Printing Error: Adobe Print Engine Failure

[Angela_Buras]

I'm having some trouble with a print error (The Adobe Print Engine has failed to output your data due to an unknown problem). I've trouble-shooted with some articles on here and gone through the steps in this post: https://helpx.adobe.com/indesign/kb/error-print-engine-failed-print.html

I was able to print the document through the workaround of exporting to a PDF, but want to know the reason why it was getting that error. I've run into this issue with a few files before, but had no luck figuring out the reasoning. Usually, the files that have the error have been originally set up by someone else or are a copy of a file. 

In addition to the suggestions in the post linked above, I've tried trouble-shooting by isolating out layers/objects, etc. and re-sending to print to try to find the direct issue. No luck with this either. 

Any suggestions? I've seen articles going back years with this same issue, but no clear reasoning for why.

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[leo.r]

And what are your versions of InDesign and Windows, as well as the printer model?

[Angela_Buras]

I'm running InDesign 19.5, Windows 10 (Version 22H2) , and printing to an HP DesignJet Z9 dr plotter. 

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Windows, huh? What Printer Driver are you using? If you are currently using the Z9 PS driver, consider switching to the Z9 PDF driver. When that is installed, the associated PPD tells InDesign that the Z9 can handle PDF directly and sends the data accordingly. Conversely, using the PS driver flattens everything to PS Level 3 code, and there might be something in the file that is tripping that up.

[rob day]

Sounds like an IDML fixed the corruption.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Is the Z9's firmware up to date? Did the Z9 itself show an error? This might be more something you need to check with HP about since it's their APPE?

[Angela_Buras]

No error on the Z9 & I believe firmware is up to date. I'm able to plot other files from InDesign no problem, it's only this one document that is getting the error. 

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Maybe so, but the error is happening at the HP, so there's something its APPE doesn't like about that file; Cold be literally anything, so I doubt there's anything we could figure out. Sorry!

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

just as an aside, I have an HP z3100PS, and access to its complete detailed error log history is through a service menu. I don't know how to invoke that on a Z9, and if your machine is under a service agreement, you would need HP to look at it.

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

And as another aside. the PDF route is the way to go anyway. All my jobs to my HP are PDF-submitted.

[rob day]

it's only this one document that is getting the error.

Hi @Angela_Buras , Do you get the error if you try to Save a Postscript File? That might tell you if it is driver specific.

You also might try isolating a specific page or object that’s causing the error by dividing the document into batches until you find a problem page.

[Angela_Buras]

@rob day no error when I save to a Post-Script file. 

I tried breaking up the document into batches/removing elements one-by-one to see if it would then print, but couldn't find what was causing the error. 

[rob day]

Will a new document print?

Does Saving As and opening an IDML have an affect? Maybe test for a corrupt font by replacing the fonts with system fonts via Find/Replace Font?

[Angela_Buras]

New documents & other INDD documents have no issues printing. If I make a new document & copy/paste the elements from the file with the issue, it gets the same error message when I try to print. 

When I save as an IDML, the file can print no problem. No sure what this means?

[rob day]

IDML is a standard trouble shooting step--it can fix document specific corruptions

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

"no error when I save to a Post-Script file."

Have you tried submitting that PS file directly to the Z9 either through its web interface or from a USB? If so, does it still error out?

Also: Try distill that PS file using Distiller, and see if it errors out there, too. If so, it might give a more descriptive error.=, and possibly the page number of where it errors out.

[Angela_Buras · Accepted solution]

Update - The print issue was resolved by installing a new HP driver on my computer (HP_DesignJet_PageWideXL_driver_Installer). The missing driver was causing the print error.