2. To Test your Printer
2.1. Double Click on My Computer.
2.2. Double Click on Printers Icon.
2.3. Right Click on the default printer (the one with the checkmark).
2.4. Click on the Print Test Page button in the Properties box.
2.5. If the printer is properly connected, the Test Page should print.
3. To print a document
3.1. If the document is open (in an application like MS Works), on the
File menu, click Print (there is more below).
3.2. If the document is not open (not in an application), drag (click and hold)
the document from My Computer or Windows Explorer to your printer in the
Printers folder.
4. To view a list of documents waiting to be
printed
4.1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
4.2. Click the icon for the printer you want to look at. The dialog box
with all the print jobs listed appears.
5. To change printer settings (if you
don. t know what to change, do not make
changes)
5.1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Printers.
5.2. Right-click the icon for the printer you are using, and then click
Properties.
The settings you can change depend on the
type of printer you have. Click the different tabs to see all of the options you
can set.
6. To print from an application
6.1. In Windows all applications will have similar steps to print a document:
6.1.1.
Go to File on the left hand side of the tool bar at the top of the Application
window. Click on it and click on Print& (The ellipses (& ) mean
another dialog box).
6.1.2.
You should get a dialog box for your printer. If you want to send a
fax, this is where you select the fax program. At the top of the dialog box
where your default printer is listed, you click the down arrow . ?.
at the right of the default printer and pull down a list of printers. If
you want a fax, you select the fax program from the list (if you have installed
a fax program).
6.1.3. The next setting you may want before you print is to set the properties.
This is where you set color, paper choice (regular, glossy), and paper
orientation (portrait or landscape). Make the settings and click O.K. and
go back to the Print dialog box.
6.1.4. Finally you are ready to print. The remaining items you can set
are pages (all, current, number of pages), number of copies, pages per
sheet (big printing), even/odd, and scaling (fitting the output to one
page).
6.1.5. Now you can say O.K.
7. Fax Program A fax program is another printer driver with a special
purpose. The fax program is designed to take an image from a source (scanner
or Application program like Microsoft Word), disassemble the image into
digital, and dial another fax machine and send that digitized image to
that remote fax machine.
7.1. Installing the Fax program.
7.1.1. A particular type of modem is required to be used with Fax programs.
The modem must have Class 1 or Class 2 capabilities. Most Fax programs
when they install will check the modem parameters when they install to
insure compatibility.
7.1.2. The program will also ask for information that you want printed
on the outgoing fax like your name, address, email address, and phone numbers.
7.1.3. You will also have to set up a phone book for the remote fax machines
the you want to send a fax with the same information like their name, address,
email address, and phone numbers.
7.1.4. Before you fax someone you should be sure that your fax program
is providing a cover sheet for the fax. A cover sheet will insure that
the right person receives your intended fax. As many as twenty people sometimes
share a fax machine at one location.
7.1.5. Finally the installation program may ask if you want to make this Fax
program your default printer. Since you may only occasionally send faxes you
probably should say no. Remember you can change your selection in the Print
dialog box.
8. Printer care and maintenance
The printer requires much maintenance to be sure that when you say
O.K. on the Print dialog box that you actually print.
8.1 Changing or adding paper is required to have something to print on.
Usually there is a paper tray in front or a paper feed at the back.
If the printer exhausts the paper during printing, most printers will allow
you to add paper and the application will continue to print.
8.2
Changing Ink cartridges. Some newer printers will allow you to see (electronically)
the level of ink left in the cartridge. To change cartridge, the
printer will have either in a program or on the printer a button to push
to position the cartridge so that they may be replaced. Usually a clip
holds the cartridge firmly in place. Release the clip, grasp the cartridge, and
pull the cartridge out and up. Replace with a new cartridge (and don. t
forget to remove the protective cellophane cover or no ink will flow).
8.3 Alignment and cleaning the printer. Some printer software has a toolbox
that allows the user to clean the print heads, and align the printer. The
alignment prints a test page and then requests that you select the best
output from several. Cleaning runs ink through the heads in the rest position
(the far right in the printer). The cleaning process builds up ink in the
rest position. You can clean the ink by swabbing the area of the rest position
with a q-tip moistened in water. You can move the heads away from the rest
position by requesting the printer to change cartridges. This will move
the heads to the center.
8.4 Paper rolls do not move paper. There are printer-cleaning kits
for the paper rolls. Use to remove paper dust from the rolls.
8.5 The buttons on the printer are for turning the printer on, feeding paper,
and on some new printers, stopping print. Each printer has its own marking.
9. Creative things for a printer
9.1 Printing envelops
This is done mostly in the application. Microsoft Works has a Wizard
that steps you through each phase of envelope addressing including a database
if you want to address many envelopes. The only remaining task is to properly
load your printer. Check the markings on the printer or documentation for
proper placement of the envelopes for printing
9.2 Printing Greeting Cards
There are applications that allow you to print greeting cards on your
system. Some publication applications allow greeting cards and business
cards. The application allows you to design a card and print on card stock
(heavy paper) that can be purchased at the stationary or discount store
with envelopes. The card can be printed either ¼ fold or ½
fold or business card size. The application allows you to select the size
you want.
9.3 Printing Photos
When printing photos you need to select the highest resolution for
printing for your printer. On some printers the print dialog box in the
properties will not allow you to select the highest resolution unless you
select glossy paper in the paper type. Some photo print applications may
do that automatically, but you should check.
9.4 Printing both sides of the page
Again the application allows you to print both sides, but unless you
have a feature on you printer that turns over the paper, this must be done
manually by printing the odd pages, removing them turning them over and
reinstalling them where the new paper is installed, and now printing the
even pages. The selection for even/odd is on the print dialog box.
9.5 Printing labels & business cards
Avery Printing Co. has a web site that has free software that will
install with your word processor (WordPerfect. MS word, or MS Works), and
will step you through a wizard and guide you to print labels and business
cards. Avery also sells precut paper for business cards and a variety of
sizes of stick on labels