What do I do if I encounter a print error?
When poster printing, there are sometimes error which occur during the printing process.
Below are some of the common problems, their causes and ways they can be resolved.
If the issue you are facing is not listed below, please inform a member of uCreate staff.
The file stopped printing partway through.
Details of error
The file stopped printing partway through. This usually means that the first or last third of the poster has not printed at all.
When it might occur
The poster was not orientated correctly.
How to fix it
Make sure you have selected Size and Fit in the Page Sizing and Handling section and Auto in the Orientation section.
Also ensure you have Autorotation selected in rotation dropdown menu of the Properties> Layout/ Output window. This will allow the computer to correctly orient your file for the paper size you have selected.
See Poster Printing Guidance for more details.
Part of the content is missing.
Details of error
Part of the content is missing from the poster. This could be a missing image or a section of text has not printed.
When it might occur
This usually happens because your file is too complex for our printers.
Files made on Adobe InDesign, Illustrator Photoshop and other specialist design programs often contain layers, which are saved into your pdf. Our printers will only print a limited number of these layers, leaving half or more of your design missing.
How to fix it
Compress (or flatten) your file by opening it in Adobe Acrobat, going to print and in the printer drop-down menu select Adobe pdf, and press save.
Save this under a different name than your original file and print your new, compressed, file.
The printer says you don’t have enough credit.
Details of error
The printer says you don’t have enough credit.
When it might occur
The Poster Printers only accept Personal Cash.
This means, even if you are staff or have had money specifically added by the print team for this project etc., you will have to add Personal Cash to your print account in order to print a poster.
How to fix it
To check the amount of personal cash you can go to your print account and your personal cash amount will be shown on the summery page.
For guidance on how to add personal cash, and poster printing prices, please see Poster Printer Guidance.
You need a receipt for your poster print.
Details of error
You need a receipt for your poster print.
When it might occur
If you need to be reimbursed by your department for your poster printing.
Please note that this usually refers to staff members.
How to fix it
Go to your print account and click on either Transaction History or Recent Prints depending on what information you need.
Both will show a list of recent actions, below this are small PDF, HTML and CVS file icons. Click on the file type you would like to download.
The job doesn't appear when you tap your card, after it has been sent to the printer.
Details of error
The job doesn't appear when you tap your card, after it has been sent to the printer.
When it might occur
If the job has been sent to the wrong printer or you have scanned your card at the wrong printer.
If the library is particularly busy or eduroam is slow it can take a few minutes for files to appear on our system.
How to fix it
You can check if the job has been sent to the incorrect printer by tapping your card on the other printer’s release menu and seeing if it has popped up there.
Wait a few minutes for the job to upload to the printer and check again.
A job has been sent to the printer that you no longer need or want to pay for.
Details of error
A job has been sent to the printer that you no longer need or want to pay for.
When it might occur
If you need to make last minute changes to your poster or realise the print settings were incorrect.
How to fix it
Scan your card at the poster printer, select the job you no longer need and click delete.
You are only charged when a print is released from your card to the printer.
The poster looks different printed than it did on screen.
Details of error
The poster looks different printed than it did on screen. This could include the poster being blurry, stripy or the colours appear different.
When it might occur
If your print is blurry this is likely because your file has far smaller dimensions than the size that you printed it, or your file is low quality.
If your print looks a little stripy this is probably because you set your print quality to speed rather than to quality.
How to fix it
To help with your image being blurry, remake your file to the correct dimensions or with a larger number of pixels per inch (we recommend at least 300 pixels per inch for large prints). Re-print your new file.
To help with the stripy effect, before you send your file to print go to Properties, Paper/Quality and move the print quality slider from speed towards quality, press ok. You can now re-print your file.
Colours look different depending on what format you are looking at them. It is normal for colours to look different on screen than they do printed.
The printer is low on ink.
Details of error
The printer is low on ink.
When it might occur
The poster printers are designed to be industrial printers working 24/7. The low ink notification comes on when the printer has around 25% of a specific ink left.
How to fix it
The printers will last around a month displaying the low ink warning before the ink needs changing.
Print your poster and if there is a clear indication that the ink has run out, speak to a member of uCreate staff.
Do not try and change the ink yourself. The printers are digitally locked by us and have to be unlocked before ink can be changed successfully. If you try and change the ink yourself, you will just make the printer unusable until a member of uCreate staff can help.
If you are in the Murray Library you can also ask the librarians for help.
The printer is out of paper.
Details of error
The printer is out of paper.
When it might occur
The two rolls of paper in the printer are empty.
When the paper is nearing the end of its roll, it sometimes unloads.
How to fix it
Ask a member of uCreate staff to reload the paper.
Do not try and change the paper yourself. The printers are digitally locked by us and have to be unlocked before paper can be loaded successfully. If you try and change the paper yourself, you will just make the printer unusable until a member of uCreate staff can help.
If you are in the Murray Library you can also ask the librarians for help.
There is a white border around the poster.
Details of error
There is a white border around the poster.
When it might occur
Every time you print a poster, it will have a white border. The printer paper is larger than the largest printing size.
How to fix it
Around the corner from the poster printers, there are guillotines for cutting off the excess paper.