Printing Error: Problem Initializing the current printer.

[KMK_media_group]

I am trying to print to PDF from within InDesign CS4. When I do, I get this message.

"Printing Error: Problem Initializing the current printer. Check the system print settings."

I don't have this issue from within Illustrator or Photoshop, Word, or any other program.

I temporarily got it working a couple times but I by opening "Adobe PDF presets" from within InDesign but I didn't really change anything so it may have been a fluke.

Running Windows 7, 64 bit.

Makes no sense that it works just fine in all programs but InDesign.

Any thoughts?

[AnthonyPhilbin]

I also found success only after printing to a separate printer (PS file so as not to waste paper lol) and then changing the printer back to Adobe PDF. Windows 8 btw and Adobe CC subscription.

[tdatx]

I also got this to work in a different manner.  I went to the printer advanced settings and changed the DPI from its high setting to 300.  On this project my file was 8'x4' so that may have been the problem.  I'm on InDesign CC 2014, Windows 8.1 64

[John__SLS_Publicity_]

Same problem.  Old file, latest version of Windows and In-Design CC.  Have repaired Adobe Acrobat. done the changes recommended.  Still no pdf.

Problem is not the Adobe Printer as the bodge fix of copy/pasting all the content to a new document allowed that to work.  However do not want to have to do this for every old document I have ever created.

[Steve Werner]

@John,

Just to clarify, it sounds like your problem is making a PDF from the InDesign CC 2015. Is that correct? But the correct way to make a PDF in InDesign isn't to use the Adobe Printer. It would be to choose File > Export > Adobe PDF. Choose a PDF preset appropriate for the kind out output you're doing. For desktop printing, High Quality Print would be sufficient. For commercial printing, PDF/X-4 would be the best.

[John__SLS_Publicity_]

‌Sorry - to clarify it was using the Build booklet function for a 4 page file.  As stated no problem with the actual activity/output methodology as it then worked with a new file created by copy/pasting all the old content over but it will not generate a booklet PDF from the original file.

Created probably in 2012, in CS5 when the PC was running Win 7.  if relevant my default printer will also have changed since then too.

[Peter Spier]

See Remove minor corruption by exporting

[John__SLS_Publicity_]

Thanks for the tip.  Unfortunately tried tonight but sadly it didn't work as a fix for that document.  As I now have the replacement sent off for the client to reprint it isn't now urgent for that job but is something I will keep in reserve to retry if it happens on any of my other documents.

[JanFrumar]

I had the same problem. I tried to create booklet. Didnt work. I tried create printing PDF. The same. But i created print files from this file before many times (its newspapers on the same basic). So i tried to understand why it doesnt create now? At first i tried to unninstal acrobat. No changes. Well.. sometimes (i dont know why) i think the problem is in indd file. Because i know i did print pdf from file before. So i created new document and try create print file and? its work. So try it too. If its ok the way to print your "demage" indd is to "package" document and you will create new folder with indd and links, fonts... and from this file i can make booklet or print with no problems... I hope it helps you

[monelleny]

I just got the problem for the first time, using InDesign CS4 and Windows 7, but not printing to PDF--just printing to a regular inkjet printer.  It seemed to happen after I changed some printer settings very rapidly.   Closing and reopening ID did not help.  I only got the message with the one file, and had no problem printing other files.  So I recreated the file using one of the files I knew I could print, and voila--the problem disappeared.  I hope this is somewhat helpful to someone ... it's not the same, of course, as getting the message every time you try to print.

[ryanko]

Finally found out what was causing it on my file. Not the print settings. It was an overset text frame I found through an error being flagged in the preflight settings (red dot bottom of screen).

The issue was either one of two things: 1) it was overset text, or 2) this specific text box was going outside the document area. Not just outside the bleed, but outside the lighter-grey work area. I'm leaning toward the latter cause. Once i deleted it, the error disappeared and the booklet print worked.  The only other unique detail is that this text box was also on the last page of the document, so it might have been a combination of that and one of the other things.. Hope that helps somebody. Try fixing your overset text and make sure no objects are going way off the workspace.

[KrisRebillion]

In the PRINT BOOKLET Setup - change Print Preset to pdf custom.