# Weird printing problem **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 9, 2002, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029 "2002-07-09T04:03:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/1 "2002-07-09T04:03:50Z")
I’m trying to print out an envelope, but the text keeps coming out green. The letter to be mailed printed out in perfect black. But for some reason the printer decides to get creative with the accompanying envelope. I’ve tried printing out the envelope in both WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, with identical results. Green text. When I set the font color for envelopes in both programs to black, still green text. I reprinted the letter I intend to mail. Black text again. Weird. The ink levels in both the color and black cartridges are sufficient. If it helps, I’m using a Lexmark Z22, a printer that I’ve been happy with so far…until now. Can anyone advise? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/2 "2002-07-09T04:23:40Z")
I don’t know much about printers, but is it possible that you’re just out of red ink, and you’re using the color cartridge for your envelope, and the black cartridge for your letter? ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/3 "2002-07-09T04:25:53Z")
Sorry. I misread your post. Nevermind me. Um, just out of curiosity, though, do you know which cartidge is used printing the letter? ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/4 "2002-07-09T04:28:17Z")
Obviously the color cartridge is involved in printing the green text. Both the color cartridge and the black ink cartridge have adequate ink. As I mentioned earlier, whenever I print a “normal” text document, such as the letter I intend to mail, it prints out in black text just fine. And I forgot to mention that I’m using Windows ME. ---
**Author:** ![LisaRx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@LisaRx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LisaRx)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/5 "2002-07-09T04:40:52Z")
Can’t explain the “why” of it, but try setting your print default to “print in greyscale”. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/6 "2002-07-09T05:06:16Z")
You are potentially wrong about the color levels being sufficient. The printer attempting to create a composite black with three colors (it’s default mode) and you are out of a color needed to complete the black. You need a new color cartridge of possibly one of the jets is clogged. see also [Z22 faq](http://www.lexmark.com/US/solutions/home/develop/articles/adjust_color.html) > [@](#): > > Knowing that automatic settings don’t always produce the optimal output, Lexmark has developed an “Advanced Settings” section in the driver software, which allows users to manipulate the color output. Below is a definition of the settings, with a few hints on when to use them. > > To find these settings, choose “Print” from the “File” menu of your application, then choose the “Properties” button. Under the “Document/Quality” tab you’ll see the following color settings: > > Automatic - Scans the document on a pixel-by-pixel basis, determining whether the user is printing graphics or photos, and automatically picks the vivid or natural setting as appropriate. This provides optimal colors under all conditions, even on mixed pages where the user prints both graphics and photos on the same page. > > Vivid - Causes saturated colors, ideal for printing graphics > Natural - Causes natural colors, ideal for realistic images > Black Only - This setting limits the printing to only the black cartridge, so that all output is pure black. It also helps to increase speed. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/7 "2002-07-09T06:27:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by astro \* > **You are potentially wrong about the color levels being sufficient. The printer attempting to create a composite black with three colors (it’s default mode) and you are out of a color needed to complete the black. You need a new color cartridge of possibly one of the jets is clogged.** That doesn’t explain why normal text documents print perfectly. I just printed another copy of the letter I want to send. Perfectly crisp black text. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/8 "2002-07-09T10:48:24Z")
It does if they’re printed with the black cartridge. As a suggestion, try printing something in red, and something in purple. See how they turn out. Print them on the same page as something black. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/9 "2002-07-09T12:45:05Z")
Did you try forcing the entire system to black using the advanced mode options I posted? ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/10 "2002-07-09T18:09:51Z")
**astro** : I tried that, with no luck. Still green text on the envelopes. **Archnear** : I had the printer print out its standard test page, and I also had Norton SystemWorks print out a test page. I noticed that in the color bar section, there was no red at all. This does sound like an ink cartridge problem, although confined to the one for color. Looks like I’m buying some new cartridges. ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2002, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/11 "2002-07-10T01:16:36Z")
**Artraeuy** , if you want to fix your big problem (no red ink is being printed) then yeah, another cartridge is probably in order. But if you just want this one document printed out in black, there is probably a way to do it with the black ink cartridge you have, although if **astro** ’s solution doesn’t work, I don’t know what will. I guess buying a new cartidge is the best overall way to go. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2002, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/12 "2002-07-10T02:03:36Z")
Not a bid deal but IIRC the way some inexpensive, dual cartridge printers work is that the system will not go true black for all jobs until the color cart is removed which puts the printer into a different all black mode. If your system will print with the color cartridge removed this might be worth a try. ---
**Author:** ![Atreyu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Atreyu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atreyu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2002, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/weird-printing-problem/118029/13 "2002-07-10T02:34:18Z")
I tried to figure out why **Achernar** so horribly butchered my dopername in his post, and then I saw that I badly mangled _his_ dopername in my last post. I did not intend any offense with this accident, and I extend my sincere apologies to you, **Achernar**. I really wanted to solve this problem before the end of the morning today, but wasn’t able to, and so I ended up handwriting the address information on the envelope. We’ll let the Post Office have fun with my scrawl. I sent an e-mail to Lexmark about this problem…alas, their response came to late to assist me before I had to send the letter, but they offered this as the explanation of what was going on: > [@](#): > > The problem you are experiencing is caused by the way the text is formatted in most word processing documents. By default envelopes are printed not in black, but a dark Grey. This confuses the printer and causes it to use the color cartridge to process gray instead of using the black cartridge. Unfortunately, the solutions they proposed for this problem were ones that I had tried already. Since the problem does seem confined to the color cartridge itself, I’m going to go ahead and spend the $$$ to replace it.