however, Internet Explorer uses only as many
characters as are indicated to map the file to a security zone. At a minimum,
the string length should indicate the number of characters in the complete
URL up to the end of the top-level domain name (.com, .org, .net, and so on
for Internet sites). If the length in (####) is greater than the URL's length,
Internet Explorer ignores the comment and loads the Web page in the Local
Machine zone.
The comment must contain the Web page's URL immediately following the
string length.
The comment must appear in the first 2,048 bytes of the HTML document,
within the HTML markup.
Alternatively, in situations where the domain is not yet known, Internet Explorer
recognizes "about:internet" as a valid URL. The correct format for the MOTW in this
case is as follows:
<!-- saved from url=(0014)about:internet -->
Note The HTML comment must be properly formatted for Internet Explorer to parse
the information correctly. Proper format includes inserting a space immediately
following the opening delimiter " <!-- " and just before the closing delimiter " --> ".
The Mark of the Web and Internet Explorer Compatibility
The MOTW feature is recognized by Internet Explorer 4.0 and later. Beginning with
Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP SP2, you can also add the comment to multipart
HTML (MHT) files and to Extensible Markup Language (XML) files. Note that earlier
versions of Internet Explorer will not recognize a MOTW comment tag in either MHT
or XML files.
Adding the Mark of the Web to HTML Documents
There are two ways the MOTW can be added to an HTML document.
1. When the user saves a page off the Web, Internet Explorer automatically
inserts the MOTW comment into the HTML markup. The MOTW appears
immediately following the !DOCTYPE declaration.
2. You can also manually insert a MOTW when you are developing HTML pages
that need to run in a different security zone from that of your development
environment. With the MOTW inserted, you can preview active HTML
documents in the appropriate security zone; typically this zone is the Internet
zone, but Internet Explorer obeys your computer's security zone rules. This
way you can make sure the active content functions as expected, and you can
monitor any security issues with the content. Additionally, you can ensure
that the Information Bar security user interface (UI) element is displayed as
appropriate, and thus optimize user experience. For more information on the
correct format to use when adding MOTW comments to your HTML pages, see
What is the Mark of the Web? in this topic.
How Internet Explorer Uses the Mark of the Web
When a user opens a locally hosted HTML file, Internet Explorer looks for the MOTW
and carries out the following steps.
1. Internet Explorer locates the comment that starts with the following:
<!-- saved from url=
If a Web page contains more than one MOTW, Internet Explorer will always
parse the first MOTW and ignore subsequent ones.
2. Internet Explorer reads as many characters in the URL as are indicated in the
string length value, and parses the URL.
3. Internet Explorer uses the zone settings on the user's computer to determine
which security policy to apply to the Web page. Internet Explorer can then
force the Web page to open in a security zone other than the Local Machine
zone. For example, if the URL within the MOTW is listed in the user's
Restricted sites list, then the Web page will open in the Restricted sites zone
and the Restricted sites zone's security settings will apply.
In cases where the generic MOTW (<-- saved from url=(0014)about:internet -->) is
used because the domain name is unknown, the "about:internet" forces Internet
Explorer to host the Web page in the Internet zone.
You should add a MOTW to every HTML document whose contents would be
restricted by Internet Explorer's Local Machine zone lockdown security feature.
Following are examples of when to insert a MOTW.
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You are coding pages that will be viewed from a CD. (Note that users can, but
won't necessarily, exempt CD content from this security feature.)
You are providing product documentation as HTML pages run from the local
computer.
You need to preview Web pages locally before uploading them to a Web site.
You are creating Web pages that include frames.
The Local Machine Zone Lockdown
Many HTML pages contain active content such as script, Microsoft ActiveX controls,
or binary behaviors. These pages are known as active HTML documents. Prior to
Windows XP SP2, the content on a user's local file system—except for content cached
by Internet Explorer—was regarded as trusted and was therefore assigned to the
Local Machine security zone. The Local Machine zone allowed files to run in Internet
Explorer with few restrictions. Attackers found that they could exploit the Local
Machine zone and its looser restrictions to access a user's computer. By using
controls that are restricted to trusted zones, an attacker could elevate privileges and
compromise the user's computer. The attacker would then have unrestricted access
to the computer's content.
To mitigate this security risk, Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP SP2 "locks down"
the Local Machine zone. When the user opens an active HTML document, Internet
Explorer prohibits the active content from running and displays an Information Bar.
The user must then decide whether to permit the action that triggered the
Information Bar. The Local Machine zone lockdown prevents the user's computer
from automatically executing any scripts, and from using any ActiveX and other
controls. See Introduction to URL Security Zones for more information on the Local
Machine zone.
How the Mark of the Web Enhances Computer Security
Because the Local Machine zone has so few security restrictions, active HTML
documents running on the local machine have access to the computer's entire file
system. The MOTW aids Internet Explorer in protecting the user from the risks of
running these documents in the Local Machine zone. By referencing the MOTW,
Internet Explorer can force these Web pages into a zone that has more restrictions,
such as the Internet zone. At the same time, the MOTW cannot be used to elevate
Web pages to a zone with fewer restrictions. Forced out of the Local Machine zone,
the active content has no access to the computer's file system.
Note Windows XP SP2 applications—including Internet Explorer 6—that take
advantage of the Local Machine Zone Lockdown security feature run in an even more
restricted environment than the Internet zone.
Additionally, cross-domain requests both to and from the active HTML documents
fail, so that code running from these Web pages cannot access the user's hard drive.