When a print request for multiple copies sends double the requested number

I would stay with the PCL 5 driver (of course, newer is usually better) or with Postscript.  PCL 6 performs well, but is not very "forgiving" to imperfections in the data stream.  PCL 5 is much more agreeable with all applications.  Postscript is slower and print jobs will require more data, but is more favored by graphics/arts.

I also doubt changing away from the Universal PCL 5 driver at the server will make any difference on this error.   I would most suspect the user's computer has more than one copy selected at the driver/printer object on the user's computer plus the user specifying more than one copy in their application.  This has the effect of acting as a multiplier. ... But I could be completely wrong.

I have seen some applications (Word Perfect anyone?) where the user specifies multiple copies at the print dialog and the application manages to set the same number of multiple copies at the driver level ... and you get the "multiplier effect".  It seems to happen more with applications that do their own print job spooling in addition to the computer's built-in printer spooling (yeah, Word Perfect does this).

If I'm totally "out to lunch" or way wrong... just ignore me. 

Scott Olswold posted a nice screenshot of where that setting is at.

There are two locations on the "driver level" where this setting is at.  One if for the current user and the other is as a "default" for all new user profiles from that point on.    In the printer's properties, on the General tab, the Preferences button takes you to the settings for the current user and the Advanced tab for the preferences is where you'll find the setting.   For setting the "default" for all new user profiles from that point on, in the printer's properties, on the Advanced tab there is a "Printing Defaults" button which takes you to a set of preferences that act as setting the "default" preferences.

I've stated "for all new user profiles from that point on" because any user who has already used the computer will have already got a set of preferences applied to their account.  Any changes to the "default" printer settings at this point will not apply to those already existing accounts.  Only to those accounts/profiles added after you set the defaults.  Important to be aware of this.

- Paul L.

Please see note at the end of this post regarding Mopier Mode being enabled (electronic collation) or disabled (in-job collation).

Colleen Keenan,

As Paul said, I would stick with the PCL 5 driver.  I am not sure which version of the driver you have, but the Mopier Mode setting is one of the settings to look at (instructions to follow).  The screen shot at the bottom is from a slighter older version of the PCL5 UPD.

I agree with the others that have said you should also confirm that you are not dealing with independent counters for numbers of copies (one within the program and one within the driver settings).  This should be easy enough to test just by changing it in the application and seeing if the number of copies at the driver level matches.  Once you can replicate the program from which you are printing, and the settings on the driver at the workstation level, we should have a better picture.

Regards,

Steven

• ON THE WORKSTATION (not the server), open print management (search the start menu, or execute printmanagement.msc from the run command or a command prompt)
• Drill down to Print Servers > XXXXXXX (local) > Printers   (where XXXXXX is the name of the computer you are on)
• Right click on the print queue you are sending the test prints and click on Properties
• Under the Advanced (tab) > Print Processor (button) > Set print processor to WinPrint and the data type to RAW
• Under the Device Settings (tab) and change the following options (bets practices)
  • Printer Status Notifications = Disabled
  • Job Storage = Disabled*
  • Secure Printing = Disabled
  • Color Print Mode = On for color queues, Off for mono/BW queues
  • Mopier Mode = Disabled*
  • Device type = Color for color queues, Monochrome for black & white queues

*These items could have a direct impact on the issue described.

**** NOTE ****

After further discussion with Scott Olswold, the Mopier mode setting is one that can go both ways.  In this case, the particular model Colleen had mishandled jobs rendered using in-job collation whereas the models I have interacted with primarily react negatively to Mopier mode being enabled as it uses electronic collation. 

It seems that perhaps that the fancier devices like those with finishers prefer electronic collation (Mopier Mode enabled) or they print out the square of the number of copies requested - e.g. 5 copies give you 25, 3 copies gives you 9, and so forth.  When Mopier Mode is disabled, in-job collation is used which creates a spool file that already contains all 5, 3, or however many copies were requested.  The printer then prints out 5, 3, or however many copies were requested which gives you the squared number of copies., enabling

On the more simplistic single function printers, enabling Mopier Mode (electronic collation) may have the opposite effect.  As a result of that configuration (Mopier Mode enabled), only a single copy of the job is included in the spool file, and some printers fail to make the additional digital copies requested.  In this case the user gets charged for all copies, but only receives one.

Summary: At sites that have conflicting printer models - i.e., printers which require Mopier Mode to be enabled or they print too many copies, as well as having printers that require it to be disabled or they only print a single copy - the solution is to simply have two queues with driver configurations that play nicely with the print models in that group.