Report information is squished and doesn't display properly when...

[BlueChicken]

Text boxes on report are squished and don't display properly? Seriously confused.

Ok, I have been making reports for a database that will be shared between all the computers at my company's main office.

I have about 6 or so reports that will be viewed daily by everyone. Every report looks perfect on my computer, and they all print nicely for me as well. The database is shared over our network to everyone that has access to the drive it is save in. My boss can open the whole database and access every other feature of it as well, however the report that is sent out with all the travel information for an employee opens oddly on her computer (As seen in the attached picture all the text has been squished and overlapped while the rest of the document [the picture and bars] remains the same. When printed all the text is missing completely but the pictures and bars remain the same.) The same report opens like that on every other computer we have tried to open it on except mine.

We had been able to open that report before and had it work properly (and print properly), but since I added two other reports (which are still displaying fine on all computers) yesterday the report started doing this. I have not changed that report since I finalized it the other day with SOS's help other than to print the travel information of another employee - but no editing.

Attached are pictures of what the report should look like (and the way it looking like on my computer), and how it is displaying on my co-worker's machines. Sorry for having to zip them... otherwise they were too big.

I really need the help! All my co-workers must be able to view this report; it is the most important one!

 

[BlueChicken]

OK... this is frustrating me to no end.

I have tried using Google to search for report errors that would be similar and I haven't come across another problem like this at all. I have tried expanding the width of the text boxes and still no change. I have tried re-linking data and control sources. I have tried deleting and remaking the text boxes of the report.

Nothing is working!

Has anyone else had this problem at all? I have no idea what exactly is going wrong and I'm beginning to be a little overwhelmed by the problem.

Any ideas at all would be a MAJOR help!

 

[SOS]

Which version of Access are you using again? (sorry, I get confused with all the various people I've been working with.)

Also, does everyone have the same Service packs for Office installed? And, are you using different printers?

 

[BlueChicken]

Which version of Access are you using again? (sorry, I get confused with all the various people I've been working with.)

I am using Access 2003.

Also, does everyone have the same Service packs for Office installed? And, are you using different printers?

While I'm not 100% sure, I believe everyone has the same service packs. The IT department usually updates all the computers on the weekend and they like to keep them up to date.

As for printers, we all have access to 5 different printers or so. So while someone my have a different printer as their favourite (for ease of access) we can all print to the same one if we wanted... do the printers play a major part?

 

[SOS]

do the printers play a major part?

They can at times. I'm trying to remember if I saw this somewhere as part of a service pack update or hotfix. I am not remembering at the moment. What service pack level are you at currently?

 

[BlueChicken]

What service pack level are you at currently?

I don't know. How do you check again?

 

[SOS]

I don't know. How do you check again?

Go to HELP > ABOUT MICROSOFT ACCESS

 

[BlueChicken]

Go to HELP > ABOUT MICROSOFT ACCESS

OK, did that and was doubly surprised. We are using Access 2000 and SP3.

 

[SOS]

I'll keep looking to see if I can find anything about this, but in the meantime go check to see if setting the default printer to the same as yours, for someone for which this doesn't work, will do the trick. If so, you may need to specify a specific printer or make sure all print drivers are up to date on each user's computer.

 

[BlueChicken]

setting the default printer to the same as yours

Now that you mention 'Default' Printer I remembered something when I tried to open the report on one of the other computers. Access said something about the default printer being set to something that the computer could not access. I have access to our PDF printer, but not all computers here have that connection... however my default computer is not the PDF printer. I have printed the report using the PDF printer though (most of the time)...

But having a default printer for only one report makes no sense... All the other ones work for everyone else - but then again they have never been printed either. Then on the other hand my boss has access to the PDF printer too and it still doesn't work for her.

Is there a way to change the printer of the report?

 

[SOS]

Is there a way to change the printer of the report?

For normal operations you can go, while in design view, to FILE > PAGE SETUP > PAGE > and then select USE SPECIFIC PRINTER and then save the report.

 

[BlueChicken]

For normal operations you can go, while in design view, to FILE > PAGE SETUP > PAGE > and then select USE SPECIFIC PRINTER and then save the report.

Will I still be able to choose a different printer from the 'Print' menu when it is time to print? More often than not I will print to PDF and the others would print to paper.

 

[SOS]

Will I still be able to choose a different printer from the 'Print' menu when it is time to print? More often than not I will print to PDF and the others would print to paper.

You should, as long as you don't use the code for printing direct -

DoCmd.OpenReport "Reportname", acViewNormal

and instead do a preview first

DoCmd.OpenReport "Reportname", acViewPreview

 

[BlueChicken]

This is the code for the button I use to open the report. Is it right? It was made using the Command Button Wizard:

Private Sub TravelInformationRptOpnCMD_Click()
On Error GoTo Err_TravelInformationRptOpnCMD_Click

    Dim stDocName As String

    stDocName = "Your Travel Information"
    DoCmd.OpenReport stDocName, acPreview

Exit_TravelInformationRptOpnCMD_Click:
    Exit Sub

Err_TravelInformationRptOpnCMD_Click:
    MsgBox Err.Description
    Resume Exit_TravelInformationRptOpnCMD_Click
    
End Sub

 

[SOS]

Yep, see the acPreview part? Since you are on 2000 that would be the correct syntax.

 

[BlueChicken]

Ok, I had to wait for my boss to come back from a conference call to test it... and unfortunately it isn't working. I set it to the printer I know we use the most (the default on both mine and my boss's computers) and it still won't work.

 

[SOS]

Ok, I had to wait for my boss to come back from a conference call to test it... and unfortunately it isn't working. I set it to the printer I know we use the most (the default on both mine and my boss's computers) and it still won't work.

And he has the same service pack for Office you do, eh? sheesh, I am wondering myself what is happening. The only thing I can think of is that you both are using different printer drivers. Other than that, I'm at a loss.

 

[BlueChicken]

Using different printer drivers. Other than that, I'm at a loss.

How would I be able to determine what printer driver we are using? I know I am bridging outside of Access here... but when it comes to most hardware and the software related to them I am at a loss.

 

[SOS]

How would I be able to determine what printer driver we are using? I know I am bridging outside of Access here... but when it comes to most hardware and the software related to them I am at a loss.

For that you may need the IT department's help.

 

[BlueChicken]

Wow...

The most complex problems are always solved by the easiest answer.

I changed the font.

Now it works.

The other computers didn't have the font I was using, therefore the letters would not work.

Wow...

Thanks for trying to help!