Printer keeps saying wrong paper size

[Jonrysh]

I'm trying to print labels; the printer says wrong paper size and refuses to print. Can anyone tell me what is going on and/or how to print the labels?

Note that when I print a sample page on 8.5in x 11in paper everything works perfectly.

Details:

• I create a print job using LibreOffice and Avery's format Avery5434PrintorWriteMultiUseLabels.doc.  This generates 10 labels on a 4x6 in page.
• In the LibreOffice print function, I set the page size to "User Defined 4 in x 6 in"
• In HPLIP, I set Media Size to "4 x 6"
• I click Print in LibreOffice.  The printer displays messages
  • Unexpected Paper Size
    Load Tray 1 Extra Heavy 4x6
  • Press[OK] to Continue
• If I press OK a blank page is printed.

System Details

• Printer HP M420dn
• HPLIP 3.20.9
• LibreOffice 7.0.3.1
• Fedora-33 Linux all updates installed
• KDE 5.20.2

[Dragon-Fur]

@Jonrysh 

DISCLAIMER:  I do not know this printer model - laser printers are generally a mystery in my world.

Guessing...

It sounds like perhaps the printer really doesn't expect the paper size.

I cannot tell for sure - it seems that 4x6 inch is supported as a "Custom paper size".

If the printer is on the network,

Try using the Embedded Web Server (EWS) > System tab

See if there is a way to either select the paper size for your Tray 1 or perhaps select "custom" (usually the last entry in the list)

General Example

Open your favorite browser > type / enter Printer IP address into URL / Address bar

Tab System

Reference:

 HP LaserJet Pro M402, M403 - User Guide

Page 54

I would guess that is at least part of the problem.

What else?

If you can export that Office file to PDF, you might be able to print the little label sheets using whatever PDF printer software you have available.  You might still need to find the "Properties" setting in the PDF print software to adjust the paper type / paper size settings.

References / Resources

Media Size (facet)	A4; Letter; B5; Legal
Media Size, Tray 1 (metric)	A4; A5; A6; B5 (JIS); Oficio; Oficio (216 x 340 mm); 16K (195 x 270 mm); 16K (184 x 260 mm); 16K (197 x 273 mm); Custom Size; A5-R; B6 (JIS)
Media Size, Tray 2 (metric)	A4; A5; A6; B5 (JIS); Oficio; Oficio (216 x 340 mm); 16K (195 x 270 mm); 16K (184 x 260 mm); 16K (197 x 273 mm); Custom Size; A5-R; B6 (JIS)
Media Size, Tray 3 (metric)	A4; A5; A6; B5 (JIS); Oficio; Oficio (216 x 340 mm); 16K (195 x 270 mm); 16K (184 x 260 mm); 16K (197 x 273 mm); Custom Size; A5-R; B6 (JIS)
Media Sizes Custom (imperial)	Tray 1: 3 x 5 to 8.5 x 14 in; Tray 2 and 3: 4.13 x 5.85 to 8.5 x 14 in
Media Sizes Custom (metric)	Tray 1: 76.2 x 127 to 215.9 x 355.6 mm; Tray 2, 3: 104.9 x 148.59 to 215.9 x 355.6 mm

Printer  Home Page - References and Resources – Learn about your Printer  - Solve Problems

 “Things that are your printer”

NOTE:  Content depends on device type and Operating System

Categories:  Alerts, Access to the Print and Scan Doctor (Windows), Warranty Check, HP Drivers / Software / Firmware Updates, How-to Videos, Bulletins/Notices, Lots of How-to Documents, Troubleshooting, User Guides / Manuals, Product Information (Specifications), more

When the website support page opens, Select (as available) a Category > Topic > Subtopic

HP LaserJet Pro M402dn 

Thank you for participating in the HP Community.

Our Community is comprised of volunteers - people who own and use HP devices.

Click Thumbs Up to say Thank You.

If the answer helped resolve your issue, Click "Accept as Solution" .

[Jonrysh]

The printer is plainly not expecting the paper size specified in the job to be printed.

There are at least two ways to specify the paper size (1) In HPLIP, where I set it to 4x6in; (2) in LiberOffice, where I set it to 4x6in.  The printer is connected to the computer via a USB bus; it can be viewed in Firefox using the URL http://localhost:631/printers , but I don't see any way to set the paper size.

I exported the job from LibreOffice to PDF and attempted to print it using both evince and okular.  The results are both bad:

• Evince: The job is submitted to the printer without difficulty.  A blank page in printed.
• Okular: Reports a mismatch between the job and duplex settings.  When this is corrected the result is the same as printing directly from LibreOffice: same error message from the printer, same blank page.

FOO!!

But thanks very much for your help.

[Jonrysh · Accepted solution]

Your comment about trays caused me to read the printer manual (thanks for the link) and I discovered that the printer has an additional tray (cleverly hidden behind the front panel) which I had not been aware of.  This is tray #1; the main tray, the only one that I had ever used, is actually tray #2.  As soon as I loaded the labels into tray #1, they were printed properly.  The LibreOffice print function actually has a control, hidden deep among the menus, to specify which tray is to be used.

Again thanks.  The moral: RTFM