HP 7612 wide format printer-printing Arch B (12"x18")

[Betzalel]

I just bought a new open box HP 7612 printer without an installation disk.  I was able to download the software from the website, but I'm stunned to find that I can't print 12x18 a.k.a. "Arch B".  After surveying other forums, I have tried to install the old 9500 drivers as well as the 7500a wide format software but it doesn't seem to work.  I have tried a scaled down "SuperB" size but the printer won't accept the page size mismatch override that the printer detects, even though the software allows it to override.  I'm running Win 10-64.  

Looking at the print options and I'm thinking that maybe this model was sold in the US market by mistake.  I see all sorts of metric paper sizes in the drop down selection, even crazy things like "Japanese Postcard", "Japanese Chou #3", "Japanese Chou #4", but no way to do custom paper, and more to the point, STANDARD LARGE FORMAT PAPER SIZES.  I've been disappointed by the HP marketing folks before, but if there is no fix, this really takes the cake.  I mean really - who buys a large format printer to print Japanese envelopes and postcards?  I would be suprised if they have oversized mail in Japan that requires a LARGE FORMAT PRINTER, especially given the small country size and population density.  

I'm assuming that there is no "fix" in the works on the 7610/7612 with this unit for 12x18" paper as it is no longer in production, and would be happy to do a workaround.   Supposedly a guy named "Rishu" resolved this problem back in 2015, but unfortunately did not leave the soloution recorded for posterity.  http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/LaserJet-Printing/HP-7612-wide-format-printer-printing-Arch-B-12-quot-x...  

I have wasted more than a day trying to overcome this problem.  Please advise.  

[Dragon-Fur]

@Betzalel

I am sorry you are disappointed; as you say, the printer is a discontinued model.

Printer Homepage - Drivers, How-to, Troubleshooting, Manuals, Product Information, and more:

HP OfficeJet 7612 Wide Format e-All-in-One

It sounds as if you already investigated Custom Paper Sizes.

If you have not already done so, double-check for the Custom forms setup:

Control Panel > icon view > Devices and Printers > Left-Click on your Printer one time to highlight >

 Left-Click Print Server properties

References:

HP Printers - Creating Custom Paper Sizes

This document is for HP inkjet printers introduced after February 2013.

Dragon Document - Help, suggestions, and examples:

Printing Preferences

Section Custom Paper Sizes

Hint:

Create your custom form from a similar "starting form" -- for example, if you are creating a form for custom sized photo paper, select a standard sized photo paper from your forms list.

Click the Thumbs Up to say Thanks!

Click Post that answers your question "Accept as Solution" to help others find it.

[Betzalel]

Thanks for the references...  I can't believe that has not come up in the 7610/12 forum discussions.  I will give that a try ASAP.  

[Dragon-Fur]

@Betzalel

You are welcome.

My apologies for the wording in my previous post (double-check);  point-in-fact, the custom forms setup may -- or may not -- exist for your printer.

In general, post-2013 printers support Custom Sizes for Windows.

IF the setup is available for your printer, please check for it:

Control Panel > icon view > Devices and Printers > Left-Click on your Printer one time to highlight >

 Left-Click Print Server properties

Good Luck.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP devices and technology.

[Betzalel]

I followed the instructions and watched the video.  I was able to go to the "print server properties" selection under "Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers"  for the HP 7610 selection and create a new form as directed / selected.  I was able to save the form, but the custom form won't appear in the drop down when I select "Paper Size" from the "Advanced" printer properties suggestions.  

Under the "print server properties" list that comes up after selecting the HP 7610, it appears that there are many sizes in the selection that don't appear in the printer's "Advanced" paper size listing, including the standard 12x18 Arch B.  Is this a selection and mapping problem?  I have tried to reboot to see if the list resets and have tried the 7610 selection in multiple programs, but the custom (or standard) 12x18 Arch B still does not appear.  I even tried clicking on the standard 12x18 Arch B selection and hitting "save" in the print server properties window and it doesn't seem to do anything to associate the 12x18 size, either custom or standard, with the 7610.  Is there a file path setting gone bad or something that I can check to see if the files and selections are mapping where they should be?

[Betzalel]

I am attaching a part of the screen shot below for your reference.   As you can see, the 7610/12 is selected, and the Arch B comes up in the selection menu, but like I said, it won't appear (as custom or otherwise) as a selection when you pick a paper size when you are trying to print from various programs.  

[Dragon-Fur]

@Betzalel

Edits - removed - Member has tried Restarting

If you have not done so:

After creating the Custom Paper Size, Restart the computer and log in

At the moment, I have found a custom forms list stored outside of the Printing Preferences. 

Turns out that the wmic method "sort-of" works to extract the information in the sense that the data is provided for the printer Driver -- and in the case of my own Windows 10 Pro, Foxit is included in the list along with the various "custom forms".

Output is messy in the basic output to a .txt file -- the data is at least readable (if not almost impossible to imagine the format).

Windows key + X + A  (open Admin cmd prompt)

type command

wmic printer get PrinterPaperNames,DriverName

Want the "whole" information for "Printer"?

wmic printer

type command and stick output into a text file:

wmic printer get PrinterPaperNames,DriverName > C:\Users\Your-Account\Documents\Printer_list_details.txt

Type the command all on one line -- substitute the name of your account for "Your-Account"

The problem with this method, obviously, is that the information does not provide data on just any program -- the wmic is grabbing data from the printer setup, the printer driver, and printer services.

A couple of the zillions of articles on using wmic:

• WMIC - Take Command-line Control over WMI
• Useful WMIC Queries | Ask the Performance Team Blog

Commentary

• The new form should be made from a similar standard template.

For example, if you were creating a Custom Size for a photo paper, you would use a standard size photo form template to create the new Custom Size form.

• Custom form may not be available in some (most) combinations.

For example, if you were to try to use a custom form with a Media (kind of paper) that cannot print duplex, the new form would not be available with that setting.

Same is true for "duplex" - if the paper size is not compatible with duplex (See printer Specifications), you cannot select the two options together.

Example

Print PDF file on (previously created) Custom Form "8.5X5in HalfSheet" using Adobe Reader DC

Page Sizing & Handling: Select Size

UNCHECK Print on both sides of paper

Properties

tab Paper / Quality 

Media: Select Plain Paper

Advanced > Paper Size:  Select 8.5X5in HalfSheet

It is true that not all programs make use of Custom Sizes -- I have a response from an Office Publisher user that Custom Size form he created does not work with Publisher (I think it was the 2007 version).

The new form, if it can be used, will show up in Printing Preferences (called Properties from within some programs).

If I think of anything else to offer, I will post back.

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP devices and technology.

[Betzalel]

OK, I could follow you up until about halfway through until the WMIC articles.  I tried to attach the .txt file that I created following your instructions, but was unable to because I can apparently only upload image files.  Nevertheless, I was able to cut and paste the excerpt from that file that pertains to this printer:

HP Officejet 7610 series          {"Letter", "Legal", "Statement", "Executive", "A4", "A5", "B5 (JIS)", "Envelope #10", "Envelope DL", "Envelope C5", "Envelope C6", "Envelope Monarch", "6 3/4 Envelope", "Japanese Postcard", "A6", "Japanese Envelope Chou #3", "Japanese Envelope Chou #4", "5x7in.", "8x10in.", "4x6in. (tab)", "10x15cm", "4x6in.", "Cabinet size", "2L", "L", "13x18cm", "O**bleep**u hagaki", "Card envelope", "Index card 4x6in.", "10x15cm (tab)", "Index card 5x8in.", "Index card 3x5in.", "3.5x5in.", "Envelope A2", "6x8in.", "3x5in.", "8.5x13in.", "Index Card Letter", "Index Card A4", "Edge-to-Edge A4", "Edge-to-Edge Letter", "11X14in. - plain paper", "11x14in. - small margin", "11X14in. - brochure", "12x12in. - small margin", "B4(JIS) 257X364mm-plain paper", "B4 (JIS) - small margin", "B4(JIS) 257X364mm-brochure", "Tabloid 11x17 - plain paper", "Tabloid - small margin", "Tabloid 11x17in. - brochure", "Super B - small margin", "A3 297x420mm - plain paper", "A3 - small margin", "A3 297x420mm - brochure", "A3+ - small margin", "Edge-to-Edge Tabloid", "Edge-to-Edge A3"}  

I also have a bigger and more comprehensive list that belongs to the Foxit driver family, as you have alluded to.  It does have an "ARCH B (12 x 18 in)" entry, but I'm a little confused as to how to force feed this "ARCH B (12 x 18 in)" setting back into the HP 7610 setting list.  Do I need another CMD line item to force feed a modified .txt file back into my system (with the "ARCH B (12x18 in)" entry pasted into the 7610 field) via WMIC?  I'm usually pretty technical and adventurous, and good at following instructions, but I'm not following what action item I should be taking at this point, and don't understand where I should be going based on the WMIC article examples that you posted, which don't seem to be very specific to my problem.  Could you please elaborate as to my next action items? 

[Betzalel]

I'm going back and taking another look at the "print server properties" selections for the HP 7610 that come up under Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Devices and Printers.  I notice that the "Apply" box in the lower RH corner (see my 03-27-2017 03:06 PM) comes up as being greyed out.  It has no problem when I click on the "Change Form Settings" shield button in the lower LH corner of the box.  I know that Win 10 has given me (as an Admin) trouble with installing things as rudimentary as NEW FONTS in the past, and I had to make a few tweaks to the Windows 10 permissions list.  Do you think this could be another case of Win 10 Security / Permissions snafus?  Is it OK or normal that the "Apply" box in the lower RH corner is greyed out?  If not, what can I do to correct it?

[Dragon-Fur]

@Betzalel

wmic is a great tool - worth a few minutes to search the 'net for how-to docs.

For the purposes of this discussion and for the safety of the Operating System:

• There is no way to force a form entry into printing preferences
• There is no way to move attributes from the Foxit forms list to the printer list

Left over comments:

Borderless is not supported - at least it is not likely.. be sure this feature is Off.

It appears the form has been created, else it would not show up in Foxit.

So... if you have Foxit Reader, try using it to print on the Arch B form.

No, I do not know what is going on with your permission settings...

Thinking on it. 

Thank you for participating in the HP Community Forum.

We are a community of HP enthusiasts dedicated to supporting HP devices and technology.