HP Smart program

[Jon1812]

I've recently bought an HP6970 office jet to replace my 6700. The software that came with the 6700 and its predecessor, the 6600, was great. Behaved well and was easy to use. The software for the 6970 is a new program called HP Smart - a misnomer if ever there was one! I'm finding a number of significant and annoying issues with this program:

1. It doesn't remember that my paper size is A4, not letter. Every time I run the program to scan a document, I have to change it, even if I've changed it in the settings. Like so much poorly written American software it forgets that only the US uses imperial measurements. The entire rest of the world - about 95% of the world's population - is metric. Well written programs from the US are well aware of metric measurements.

2. It doesn't remember that my preference for scanning is to save as PDF, not JPG. Again I have to change it every time.

3. When the printer driver is invoked from, for example, MS Photos, the menu comes up in HP Smart in my second installed language instead of in English (my first installed language). This is really a bad bug. There doesn't appear to be a way of changing the language. Does anyone know how to do it??

Does anyone else have any of these problems? Does anyone know if HP is going to produce a decent piece of software (like the old 6700 printer interface program) any time soon??

[greenturtle · Accepted solution]

Hi,

Thanks for using the HP Forums.

Can you download and install the FULL feature printer software from HP for your operating system:

The following resource will help you :

http://123.hp.com/us/en/

Key in your printer model, Operating System and download & install the FULL feature software.

Once you have downloaded and installed the FULL feature software, you will be able to print and scan.  This is the HP Scan software that is equivalent or better than the 6700 software.

For scanning tips, click here.

Hope that helps.

[Jon1812]

Thank you for your fast response. I installed the full feature software as you suggested instead of the recommended software (why is it recommended when it is so basic and apparently bug-ridden?). After installation I ran the HP OfficeJet Pro 6970 program. The Printer and the Tools tabs of the program recognises the printer (e.g. displays all the printer info) but when I click on Scan and then "Scan a document or photo", it says "The OfficeJet Pro 6970 was not found". So now I can't scan at all.  I tried scanning from the printer but that also didn't work, despite the fact that it says it can see my PC.  

So at this stage my choices are to use the 'full featured' software that won't do a scan or return to the bug-laden so-called HP Smart. Any help you can give would be great (e.g. rewrite the software!...).

[Jon1812]

I think the problem is solved. I suddenly received a message from the program to say that another program was accessing the scanner. I assume the HP Smart program was somehow interfering. So I restarted the computer and all seems to be fine now. Thank you very much for your help.  I must say the interface to the scanner for the full software installation is very good - reminiscent of what I had for the 6700. So much better.

[greenturtle]

Hi @Jon1812,

Glad to hear that your issue is resolved and all is working well now.

For what is worth, you might want to cionsider using a TCP IP port (for more stability)

Create a TCP IP port

1. Print a Configuration Page to get the printer's IPv4 address (you can also tap on the wireless icon on the Front panel of your Printer to get the IP address)
2. On your PC, go to Control Panel, from Devices and Printers, right click the printer and left click Printer Properties, select the Ports tab.
3. Click Add Port, select Standard TCP/IP Port, then select New Port and follow the wizard.
4. Type in the proper IP address for the printer.

This video resource will show you how to do it:

Create & Use TCP IP port

Note that you can ALWAYS revert back to the original port that the HP software installed by selecting the HP port under the Ports tab (in Printer Properties)

Have a nice day!

[JonW]

Hi there,

It looks like you are having a couple of problems

Default Language 

3. When the printer driver is invoked from, for example, MS Photos, the menu comes up in HP Smart in my second installed language instead of in English (my first installed language). This is really a bad bug. There doesn't appear to be a way of changing the language. Does anyone know how to do it??

and 

1. It doesn't remember that my paper size is A4, not letter. Every time I run the program to scan a document, I have to change it, even if I've changed it in the settings. Like so much poorly written American software it forgets that only the US uses imperial measurements. The entire rest of the world - about 95% of the world's population - is metric. Well written programs from the US are well aware of metric measurements.

Both of these oproblems piont to regional and language settings on the PC.

Take a look at this link to see if it helps with the page size and language settings.

On the other problem about the sticky settings in the app 

2. It doesn't remember that my preference for scanning is to save as PDF, not JPG. Again I have to change it every time.

This bug is being fixed in the next version of the App.

I hope this makes sense and I am glad you got the Desktop app version of the Printer software installed.

[Jon1812]

Hi JonW (another Jon!) for taking the time to address the issues I raised about HP Smart.

With regard to your comment about the issue being a regional/language problem, that was my first thought as well. However, I have had the same regional and language settings for many years now. The language configuration I have correctly shows English as the default language. The paper size of A4 is specified in my control panel as the paper size for my region of Australia. I have never had these problems with scanner software before. HP Smart is the only program I have used that has these problems. I am sure the problem is NOT due to my regional or language configuration.

In any case, since another responder suggested using the full software installation rather than the 'recommended' HP Smart, the scanner problem has disappeared. The scanner interface that comes with the full installation is (mercifully) not HP Smart but seems to be an updated version of the program that supported my previous printer, an HP6700. This software remembers my paper size and language. This supports my view that the problems with paper size and language seem to stem from HP Smart, not from my regional and language configurations.  

Good to know the bug regarding the default output format is being addressed. Thanks again for your reply.

[Jon1812]

Hi Dean.

I've taken your advice and changed to a TCP/IP port for the printer. I'm not exactly sure why, other than your suggestion that it may be more stable. The video was useful. Although configuring the port was easy without having to view it, the video told me I needed to disable SNMP. I wouldn't have known to do that without the video. 

Do I lose anything by using a TCP port instead of WSD, such as status messages from the printer?  I've read an article about TCP vs WSD. If I understood it correctly, WSD seems considerably more suited to small home installations like mine.

[greenturtle]

Hi @Jon1812

There may be some issues with WSD on Printer getting offline.  TCP IP is more stable.

You will not lose anything by using TCP IP.

Thanks.