How to print in Word as Mirror Image on HP LaserJet 5L?

[Dr. Zharkov]

Hello. Inform, please, where I can get the driver, to print a file (.doc) in
Microsoft Word 2003 as a Mirror Image on printer HP LaserJet 5L?

Beforehand many thanks for your answer.

Dr. Zharkov V.A., Moscow, Russia.

[Victor Figurnov]

This post might be inappropriate. Click to display it.

[Dr. Zharkov]

Dear Mr. Victor Figurnov.

Many thanks for your very detailed and qualified answer. I need to print my
books (on computer graphics, multimedia and games on Visual Basic, C#, C++
2005) on a film in a mirror image for a printing house. I impose all my
books in Word 2003. If I'll start to translate a file (.doc) in other
format, for example, in a format (.pdf), on it there will leave some days
and also quality of the book can be lost. If to follow your recommendation,
I need to buy new PostScript-capable laser printer.

Inform, please, what inexpensive PostScript-capable laser printer can be
bought in Moscow (Russia), that the printer printed on a film a file (.doc)
of Word 2003 in a Mirror Image with high quality?

Beforehand many thanks for your answer.

Best regards, Dr. Zharkov V.A., Moscow, Russia.

[Victor Figurnov]

Dr. Zharkov,

"Translation" of a Word document into a PDF file takes
several minutes, not "some days". Quality will not
degrade during this transformation if you'll set
appropriate options for Acrobat Distiller (all
downsamplings = "off", color management = "leave color
unchanged").

But you don't have to translate your Word document into
PDF format. You can print these documents using PostScript
printer driver to disk files. These files (PostScript files)
can be printed on your LaserJet 5L printer using GhostScript
(the free PostScript interpreter). Without any loss of quality,
of course.

Passing your PostScript output through GhostScript can be
done automatically by the RedMon printer redirector.
Also without any loss of quality.

But using of PostScript-capable printer is easier, of course.

I can recommend HP LaserJet 4200 for heavy-duty
and HP LaserJet 2300 for medium-duty usage. Both printers
have 1200x1200 dpi print engines, very fast processors
and can provide straight print path. Prices in Moscow
from 480 USD (HP LJ 2300) and 870 USD (HP LJ 4200).
I use HP LaserJet 2300d printer (2300 with embedded duplex)
at home and very satisfied with it.

Or, you can buy newer models -- HP LaserJet 2420 ($670)
or HP LaserJet 4250 ($1100). I don't know anything about
them.

There are cheaper 1200 dpi PostScript laser printers.
For example, HP LaserJet 1320 and Lexmark Optra E330,
each costs about 330-350 USD in Moscow.

If you need A3 laser printer, look at HP LaserJet 5100
(prices in Moscow from 1400 USD).

With best regards, Victor Figurnov

[Dr. Zharkov]

Dear Mr. Victor Figurnov.

Once again many thanks for your very detailed and very qualified answer.

On a site cs.wisc.edu I have seen the documentation on GhostScript, but have
not found there an example of a print of a file (.doc) in a mirror image.

Inform, please, where is possible to find step-by-step instructions for
performance of typical and often meeting example, namely,

how on a computer with operating system Windows XP with the help of programs
Acrobat, GhostScript and RedMon to print a file (.doc) of Word 2003 in a
mirror image on films A5 on printer HP LaserJet 5L?

Beforehand many thanks for your answer.

Best regards, Dr. Zharkov V.A., Moscow, Russia.

[Victor Figurnov]

Dr. Zharkov,

GhostScript prints not .doc files, but PostScript files.
To create PostScript file you should print your Word
document using PostScript printer driver (for example,
Linotronic 930 printer driver) with "print to file"
option turned on (in Word's "Print" dialog).

To print your document mirrored you should turn on
the appropriate flag not in GhostScript, but
in the PostScript printer driver's options. It should
be done before printing your Word document to PostScript
file.

This flag is called "Mirrored output" or "Mirror".
On my computer (Win XP Pro) this flag can be achieved
as follows:

1. Press "Options" ("Svoisctva") button in the Word's
"Print" ("Pechat'") dialog.
2. Press "Advanced..." ("Dopolnitel'no...") button.
3. In the tree (hierarchical list) of printer's properties
you can find mirror parameter in the branch "Document
parameters" ("Parametry dokumenta") and in the sub-branch
"PostScript Options".

Hope this helps.

With best regards, Victor Figurnov

[Dr. Zharkov]

Dear Mr. Victor Figurnov.

With the help of your recommendations, I have received file (.doc) of Word
in a mirror image on the following scheme:

1. From disk with Windows XP, I have loaded the driver of printer HP Color
LaserJet 5/5M PS.

2. In Word 2003, I open the file myFile1.doc, choose File, Print, in panel
Print for printer Hp Color LaserJet 5/5M PS I set a mirror image and print
in file myFile2.prn.

3. With the help of Acrobat Distiller 5.0, file myFile2.prn I receive in
file myFile2.pdf.

4. In Adobe Acrobat 5.0, I open the file myFile2.pdf in a mirror image and
print the file myFile2.pdf in a mirror image on my printer HP LaserJet 5L.

However quality of a print bad: the bottom part of page - precise, and the
top part - indistinct (dim).

Advise, please, how to improve quality of a print of a file (.pdf) in a
mirror image on printer HP LaserJet 5L on this scheme? Quality of a print of
a file (.doc) in Word 2003 on this printer good.



Once again many thanks for your very detailed and very qualified help.

Best regards, Dr. Zharkov V.A., Moscow, Russia.

[Victor Figurnov]

Dr. Zharkov,

I never met such selective degradation of quality.

Try to print the PDF file with different print
options. Also try to print other complex PDFs
to see whether this effect persists.

May be the reason of this quality degradation is
the shortage of printer's memory. The default 1 Mb
memory of Laserjet 5L is not sufficient for complex
print jobs. You may consider to buy a memory upgrade
(part number C3148A -- 4 Mb memory upgrade,
prices from $38 in Moscow).

With best regards, Victor Figurnov