Closed Bug 443725 Opened 16 years ago Closed 11 years ago

FileCabinet software printing issues

Categories

(Core :: Printing: Output, defect)

Product:
Core
Component:
Printing: Output
Version:
1.9.0 Branch
Platform:
x86
Windows XP
Type:
defect
Priority:
Not set
Severity:
major

Tracking

()

Status:
RESOLVED WORKSFORME

People

(Reporter: mstaxin, Unassigned)

Details

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9) Gecko/2008052906 Firefox/3.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.9) Gecko/2008052906 Firefox/3.0

I use a program from Thomson Tax & Accounting called "FileCabinet Solution".  Prior to version 3 of Firefox, there was no problem printing to the FileCabinet Print driver.  Since version 3, when printing to FileCabinet, Firefox now prints a BLANK page into FileCabinet instead of the item you are printing.  What has been changed?  Can it be changed back?  FileCabinet print driver uses the windows standard printing interface.  Please fix. 

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Print any page.
2.
3.
Actual Results:  
Prints blank page.

Expected Results:  
Prints the page with text and graphics.

Print correctly.
Severity: normal → major
Component: General → OS Integration
Version: unspecified → 3.0 Branch
Michael,

1- Did you try to contact, to notify the makers of that software? 

2- Are you using the latest version of that FileCabinet Print driver software?

3- What makes you believe that this is a Firefox 3 problem and not a "FileCabinet Solution" Print driver software problem (configuration)? Please elaborate.
QA Contact: general → os.integration
Component: OS Integration → Printing
Product: Firefox → Core
QA Contact: os.integration → printing
Version: 3.0 Branch → 1.9.0 Branch
Answers to your questions.
1) I have been speaking to TA&T about the problem and they are aware of it.  They said it is a bug in Firefox.

2) YES.

3) FS print driver works with EVERY other browser out there.  Further, it works perfectly with earlier versions of Firefox.  The problem first surfaced with the release of Firefox 3,beta 1 and has continued since in Firefox 3 only.
Contact info: http://cs.thomson.com/company/contact/

Product page: http://cs.thomson.com/document-management/
Summary: Printing Issues → FileCabinet printing Issues
Michael,

Because you said that FileCabinet print driver uses the windows standard printing interface and that it printed normally in Firefox 2, then please try in Safe mode:

Start/All programms/Mozilla Firefox/Firefox 3 (safe mode)
or

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Safe_mode#Windows
Summary: FileCabinet printing Issues → FileCabinet software printing issues
This is from you, Michael, right?

http://computer.justanswer.com/questions/1a1y6-use-program-called

"EVERY other browser out there" means "IE7, Opera 9.5, Avant 11.6 build 20; Maxthon 2.1.1 and even FIREFOX 2", right?

2 more things.

1- I can not confirm this bug because I can not reproduce it. I would have to be using the same FileCabinet software and driver as you do. Someone with the same FileCabinet software and driver software could confirm it.

2- (Just a hunch) If FileCabinet print driver uses the windows standard
printing interface and if it printed normally in Firefox 2, then I would be surprised, quite surprised, if this was a problem with Firefox 3. I still think this may be a driver configuration (updating driver). Most of the time, drivers need to take into account new browsers and new browser versions. 
But then again, I could be wrong.

Regards, Gérard
Yes, This is Michael.
I am now in safe mode, and the problem still presisist.  You can call Christina Kellerhals at Thomson Tech Support.  She is the FileCabinet Solution specialist, and in charge of the product.  Her number is 1-800-368-0600 press 0 and ask the operator for Christina Kellerhals.
They are also looking into the problem, but do not believe it is a problem with their print driver.  Since it worked in earlier versions, prior to 3.0, and since it works with every other browser out there, I still think that it is a Firefox problem, something was changed in the new program coding without realizing it.  This is very common when a new version of a program is brought out.  I do not know where ele to turn.  I LOVE Firefox, but it looks like I may not be able to use it on a regular basis as my primary browser until Thomson and Mozilla can find the bug and fix it.
Thank you,
Michael S Taxin
Michael,

I am only a bug triager. I'm not a specialist in plugins and am not module owner. Remember that Mozilla is 100% community-driven.

I encourage you to file bugs, in particular when in beta stages. I encourage you to be more specific when filing bugs. 
Examples given:
- "FileCabinet software no longer prints" is more targeted, specific than "Printing issues" 
- "IE7, Opera 9.5, Avant 11.6 build 20; Maxthon 2.1.1 and even FIREFOX 2" is more useful, targeted, specific than "every browser out there"
etc.
- "Steps to reproduce: 1.Print any page." is not useful.

In order to be able to confirm this bug, we would need *specific*, clear steps to reproduce. We need some way to reproduce the bug first, then to investigate (by module owner) what does and does not execute in the sequence of the related code involved.

Also, I'm surprised that there is no error message whatsoever when trying to print in Firefox 3.

-----

> it worked in earlier versions, prior to 3.0
95% of all extensions need to be upgraded when a new revision version (rv) is released because they use or define an older rv. I would bet this is the same thing for plugins and driver softwares. Plugins makers and software drivers need to test their plugin/software in new browser versions, then make adjustement if needed and to release a new driver. 

-----

One question (may not be important at all...): what value do you have for
print.extend_native_print_dialog
and
print.use_native_print_dialog
in your about:config parameters?

------

Right now, the only document which I can relate to as for configuration and coding of the driver software (and to some changes done in Firefox 3 rv:1.9) would relate to

Gecko Plugin API Reference:Scripting plugins
http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Gecko_Plugin_API_Reference:Scripting_plugins


It must match the plugin id specification... but I doubt that's the problem since you say it was working in Firefox 2...

Regards, Gérard
> ... no error message whatsoever when trying to print in Firefox 3.

Is there some error message in the Error console when you try to print?

Tools/Error Console 
make sure you clear the error console before printing.
Michael,

I went to http://cs.thomson.com/document-management/ and then searched for browser support, browser compatibility and got no webpage results at all.

I wanted to do a search on their knowledge base but the webpage requires
"Your firm ID number
Your firm's zip code"

Usually, a new browser version often leads to the release of new driver version by developer parties for compatibility purposes. The same is true for extensions and addons.

adding qawanted keyword
Keywords: qawanted
Gerald,
Thanks for your help.  The CS print driver is a windows printer, just like a HP Laserjet or Lexmark etc.  It is not a plug-in.  Therefore, a new print driver should not be needed every time a company comes out with up upgrade of their product.  It works universally.  It is not browser specific.  As to Christina, she is the product manager for FIleCabinet Solution, not a programmer.  She also provides tech support for the program when no one else can.  She has been in the business a long time and is not an novice.  This bug is specific to FireFox 3.  Is there a way to reach the someone at Mozilla to discuss this issue?
Thanks again,
Mike
I'm also a user of FileCabinet CS and have the exact same issue.  The print job appears to complete normally, but the page in the FileCabinet CS is a blank gray page.

FireFox 2 worked perfectly, so something in the print output has changed. An explanation of what that change is that can be forwarded to Thomson would be helpful.

Terry
Gerald,
Here is another FileCabinet Solution user with the same problem.  It is something in Firefox 3 that has changed its printing routine.  How do we go about finding it?  Can Mozilla assist us with this problem at this point?  They DID change the way they interface with windows print drivers & printers.  THIS IS NOT A PLUG-IN PROBLEM.  It is a problem in the hardcoding of Firefox 3.
I tried to understand the problem and I couldn't. I have explained why I can not confirm this bug. Maybe someone else can. I also tried to find the module owner and I couldn't. I tried to do a search on cs.thomson.com knowledge base and it was not possible for me. You have repeatedly claimed it's a Firefox 3 hardcoding problem. Noted. You claim it is not a driver software coding for print. Noted again. Over here, I can not say this. One thing that would be helpful for everyone involved would be to provide specifics, useful details, reliable data, helpful info, code insight, etc. or at least a way to reproduce the problem.

> An explanation of what that change is that can be forwarded to Thomson would be helpful.

The source code (Firefox 2 and Firefox 3) is already accessible, open, public, available.
do you see this issue still with version 3.6 or 4.0 beta?
Whiteboard: [closeme 2011-03-15]
No response to requested information. Closing as incomplele reports.
Status: UNCONFIRMED → RESOLVED
Closed: 13 years ago
Resolution: --- → INCOMPLETE
Hi - this appears to work using Seamonkey 2.2 (=FF 5.0).  We'll keep you posted if we find more problems.

Thanks guys!
/j
What I mean is that bug appears to be fixed (can print from SM 2.2 into FileCabinet 10.2.2
OOPS - SORRY!  SPOKE TOO SOON!

After rebooting the computer (XP), it is apparently possible to print ONCE from the Browser and then ONCE from Email to FileCabinet.  Then, printing from either produces an empty file in FC.  Restarting either or both programs doesn't help, only a reboot.  

We (i'm the techie, my wife is the tax accountant who uses this all the time) would be happy to beta-test any fixes - misc1 at kwcpa.com.

Thanks guys!
/j
Re-opening as a SeaMonkey 2.2 (==Firefox 5) user has also reported this. We probably need a copy of the FileCabinet printer driver and/or installation in order to debug the issue.

Bug 475022 mentions ATL 8.0. It might be that the people with problems are running into an access violation, due to Data Execution Prevention (DEP)  (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa366553.aspx)  detecting the "thunk" attempt from the older ATL code.
Status: RESOLVED → REOPENED
Ever confirmed: true
Resolution: INCOMPLETE → ---
Whiteboard: [closeme 2011-03-15]
I tried disabling DEP and it made no difference.  Sorry.  Please let us know what we can do to help debug.
help?
This may be related to bug 452247 or bug 454532. Firefox 3 printing switched to outputting glyphs instead of characters to support complex text. As a result some old buggy print drivers do not work well with FF3. There has recently been a patch committed to work around the issues with buggy print drivers when printing simple text (complex text will never work with these drivers). You can test the patch with the latest nightly build:
http://nightly.mozilla.org/
is the patch in the 2.5 SM release?
checked - problem still exists in SM 2.5.  She also upgraded to the newest FileCabinet last week.
Still a problem with SM 2.7.2
and SM 2.9
Works for me using Latest Nightly 26 on Windows XP x86:

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:26.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/26.0
BuildID: 2013080716111
Status: REOPENED → RESOLVED
Closed: 13 years ago → 11 years ago
Resolution: --- → WORKSFORME
Keywords: qawanted
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