Progressive loss of printer alignment across 2nd and 3rd check

Berklee

Since the last Quicken update I can no longer print checks correctly.
I have not previously experienced this problem, my printer and computer have not changed. I have not changed my printer driver or driver settings.

The first check appears to be properly aligned, but then the alignment drifts. I have tried realigning without success, changing font size from 12 to 10 makes no difference.
The identical problem occurs when I print the 2nd check or the 3rd check.
I am using Wallet checks purchased from Intuit.

A copy of the problem is shown below.

UKR

Thanks for providing an image of the problem.

Please take a look at the response from a customer experiencing the same issue:

https://community.quicken.com/discussion/7893555/check-alignment-wrong-for-2nd-3rd-checks

Could this be what's causing your problem?
Also, are your Windows Printer Properties set to default to standard paper 8.5*11", 100% magnification, no auto-detect paper type or photo print?

Are you using Check Style "Wallet Checks (Check 21 ...)"?
It appears to me, based on the image, that you need to shift the entire print image to the right about 1/8" so that the numeric amount does not print too close to the $ sign.

My 2cents' worth:
I use Voucher checks (1 business size check + 2 stubs on an 8.5x11" sheet). My printers do not have a manual feed tray or 2nd paper tray that can easily be reconfigured to feed partial pages (1 or 2 checks left from a 3-checks-per-page sheet), so for my occasional check printing needs voucher checks are easiest to use.
When considering your own check stock to use, consider how easy or difficult it is to feed special forms or odd-size partial pages into your printer when making a purchase decision for a new supply of checks.

Berklee

My printer (Brother HL-L6200DW) driver uses the WSD port implicated in the post to which you refer. I attempted to revert to TCP-IP port by setting DHCP server on my router to assign a static IP address to printer (based on the printers mac address)... but when reassigning the driver port to the TCP-IP port associated with static IP (rather than WSD port) the printer just prints random characters - so I have to revert to WSD driver.

I am using WalletChecks (Check 21) and have been doing so for at least 20 years (yes I have been on Quicken that long), and just purchased a new pack of them last month. I have a manual feed tray on my laser printer.

Most printers are going to WSD ports - so if this is an issue with WSD ports - then Intuit needs to get a fix out for this problem.

Berklee

Well that did not work... I have two printers. My Brother HL-L6200DW which insists on using the WSD port and my older Brother HL-4150CDN which is on a TCP/IP port.
I just finished trying to print checks on the HL-4150CDN printer and experienced the same problem.

So this is now verified to be a bug in Quicken - which can no longer print checks properly. I have gone through a half a box of checks now trying to trouble shoot this.

If there is no resolution, I will begin to look for a less buggy alternative to Quicken. It has been a good 20 years... but support has really deteriorated and there are no solutions to known bugs. Time to go...

UKR

Have you tried this yet:

Print a sheet or two of checks on blank paper instead of printing on check forms. Does that print correctly? Hold the printed page over a sheet of check forms against the light to see the results. If it does, that would prove, IMHO, that your printer's set to auto-detect paper size and that messes up magnification and formatting.

Something else to try:

Take one of your printers and unplug it from the network.
Delete the printer from Windows

Plug in a USB cable and let Windows discover your printer again.
Do Printer Setup / For printing checks in Quicken and select the new printer

Print a page or two of sample checks, both on blank paper and on check forms and see how that works

Rocket J Squirrel

Berklee said:

when reassigning the driver port to the TCP-IP port associated with static IP (rather than WSD port) the printer just prints random characters - so I have to revert to WSD driver.

I was also getting bogus characters printed, and even displayed in print preview. What worked for me was a "Reset all printer settings" under Validate & Repair, followed by setting up the printer again in Quicken. I can print to either WSD or TCP/IP ports now. Have you tried that?

Berklee

@Rocket J Squirrel Thanks for suggestion. I reset all printer settings in Validate and Repair, then setup the printer again in Quicken attempting to realign. No change, alignment still drifts across the checks - almost as if the size of the check page within the program is larger than the check page within the printer.

Rocket J Squirrel

@Berklee sorry that didn't help. Want to try a really wacky experiment with no guarantees? Set up your check printer to be a PDF writer that you know works. "Print" a page of checks to a PDF file. Eyeball it before printing. If the vertical spacing looks plausible, print it from Adobe Reader to your real printer, making sure to use "actual size" and see whether the checks align.

If that succeeds, it points to Quicken mishandling your Brother printers. (I looked to see whether your printers had any funny business like "nudge factors" in C:\ProgramData\Quicken\Config\wpr.ini but they do not.) 3-to-a-page wallet checks print fine on my HP OfficeJet, so not every setup exhibits your problem.

Berklee

@Rocket J Squirrel Tried the experiment. Printed a page to PDF using Adobe Print Driver.
Once the top check is calibrated the others continue to drift.
This comes down to a bug in Quicken.

I have found a workaround. Since this Quicken Bug screws up printing of 2nd and 3rd check on a sheet of 3 wallet checks, if one only prints the top check, the alignment will be fine.
Tear off the top check, and print the 2nd as if it was the first.
Tear of the 2nd check and print the 3rd as if it was the first. \

IF past is prologue, I expect this will never be solved by Quicken software engineers.
I have been accumulating a number of other bugs that make the program increasingly difficult to use, and support has no answers and will not do any research to solve.

It is too bad, as this used to be a relatively bug free program... I guess maintain old code is a challenge.
Time for a full rewrite.

Thanks,